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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
darkmoebius
900 posts
 
Great starting point for your blog, Rebbi

Maybe a little primer on what you had before and what you thought was lacking and what you are searching for
rebbi OP
1,326 posts
 
More blog posts here, for those interested...
darkmoebius
900 posts
 
I love it! The new backstory really helps to let readers know where you are coming from, the constraints you are working under(room size & WAF), and where you are hoping to go.

BTW, I also started out with some 2C's. A great buy for their time. SET, and SET-friendly speakers, are a whole different world from the Vandi approach.
rebbi OP
1,326 posts
 
Darkmoebius,
Thanks a lot!
The more I think about it, the more I’m remembering buying that first good system.
I dragged a vinyl copy of James Taylor's "That's Why I'm Here" to any number of audio salons all over metro NYC, where I was living a the time. What sold me on the Vandy's was that they were the only speaker that seemed to nail the bass guitar glissando near the beginning of the title song. :-) Oh, that, and the lack of a boxy sound.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,182 posts
 
REbbi,

Reading your historical info on teh blog, it may have been covered back then, don't recall but your Class D amp had only 10000K input impedance which is minimal and far from optimal for use with a tube pre-amp. FWWW, I'd be willing to bet if you were using it with teh Manley or most any tube pre-amp results might not be that great. COuld have impacted the OHMs easily if in the picture then, as might a lively room.
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