Building the Audio Note Kit 1 SET amp...

Charles,
Yes, quantity does not equal quality – so much of it is about the interaction between the speaker, the amplifier and the room.
When I first started to get back into audio actively in the mid-2000's, I sold my 1986- era PS Audio Elite + (70 W per channel integrated, all hardwired) and bought a Unison Unico (used) hybrid, integrated amp with a tubed input stage and a transistor output stage. It was actually a beautiful amp. But by that point I had been through several different kinds of speakers and had Ohm Walsh 100's, which do like power. At this point I was heavily into horse trading on Audiogon, and picked up a Bel Canto S300 power amp (Class D) which I paired with a used Manley Shrimp tube preamp, on the theory that the preamp would "warm-up" the sound of the solid-state power amp. By this point I had moved on to a pair of Merlin monitors, the TSM-MMI's. These are voiced with tube amplification, or so the word is on the street, so it was at that point that I sold the class D amp and picked up the Manley Mahi mono-blocks. These sounded much, much nicer with the Merlin speakers then the class DM had.
So yes, I have generally let my speaker choice drive the choice of power, but this time around it may just be different because this new amp is so impressive.

Charles,
You make terrific points on topic, Rebbi had high power, as did I about 14 years ago with bel canto, loved their dac's back then, but not the amps. Bought the Cary V12, Audible Illusions M3 and the Golden Tube 300B. Really nice sound all around.

Rebbi
What's fascinating is 8 watts of high quality is impressing you to this degree on a speaker that's in reality only 86~87 db! Think what the amp will achieve with 93 db or higher and a high or flatter impedance load, Oh my! You have not heard the full potential of your SET despite how pleased you are with it currently. That is the beauty of your situation.

Mikirob,
I think at some point along the way we adhere to the more power is better mantra. I sure did at one point. We live and learn and find what's best for are individual needs. At one time I owned a Symphonic Line amplifier. A well regarded SS amp. You know what? It was good. My current SET has just moved me to an entirely higher level plain and simple. This is why I can relate to what Rebbi is just discovering now. I understand his great joy with his wonderful amp.

It is, however, possible to go too low in power. I started with a 45SET and then a 2a3 before settling on a 300b amp. My very long speaker cable runs may have had something to do with the fact that the 45 and 2a3 sounded thin despite the fact that the ZuDefs have built-in amps to power the bass drivers. One of the beauties of this hobby is the willingness of small companies to communicate directly with their customers. As Rebbi has learned, there is nothing better than a conversation with a designer/manufacturer who wants a happy customer. Sean Casey at Zu has been unfailingly helpful and gracious with his time. Clearly the same can be said for many others.