What's the greatest bargain in SET these days?


Hi, Gang,
I response to my recent review of the Reference 3A De Capo BE speaker, someone wrote that if you really want to hear them sing, you should try them with a SET amp, or words to that effect.
That got me thinking. The De Capo's are 92 db efficient, which (correct me if I'm wrong) seems kind of borderline for low-power SET amps.
In any event, right now I'm running mine with a pair of Manley Mahi mono-blocks. They are switchable from triode (20 watts) to "ultra linear" (40 watts). I run them in triode all the time, and in my room, the volume knob almost never goes past 9 o'clock; more would just be too loud.
All that said, what do you guys think of running the De Capo's with a SET amp? And if I did, what's the best bargain in SET's these days?
Thanks!
rebbi
Well, for a variety of reasons the Antique Sound Labs AQ 1005 DT is off the table, as I have reason to believe it may be only a so-so amp, plus it's not clear to me who'd service the thing if it needed warranty service.
I think that if I go with a prebuilt, commercial product, it'll be the Dynamo. (I haven't totally turned away from the Decware but I'm moving in that direction.)
Otherwise, I'll either build the Audio Note 300b kit or the Bottlehead Paramount kit with a Bee Pre preamp, which is also 300b based.
That's all for now...
Rebbi,
Bottle head compared to AN Kit which one has better parts and power supply?
Charles1dad,
Good question.
The Bottlehead's trannies are made in the USA by Magnequest, apparently. Magnequest also sells upgraded transformers (several levels of them running $400 to $650) for the Paramount kit. Paul Joppa, the designer, says that they do make a subtle difference but not as much of a difference as tube rolling or, say, upgrading caps. I should add that the Paramount (like Bottlehead's other kits) used solid state rectification. Anyway, Bottlehead is a class act, in my experience, and although some people love to tinker and upgrade the original parts, I feel confident there's no junk in that kit. Paul Joppa is an electrical engineer and respected designer, so I trust that kit.
Now, at least from the photos on the AN web site, that kit seems to have some serious "iron" in it. There are four big transformers in that integrated. Now, it seems that you have an option at the time of ordering our kit to deduct $75 from the price and then order upgraded components from an outfit called Parts Collective in the UK. It's not clear to me from the web site what parts they leave out when you take that route, and I've written to ANKits to try and find out.
Got one other question for you, Charles:
So, that Art Audio PX-25 is still apparently unsold. Let's assume the PX 25 tubes need to be replaced to straighten out that bum tube that the seller says is humming somewhat. Would you still try to cut a deal for that amp? And just how weird-a** is that PX-25 tube, anyway? Lots of online dealers don't even seem to stock it.