SET Preamps

Well, there you go!
It has been confirmed by the dealer, that if it doesn't cost at least 5 figures, they can't be any good!
(But the build quality can be good!)

Right, Sounds_real_audio?!

;-)

I used to own the original UltraVerve. I wonder how the mk III compares to the original one. How about the Mercury mk III ? I auditioned the first one but didn't like the bass (bloated). The midrange was to die for though. I wonder how the Mercury mk III sounds now.

Not sure how you are defining "SET preamp," but as I would define it most and perhaps nearly all tube preamps are SETs.

Meaning that their output tubes (and other tubes that are in the signal path) are triodes, and the output stages do NOT consist of two triodes, or two triode sections, operated as push-pull pairs. Push-pull, btw, is NOT the same thing as differentially balanced, in case that is not clear.

The phrase "SET" is normally used to distinguish power amplifier output stages that consist of triodes that are not operated push-pull (and which usually provide very low power capability), from other output stage topologies that are operated push-pull and/or are based on tetrodes or pentodes.

Regards,
-- Al

A triode is a triode.