SET--Cary/Sophia 300/845 bassed amps

Avguygeorge, try a David Berning Siegfried ZOTL Single-ended 300B or 811 amp.

It will really do what the Lowthers are looking for. Probably about $4500-$5k used, but worth every penny of it.

It eliminates all the output transformer related issues, and is transparent and dynamic and extended as hell.

My custom amp is based on the Siegfried circuit design, and I use it with Lowthers. Match made in heaven.

BTW, what Lowther horns do you have?

Hey George- curious, what did you sell the Sophia 845's for?

Ok you nosey guys; I got 2600 for the Sophia. Mo, and he paid for shipping.---On to the Lowthers. I have their large bass reflex cab. I have the dx-3 drivers. I also bought their center speaker. It has a dx-2 driver---So I have an extra dx2 driver.---Also I read about these things called 'gizmos' from Decware--a resistor arrangemnt. It realy smooths things out. If you go to the decware site--the guy make sense---well I didn't understand it all but the end result was more than I would have expected.----Maybe only a Lowther owner might understand this but this sounds pretty damn good. That is--- being driven by my HT receiver--a marantz sr9300.--I have hooked it up several ways, but used the rec. to do the breakin, and liked what I heard.---2 rooms away the music is clear as a bell---Depending on how clear your bell is.----It's a 7.1 setup and the other speakers don't match but give off a taste of bass, when it's there. This has been running 24/7 for 3 weeks.The come-down would be listening to the cones in my tv.--Sounds like I got a cadboard box over the speakers.---That about explain the Lowther sound??

Wavac and Art Audio offer some excellent single ended amplifiers as does Wyetech. Don't give up on SET because of the Sophia and the 845. Top notch NOS 845 tubes are extremely expensive; something like over 500/ea and maybe more. Most 845 amps come with Chinese output tubes. Good 300b tubes are cheap by comparison.

Try a quality 211 tube amplifier or a very good 300b SET (possibly with an interstage coupled design) and you may just sing a different tune and find that magic you are looking for. With the Lowthers you only need between 6 and 12 watts depending on the efficiency of your speaker configuration.

I have to say these Lowthers give you a good 'taste' of what folks refer to as the set sound.----This is my opinion. The 845 was glorious in the mids.---Well so is the horn--even tho it's being driven by a skanky receiver.---The expression "more than one way to skin a cat"--( you cat lovers;this expression refers to the pre-amp company---)This driver even when used with said receiver has many set qualitys.