91E Integrated Amplifier Awarded “Product of the Year”

The Absolute Sound Products of the Year edition (January 2023) features an in-depth review of the 91E Amplifier. Reviewer Rives Bird writes, “[The 91E] has real innovation in design that is not hype. It is delivering sound quality beyond what I’ve previously heard from any 300B amplifier.” This award marks the end of a successful debut year for Western Electric’s flagship amplifier.

“This unit is groundbreaking…”

“The Western Electric 91E is a unique combination of ‘old and new.’ The heart of the unit is the WE 300B tube, which is made—right here in the U.S.A. by WE—to the same standards and specifications as the original WE 300B tube, with some enhancements to the manufacturing process that increase the tube’s longevity. The amplifier also blends an old circuit design (Class A2) for driving the grid of the tube with new innovative circuits like the patented SCCS (Steered Constant Current Source). Reviewer Rives Bird found the result to be nothing short of magical. Leading-edge designs like the 91E are not just hyperbole. They deliver real benefits, such as 20 watts of power from a 300B in single-ended triode (SET) mode. The 91E offers all the sonic benefits of the 300B without the shortcomings: well-controlled bass, a wonderful top end, and a five-year warranty on the pair of 300B tubes. It is refreshing to see tubes being made in the U.S. again. What’s even more impressive is the commitment Charles Whitener, WE’s CEO, has made to quality and execution. This unit is groundbreaking. It delivers an incredibly high standard at a relatively affordable price. [The reviewer] was so impressed he purchased the review sample and listens to it daily.”

- Excerpt from The Absolute Sound, Jan 2023

The January 2023 issue also features a factory report focusing on 300B electron tube manufacturing.

The 91E Integrated amplifier is in stock and available to order direct from westernelectric.com and from Authorized Dealers worldwide.