Enough SET Power for Rock and Roll


I'm still trying to figure out what SET amp would sound best for Rock and Roll (and other music but especially Rock) on Klipsch Cornwall II speakers (101dB efficiency) in a room about 18x13 (with kind of medium acoustics - not live, not totally dead.) On a Marantz 2230 (which sounds very good, surprisingly good for being ~35 years old and 30 watts of solid state) I found that when I crank up the Rock and Roll on the Cornwalls I'm listening from about 89dB to 97db, but frankly if I wasn't worried about clipping or blowing out the speakers or receiver I could probably enjoy an occassional 100 dB :) - but if I have to live at 97 dB and below I could. (Measurements made with a Radio Shack meter set on fast, C weighting - taken from 1 meter away from the speakers, and also at the main seating position which is about 10-11 feet from the speaker plane.)

From many posts here and over on AudioAsylum it sounds like a 45 SET amp would sound great but might not have enough oomph - although that isn't 100% certain. It seems that a 2A3 SET amp would have a better chance of handling the loud music and the "complexities?" of Rock (and orchestra music) vs. say simple instrumentals and vocals. Next up would be a 300B SET, more power but some people seem to think it gives away some of the "magic" of the 2A3 and especially the 45. It isn't so clear to me from reading the various posts how any of these tube types do on the low end; I think low end (reasonably deep and tight) is needed to do Rock and Roll well - but so is good midrange and highs, so it's a balance, of course.

What do you think, more power and listen loud with ease, ie go with a 300B, or can a 2A3 or possibly a 45 do it all? Or is it possible that SET just can't do Rock and Roll seriously with 101db speakers in a 18x13 rom? In which case, next up is what kind of tube amp? If SET makes sense, I'd like to give it a try but I don't want to push physics or the budget too hard with experiments that aren't likely to work.

Thanks!
hi_hifi
Atmasphere, I have read your posts on this subject of loudness in a SET amp over the past few months and started to listen for those queues of loudness in my system. It may be because I am running at slightly over 10 watts ( 375v plate to heater, 85ma, 2700ohm primary on my audio note output transformers) but I rarely hear those loudness queues you are speaking of. Even on very dynamic orchestral music I hear power and it even seems that there is additional headroom to spare.

My sound is very different than that of a large horn system. I've heard a large horn system with sub woofers and it can play at concert levels without strain. Sounds like real instruments. That's the focus of this particular horn system. I've heard CH AMPS and YG speakers and this seemed to have more headroom than mine. But these systems also don't have the touch and texture and layering of my system. My system doesn't do instruments at concert levels, and if it did I would have the police knocking on my door here in Brooklyn ny. Honestly who can stand live concert hall level music in their living room anyway. I've listened to a string sextet in a large living room and the group put out a lot of sonic energy and many times it sounded loud...too loud. If that's the goal of your system your hearing will be gone very soon. That's not the goal of my system, my system does take me inside the music to the heart in a most addictive way. 

Mapman, I’ve heard speakers like volti Vitoria that are based on klipsch Lascala that are more immediate sounding than Audio Note. There are lots of speakers I’ve heard but that do many things better than AN, but as you say they do many things well and play lots of different music and do well with 8watts. It’s difficult to find speakers that are good at getting to the heart of many types of music.
jetrex yes I've heard the Volti speakers at shows as well and understand what you are saying.
The volti vittora have that immediacy and warmth that I found captivating. They are huge and expensive and some say they need a subwoofer, but wow!. They may need more than 8 watts to come alive. I heard them with what I think was a push pull 300b amp.

Hi Jet,
I respect and appreciate the many contributions of Atmasphere as I know you do as well. I do agree with your comments written above regarding SET loudness/distortion. In addition to my 8 watt 300b SET I also have a 40 watt EL 34 push pull(PP) and a 100 watt 6550 PP amplifiers. I use all 3 on my Coincident 94 db (14 ohm load) speakers. 95 to 100 db is loud IMO and sounds loud with all three amplifiers. That SPL isn't perceived as any louder with the 8 watt SET. The SET is my preferred choice due to its superior tone, emotional engagement, musical pace and flow. It's just more natural and resolved/transparent. Jet our experiences are very similar and this includes a broad genre of music.
Charles