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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
 
Jetrexpro,
Exactly. Right now I will have the better capacitors (Mundorf Gold/Silver/Oil rather than the stock Mundorf Supreme) and the addition of the three-input switch. That tapped out my budget this time around, but I do envision more upgrades down the road.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,336 posts
 
Reb, nice blog. You are the Lewis and Clark of set amp builders from where I stand. :-) If only they had a web blog back in their day.
rebbi OP
1,326 posts
 
Map,
:-)
mikirob
955 posts
 
Rebbi,
Really enjoy following the blog, even my wife has joined with great interest. She is now thinking, hey, maybe I can build one also. Michal, my wife has been smitten by AN ever since an audio meeting around 2000 in New Jersey, most of the big names in audio reviewers were there, highlighting the 300B, featuring the Komuro, amongst others.
rebbi OP
1,326 posts
 
Mikirob,
Thanks a bunch for the nice words. The IEC power section is built, as is the hardwired part of the 300 B section. I am just now, at this very moment, sitting here about to embark on populating the PCB for the driver section -- currently scratching my head over reading resistor values (colored stripes... argh!)
Onward! :-)
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