What's the greatest bargain in SET these days?

Rebbi,
Yes, I agree completely. To me you just cannot beat a 300B SET DHT amplifier provided all your ancillary equipment is synergistic.

Really happy you are enjoying the music so much. This what it is all about. And a big thank you for paving the way on building the AN Kit. This has been one of the most enjoyable threads on Audiogon, ever. Best!

Rebbi ;
Does this mean that you are keeping , and still loving , the Di Capo's ?

Mikirob ;
Thank you for the BT 6CA7 recommendation , without a doubt the best power tube that I have tried !

Happy Tunes

Saki,
I think I am sitting tight for the time being. I keep having these "huge grin moments" with old, familiar recordings sounding so much more enjoyable than they ever have in the past. I'm not talking about "I can hear the bass player cough at 5:23," neurotic audiophile moments, but a sense that I'm listening to "a performance." It's just hard to describe otherwise... as cliched as this sounds (forgive me) I'm enjoying music rather than listening to hi-fi. So the Kit 1 has elevated my De Capo's to a higher level and I'm really enjoying them, yes.
Now, does that mean I've totally conquered the audiophile "what if" reflex? No, I haven't.
If I had about $2000 to play with, I'd buy a pair of Omega Alnico monitors and a/b them with the De Capo's. Louis Chochos of Omega builds every one of those speakers by hand, including the hemp cone alnico drivers themselves, which are exclusive to Omega. They are said to transcend many of the "traditional" single-driver pitfalls, such as "shouty" Lowther/Fostex upper mids, and people on the Omega forum at AudioCircle say that they are simply extraordinary with SET amps. Unfortunately, $2K in mad money isn't there right now, and I am delighted enough with my De Capo/Kit 1 pairing not to mess with success by selling them just to try something new. Of course, the Tekton Lore 2.0 is also a possibility to experiment with when finances permit.

Mikirob: Thanks a lot for the kind words! When are you thinking of pulling the trigger on the Kit 1?

Rebbi,
As is typical of building a new house, stuff happens. We were originally scheduled to move in by the end of May. Apparently that was optimistic and it now looks like it will be end-of-June, hopefully. So, given that, time to get settled in, regain our bearings, I would expect to order the AN sometime in late July. At about that same time I'll likely order the Franks unless I can find them used in the meantime. I really need, must go to some shows, travel to LA and NYC to listen to various speakers to pair with the Franks that I have on my wish list. Luckily I'm often in LA, NYC or Chicago. At any rate, the AN will be paired with our Tekton Lore.

Saki, so glad the BT 6CA7 has worked out for you. They are stellar in my Coincident Dynamo.

Rebbi,
Based on your continued highly positive and enthusiastic comments it seems quite apparent that your Audio Note kit amplifier is an excellent match with your current speaker. There is no reason for you to rush into another pair speakers at this point, you are enjoying your music in the highest form and this is commendable. That Omega speaker does seem to be very intriguing and definitely something to consider further down the road.
Charles,