What's the greatest bargain in SET these days?

Map,
At this point, with the 3 PCB's all built up, most of what's left is "inter-wiring," that is, doing the wiring between the various PCB's themselves and between the driver PCB and the 300 B hard-wired "tag strip." There's also a little wiring and connecting to be done at some of the valve bases. The last step is to solder in the big Mundorf caps and install the RCA connectors, speaker posts and volume pot.
Then, I'll take various measurements to see if all looks well. After that, it's add in the tubes and power up.
So I'd say I'm more than 2/3 of the way into the build, but there's still a good deal more to do. And I'm a slow worker! ;-)

So TAS has finally come out with Dick Olsher's review of the Coincident Dynamo 34 SE. I find it an odd read... one of those reviews where the conclusion doesn't quite seem to match the body of the review.
He describes his dismay that his rectifier tube kept arcing on startup, which he said Coincident describes as "a normal event."
His review unit then kept blowing fuses and had to be shipped back to Coincident. The problem turned out to be a failed filter cap.
He lauds the unit for its exceptionally dimensional sound stage, but says that the lows and mids fell short of his Primaluna DiaLogue Premium. He then starts tube rolling, and after replacing the Chinese EL 34's and the 6SL7 with Tung Sol's, he feels the amp starts to show what it can do, although he cautions that because of the amp's 10.2 ohm source impedance off the 8 ohm taps, speaker matching is crucial. On his Basszilla DIY speakers (odd choice for a review!) he found the tonal balance "distinctly lightweight."
In the end, after a digression on the psychology of perceived value vs. price in the field of wine connoisseurship, he concludes that the Dynamo "may not always yield the most accurate tonal balance, but the crux of the matter is foot-tapping musical bliss."
Your thoughts?

So much depends on the speaker when judging an amplifier, particularly SET/SEP types. It seems Tim Smith of 6 Moons may have use more compatible speakers as he notes numerous fine matches. System synergy is such a key factor for success .

Rebbi, I haven't yet read the review, but based on your synopsis, it does seem to be a bit perplexing. As you may recall, I also had the problem with the arcing rectifier, and in due course pitched it into the trash can. Arcing may be "normal" but it so what? There was a time when the plague was normal in Europe. Small comfort. I don't quite get why Israel thinks his customers will think this is a non issue. Its not like the stock rectifier is a stellar performer. Perhaps a cheap 5AR4 that doesn't arc would be a better choice. It is unfortunate that Olsher's experience was also marred by a bad cap. Could be he was soured a bit by these events.

Mikirob's tube rolling adventures validate Olsher's observations that tube rolling is a productive exercise. This is not exactly a startling revelation.

I found the tonal balance to be neutral. The dynamo is a very cost effective product, in my estimation. It is not a destination piece, but it is a good choice for someone getting started or building a 2nd system.

I am eager to experience 2nd hand your thoughts on your current project.

Brownsfan,
Thanks for the reply. Yes, Tim Smith's review was much more thorough. Israel points out in his manufacturer's reply that Olsher never even mentions that the amp has a headphone section...
And I agree that if the stock rectifier is a turkey, then supply your customers with a better one. Heck, charge an extra $50 and supply a better one. $1299 may be a bargain for this kind of product, but it's still not small change.
As for the Kit 1, it's getting there. My backordered tubes shipped today. A few more hours of wiring and I should be ready to test.

Charles,
I agree with your point about system synergy, which is why using some one-off, DIY speaker for evaluation purposes makes so little sense. We know almost nothing of this speaker. Or, my goodness, if you suspect a mismatch, borrow a different set to try.

Oddly, Israel Blume expresses gratitude and appreciation in his manufacturer response. I mean, in the end it's a positive review but the middle section's pretty mixed.