"Tubegroover, Ralph and others,I understand that you are drawn to something else and move in a different direction."
While we may be drawn in different directions Charles, I do believe our goals are essentially the same. I, like you and Rob believe that correct tone is the most important factor in realizing long term enjoyment and reduces the encroachment of fatigue more than any other factor, at least to me. If tone, timbre and pitch is off just a bit, very little else matters. Tone, energy (is this pratt, toe-tapping that is referred to?) realistic transients, dynamic contrasts and low level musical information are some of the things that make music more real to me. What contributes to great tone the question might be? I have come to the conclusion that correct tone is directly attributable to the reduction in distortion, the less the distortion in the system, the better the resolution and tone. The wild card is that tube amplifiers seem to get this more right than SS, at least most I've listened to, "anyone got a recommendation of a ss amp that sounds like tubes" never the reverse. Something I always marvel at is listening to a pair of well set-up Quad speakers, how natural and convincing they are in getting tone and timbre right, more right than anything I've personally listened to. I don't and wouldn't own them because they have other limitations I personally can't live with.
So far as SETs are concerned, I DO agree with you guys! We're not in disagreement on any point other than that IME they require very efficient speakers to reduce the distortion characteristics that would make them more appealing to ME and quite possibly others for the wide genres of musical tastes I and others might have.
Please don't take offense. I've made the points of my comments clear. There is nothing wrong with SETs, they have magical qualities, just to others watching which I include myself, there may be more restrictions using these amps because of their power limits so if you take that path you have PLENTY of information above to use as a guide going forward.
While we may be drawn in different directions Charles, I do believe our goals are essentially the same. I, like you and Rob believe that correct tone is the most important factor in realizing long term enjoyment and reduces the encroachment of fatigue more than any other factor, at least to me. If tone, timbre and pitch is off just a bit, very little else matters. Tone, energy (is this pratt, toe-tapping that is referred to?) realistic transients, dynamic contrasts and low level musical information are some of the things that make music more real to me. What contributes to great tone the question might be? I have come to the conclusion that correct tone is directly attributable to the reduction in distortion, the less the distortion in the system, the better the resolution and tone. The wild card is that tube amplifiers seem to get this more right than SS, at least most I've listened to, "anyone got a recommendation of a ss amp that sounds like tubes" never the reverse. Something I always marvel at is listening to a pair of well set-up Quad speakers, how natural and convincing they are in getting tone and timbre right, more right than anything I've personally listened to. I don't and wouldn't own them because they have other limitations I personally can't live with.
So far as SETs are concerned, I DO agree with you guys! We're not in disagreement on any point other than that IME they require very efficient speakers to reduce the distortion characteristics that would make them more appealing to ME and quite possibly others for the wide genres of musical tastes I and others might have.
Please don't take offense. I've made the points of my comments clear. There is nothing wrong with SETs, they have magical qualities, just to others watching which I include myself, there may be more restrictions using these amps because of their power limits so if you take that path you have PLENTY of information above to use as a guide going forward.