SET 45 Amp Driving Dynamic Speakers

" harmonic overtones were more developed and fleshed out "

That could be the pleasant 2nd order harmonic distortion Atmasphere pointed out perhaps?

If so who cares really. As long as it sounds good. Nobody ever said accurate reproduction of music always sounds best. Just like there are many ways to enhance a photo to make it look better. HDR on iphone cameras is a good example.  I use it all the time.

Mapman,
I believe you'll be happy with either a SET or OTL amplifier with those speakers.  I'm very familiar with the Atma-Sphere MA-1 and their 60 watt amplifiers.  Regarding SET just be sure to get one with good quality output transformers and well developed power supplies. These are the last areas to compromise if you want top sound quality. 
Charles, 

Charles yes I am with you on that.

The challenge will be space and budget  is limited at first and I will be going only with an integrated amp, not separates.

I am open for suggestions but the white GLOW Amp 1, which I have heard at shows,  is my leading contender at present.   Aesthetics and WAF will matter as well.  It would go into a smaller room and my intent is not to have to play it loud (my other systems cover that).  Adding powered subs may be an option if needed.

I will likely downsize my  home at some point in a few years so options for smaller great sounding systems are of interest.   The Bel Canto C5i is my most recent shot at that and I have been most happy with that unit.

Mapman,
If someone wants to brush off the improved harmonics as 2nd order distortion,  have at it.  My SS amp was drier and flatter in tonality. This fleshed out presentation is much closer to what I hear when listening to live unamplified instruments.  So I'll happily take this increased realism and be appreciative of it 😊😊. We have a family piano and the SET comes closer to its sound, that's good enough for me.
Charles, 

Charles,

Well, based on my understanding from Atmasphere and others, that’s how SETs work. It has nothing to do with semantics.

So that piano you hear is either a result of the amp working optimally and having very low distortion or if it is being stressed at all (not hard to imagine) the introduction of some pleasant sounding second order harmonic distortion.

Also the thing is its impossible for all recordings to sound like any single live piano listening session because each recording is produced differently. Also each live listening session changes based on listening location, close or far for example from the piano.

So if all piano recordings are sounding more like that piano, there is at least a decent chance that is a result of the sound of the system playing the recording, not the recording itself.

In the end it doesn’t matter. All gear does its thing a particular way and different people will take to different sounds for whatever reasons they choose. Its all good in the end.

Another test might be to listen to electronic synthesized piano or other synthesized keyboards that are not necessarily as rich in harmonics as a string instrument like a piano in particular. If I get those extra harmonics that don’t belong there not to mention clipping (even soft clipping) to-boot, that’s a very bad thing for me because the music will sound notning like the real thing done well live. How many electronic music lovers levitate to SETs as opposed to those into mostly Jazz or Classical?

Maybe with a pair of good Class D powered subs though. Then you can probably have the best of both worlds, Class D for the best bass and SET for  mids and high frequencies.