Shigaraki and other simplistic gear

Dekay and Viggen, I wonder, I am getting my BC 2 picked up after a tech check up and they guy, who is an expert, knows a lot of people who actually designs the gear that many of us have heard about and possess, stated that all his clients, have gone to the simple full range SET or other minimal power camp to return to large behemoths and power sucking monoliths. He said that the sound of the SET camp is limited in the extremes and one can hear compression. Do you have any experiences with compression of lack of slam with the minimal power set up that you have? What about the extreme frequencies? I think my tech might have been exaggerating...for I think there are many ways of fix the end extreme compromise...Fostex sells tweers and have recommendations of installing them along with their fullrange. Furthermore, in the low end, I think I have cross it with a real fast and musical subwoofer. So, the question still stands, was he exaggerating or do you think he is right. I have plunged a couple of K on the SET or minimal camp gear, I wonder if I will ever be unsatisfied. If that is the case, I think I am going to a Asylum for audio lunatics who seem to hear and see visions, when toying with equipment. Tell me about your fullrange driver experiences. Viggen, you can tell me for it seems as if you have had different set ups before, as in your systems posts.

I know I am giving up a bit on bass and detail with the Jordan speakers. But I don't miss it at all. The system I got now is by far more musical and easy to listen to all day long. Plus, they are way better looking as well as easier on the knees and back. Then again, I am no bass or detail freak and am someone who is intrigued by small electronic gadgets such as the Card. Too bad I don't use a turntable because that Bent Audio MC step up transformer would look gorgeous in my system haha. OK, do you think that technician of yours know your taste very well? SET certainly isn't for everyone. I've read lots of people successfully integrate their Fullrange single drivers with REL subs. Visit that horn shoppe site I recommended, and there are more subs they recommend with Fostex drivers.

I use an extremely low power SET system. It has only 2wpc and I use Lowther single drivers loaded into my modded Voigt Pipes. In room response is quite good down to about 40Hz, and the top end is fine beyond 20KHz. There is a rapid dropoff below 40Hz, but it sounds quite nice to me, because I don't play organ music much. There is no way that you will get the "slam" like big multi-drivers with high power out of a system like this, but it is not anemic like many people would think. Detail and coherence are superb.

I agree with those people that you talked to, who mentioned that many audiophiles are taking the low power SET route, and abandoning the complex high powered low efficiency systems, and loving the change. That's what I did, and I am quite pleased that I did.

I have owned the 47 labs 50 watt ,best radio I ever owned picked up so much RF was hardly usable. Also screws for binding posts try ramming your wire in those also so small will move all over the place .The final music 6 had better sound no noise bit larger build.I use fostex f200a speakers and fe208ez also phy hp.But my SET amps all sound better.Happy listening

Bemopti:

The key to a decent SET based system is using speakers of high sensitivity. An easy load (smooth impedance curve) would also seem to help make the most out of the available power.

If the 208's are an easy load and around 97 dB then they should be fine with the 300B amp in a small/medium sized room.

With my current rig (details including room size are listed) I do not experience compression, but then I also do not listen @ high SPL's. Though the setup does not do low bass it still manages to nicely portray dynamic swings in the music. Can't afford decent subs and would rather do without than screw up what's already good about the sound.

My previous setup (Audion 300B SET/Reynaud Twins) did compress a bit with certain complex material (fine with simpler music). It was better suited for a spare (11 x 14 x 8) bedroom, but we prefer to listen in the living room.

Other than the occasional crescendo, or rim shot if seated too close to the stage, I never experienced many "slams" in 30, or so, years spent listening to live music (no longer do so). Because of this I tend to stop taking a gear/music conversation seriously @ the point that this word is used to judge a musical system.

Even "The Who" never slammed me live. They may have been nauseatingly loud, but they never slammed me.