Layer GEN-300B Combines Single-Ended 300B Power With Direct Headphone Drive

Layer Audio Design has introduced the GEN-300B, an integrated tube amplifier designed to serve both headphones and high-sensitivity loudspeakers. Its single-ended Class A circuit uses 300B output tubes and provides up to 10 watts per channel into an 8-ohm load.

A fully discrete single-ended tube circuit

The GEN-300B is built around a fully discrete, all-tube signal path rather than a hybrid topology. Its tube complement consists of two 6N8P driver tubes, a pair of 300B output tubes and a 5AR4 rectifier tube.

Layer Audio Design has configured the amplifier for single-ended Class A operation. The two 300B tubes handle output duties, with one tube assigned to each channel, while the 6N8P pair forms the driver stage. The 5AR4 provides tube rectification for the amplifier’s power supply.

The integrated format places source control and power amplification in one chassis. With output reaching up to 10 watts per channel into a nominal 8-ohm load, the GEN-300B is specifically intended for use with high-sensitivity speakers rather than being presented as a high-power amplifier for demanding loudspeaker loads.

Separate connections for 4- and 8-ohm speakers

Layer has equipped the GEN-300B with dedicated speaker outputs for 4- and 8-ohm loudspeakers. These separate connections allow users to select the output intended for the nominal impedance of the connected speaker system.

The specified maximum output applies when the amplifier is operating into an 8-ohm load. Beyond that figure, Layer has not provided additional power ratings for other impedances in the announced information.

Headphones connect to the main tube output stage

Headphone operation is a central part of the GEN-300B’s design rather than an auxiliary feature. The front-panel headphone connection is fed directly from the amplifier’s primary tube amplification path through a transformer.

This arrangement avoids the use of a separate solid-state headphone stage. As a result, headphones and speakers are both driven from the GEN-300B’s core single-ended tube circuit, while the transformer provides the interface required for the front headphone output.

The shared amplification architecture also distinguishes the GEN-300B from integrated amplifiers that add a standalone headphone module unrelated to the main power-amplifier section. Layer’s approach keeps the 300B output stage involved when the amplifier is used for personal listening.

COPULA adapter supports four-pin XLR headphones

For particularly demanding planar-magnetic headphones, Layer Audio Design also offers the COPULA adapter. It enables headphones fitted with a four-pin XLR connector to be connected directly to the GEN-300B’s speaker outputs.

The adapter provides an alternative to the amplifier’s front headphone connection for models that may require a different connection method. Layer specifically positions COPULA for demanding planar-magnetic designs, extending the GEN-300B’s role as a combined speaker and headphone amplifier.

No pricing or detailed availability information for either the GEN-300B or the COPULA adapter was included in the supplied announcement.

With its fully discrete tube path, single-ended Class A topology and 300B output stage, the Layer GEN-300B combines a traditional low-power speaker amplifier architecture with dedicated headphone functionality. Its transformer-coupled front output and optional COPULA adapter broaden the ways in which the main tube circuit can be used.