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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
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.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
MAPMAN, speaking of OHM, how much do you gain/lose between
Microwalsh Talls amd Ohm 1000 ??
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