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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
 
Roxy,
Thanks a lot for the tip! I can probably rustle up $46 for that tube and if you like it that much it seems worth a try. Thank you.
As for the 274 B, mine is a Chinese Psvane. When Brian sent it to me (some of the tubes for my kit had originally been backordered) he said it was "a nice little upgrade." It is certainly a sharp LOOKING tube and looks great between the choke transformer and the mains transformer. :-) I haven't done a lot of comparing of the sound of that tube to the 6SN7 that I have, but I can tell you that it is a much quieter tube then the Russian 6SN7 that shipped with my unit when Pete returned it from Florida. So that's a plus right there.
jetrexpro
506 posts
 
Rebbi, I have following this thread and want to add my congratulations. I would have not believed how good 8 watts can sound for all types of music and I know you are experiencing that kind of musicality that connects at a very basic emotional level. I am still taken aback at how involving rock music can be on a SET amp. Are you a Pink Floyd fan? Please listen to a David Gilmour guitar solo on your SET amp and be transported to the spirituality of that kind of musicianship. Regards-Jet
larryi
4,085 posts
 
I have found, generally speaking, that changing the small signal tubes in an amp have a bigger impact on the sound than changing output tubes. This is good news because most of these tubes are cheaper than the output tubes. Although my Audionote Kageki came with some quite expensive RCA 6sn7s, I actually preferred alternatives such as Tungsol and Neotron roundplates. That amp is currently on loan to a friend who is now running CV181s (not exactly drop in replacements for 6sn7s, but close enough) and likes that tube a lot. I don't know what brand of CV181s these are, but, they are old (not Chinese) and are, I believe, cryogenically treated tubes from Pearl.
roxy54's avatar
roxy54
8,045 posts
 
Larryi,
I agree. They certainly make a big difference. I would like to explore the alternatives you mention in the future.
Rebbi,
Sorry, but I had things mixed up. I thought that it was a different 5u4 rectifier that Brian had given you, not a different 6sn7. No wonder that you like it so much. Andy told me that the one that came with the amp was basically bottom of the barrel.
rebbi OP
1,326 posts
 
Roxy,
The Psvane 274B (which I just discovered by doing a little online research is a Chinese clone of an old Western electric tube) is not all that expensive, as these things go. I have seen it online for between $100 and $120, at the cheapest. Now, if you want to go for one of the Western Electric originals, those are going for around $1300 a pop. ;-)
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