What's the greatest bargain in SET these days?

I really appreciated the discourse contained in this thread, especially the comments of Brownsfan and Chares1dad!

The title caught my attention because of my son's Klipsch Heresy system and our discussions about his need to try SET's vs using my old Aragon 4004 ss amp.

I on the other hand, am in need of some hefty power to drive my Soundlab M1PX speakers. Although my needs are at the opposite end of the SET power spectrum, my amplifier sojourn definitely concurs with the comments about power being an unreliable predictor of the end sonic outcome. In all sonic areas, a rather highly regarded 350 watt/ch SS amp that I owned, was trounced by 100 watt Class A triode monoblocks, especially in the area of bass and control. So, while power is a point of reference, it (as are a lot of other stats. or specs.) is oftentimes not a very reliable or particularly helpful one.

Being from Indiana, but finding the Blue Ridge Parkway decades ago, we too became smitten with that part of our country, but unfortunately remain residing in IN. So, Brownsfan, congrats on your relocation.....enjoy!!

Hi Mrmb,
Your experience with those amplifiers isn't that unusual.Some speakers sound better with tubes(this includes bass) and others sound better with SS amplifiers. Speaker design and intent are everything. Some SS amps produce over damped bass due to their high damping factor(DF). On the other hand some speakers need this high DF to perform their best. People who suggest higher power amps as the "cure all" for any speaker issues are wrong. There is no universal power amplifier to fit all needs.I believe your son would be very happy with a good quality SET with his speakers.
Charles,

Mrmb, Indiana has been a great place to live, work, and raise a family. People here are friendly and the cost of housing in particular is very favorable. It is not a glamorous location, but there is a lot to like here. I don't feel a compelling desire to leave. It is the draw of the southeastern mountains that motivates me. As long as I am able to hike, I suspect I am going to like my new home. At some point down the road, 10-16 years I hope, I will probably return to some location in the Midwest. Maybe somewhere else.

I have a window of opportunity. My health is good and I have the support of my wife and the financial resources to make the move. It would certainly be easy to stay here, but this is a dream I must chase, or I will regret it once the window of opportunity closes.

It is an experiment for me, much like moving away from Magnepans driven by 1000 WPC ss amps to monitors driven by 8 WPC SETs was an experiment. Hope this experiment turns out as well.

I have one, additional question for you SET amplifier experts.

What exactly is the deal with so many of these amplifier manufacturers touting the fact that they use "no negative feedback?" How is that supposed to affect the sound of the amplifier?

I'm curious about this because I have been recently, for the first time, actually, playing with the global feedback toggle switches on my Manley Mahi Power Amps. Each one features a three-way toggle switch, with which you can (even while the amp is playing) change the level of feedback: minimum, standard and maximum.

What I have found in playing with these switches confirms something that one of the online reviews of these amplifiers suggested: they have a tendency to shift the perspective on the performance. With "minimum" feedback, the performance is more "upfront" or "in-your-face." Oddly, imaging seems somewhat compromised on my De Capo's in this mode. Also, without messing with the volume control on my preamp, minimum feedback mode seems to make things a bit louder.

With "standard" feedback, it's like you've been moved to the middle of the performance Hall. Oddly, imaging seems to improve quite a bit, or at least, you have the perspective of being far enough away from the stage to hear where the different performers are located, as opposed to being close up or you might just be caught up in the wash of sound. It's actually the setting I have found, for most music, I like the best.

On the "maximum" feedback setting, everything seems a little flat, foreshortened and "squashed" for lack of a better term.

Now, of course, these are push-pull amplifiers, so I'm not sure how much of what I am hearing would be transferable to a single ended amp. But given that I actually like the way these amps sound a little better with moderate feedback, and try to understand how a single ended amplifier with no global feedback might sound.

Does that make any sense?

:-)

Great post, Rebbi.