Here is my journey:
I started out with Cary 300B SEI 5-6 years ago, but my speakers were not good match for them. I ended up going to an all Levinson Avalon system for a few years. I was never quite satisfied with that system. It did all the technical things right but I could not enjoy it for various reasons.
Anyway, I ended up switching to a home theater only system.
A year or so ago, I decided to try out SET again in the bedroom ssytem, but first thing I did was to find some efficient speakers. Coincident Triumph UHS were the only speakers that fit in the bedroom and 92-94dB efficent/high-impedance. (My wife would never allow horn speakers in the master bedroom) Then I tried out an ASL Orchid 2A3 integrated. It sounded great but it always runs out of power with rock/symphonic music. 3W/ch is not quite enough. So I switched over to a Dared 845 SET integrated. Rolled a few tubes. Funny, this is the most musically involved system I had in the last 10 years and it did not cost $40k.
My suggestion for SET game is:
1) Find the speakers that you like. Flat impedance curves > 4 Ohms is most important. Efficency will mater if you have a mid to large room.
2) Match the amp output power to speaker accordingly. The power output requirement will determine the type of tubes you can live with.
I started out with Cary 300B SEI 5-6 years ago, but my speakers were not good match for them. I ended up going to an all Levinson Avalon system for a few years. I was never quite satisfied with that system. It did all the technical things right but I could not enjoy it for various reasons.
Anyway, I ended up switching to a home theater only system.
A year or so ago, I decided to try out SET again in the bedroom ssytem, but first thing I did was to find some efficient speakers. Coincident Triumph UHS were the only speakers that fit in the bedroom and 92-94dB efficent/high-impedance. (My wife would never allow horn speakers in the master bedroom) Then I tried out an ASL Orchid 2A3 integrated. It sounded great but it always runs out of power with rock/symphonic music. 3W/ch is not quite enough. So I switched over to a Dared 845 SET integrated. Rolled a few tubes. Funny, this is the most musically involved system I had in the last 10 years and it did not cost $40k.
My suggestion for SET game is:
1) Find the speakers that you like. Flat impedance curves > 4 Ohms is most important. Efficency will mater if you have a mid to large room.
2) Match the amp output power to speaker accordingly. The power output requirement will determine the type of tubes you can live with.