Building the Audio Note Kit 1 SET amp...

Mdemaio,
Yes, I remember and I also remember hanging out on the commonsenseaudio web site and talking to David Dicks, the owner. You can build a speaker around one of his drivers for very little money. I'd do that as a fun project once I have speakers I'm really happy with and can afford to just have fun. But at this point I'd like more of a sure thing. ;-)

Okay, latest blog post is up.

Hi Rebbi,
As your amplifier burns in it steadily sounds better and impresses you more, no surprise. Keep this in mind for perspective, you're using generic 300b tubes, yet the amp sounds very good. Further down the road you may have the chance to try the better 300b tubes. They are a substantial improvement. You have tremendous upside potential in that "simple" circuit amplifier. Better quality power cords improve things as well. There's much that 8 watt amp has to offer. These types of amps are so transparent and pure that you'll hear any upgrades or changes. As you recognize you've moved to a level your previous amplifier couldn't reach.

Are you leaning toward the 10" woofer Tekton Lore with the soft dome tweeter(98 db) or the 8" with the SEAS driver and metal tweeters (94 db)?
Charles,

If it were me I'd go for the larger woofer and higher efficiency to best hedge my bet against clipping. Clipping is always public enemy # 1 of good sound. Its the kryptonite to the amps Superman. Goal # 1 should be to keep it out of the picture. The one is in the best position to assess improvements from tweaks like other tubes, power cords, etc.

At least that's how I would look at it.

Charles,
The one I think you're referring to is the S-Lore, which uses more conventional "hi-fi" drivers (from Seas, I think, hence the "S") rather than that Eminence pro-audio wide-ranger and the Audax super tweeter. My gut would be to go for maximum efficiency and a few extra Hz of low end, therefore the Lore.
It's remarkable that you can scour the Internet for Tekton reviews and you'd have a very difficult time finding anyone who has bad things to say. The only gripes I could find via Google were
1) A few folks who suffered production delays and long wait times a few years ago when the company was smaller and,
2) A bunch of guys on the Parts Express speaker DIY forum who were snickering over pictures of a disassembled Lore, griping about insufficient cabinet bracing and damping, as in, "I could build a better speaker for less money." But even among that tough crowd, several people who had actually HEARD the Tektons admitted that they were amazing for the price.
I am currently using a cannibalized computer power cord with the Kit 1 and yes, someone else said a better cord would be an improvement, so I'll look into one of the high-value Pangea cords from Audio Advisor. Better 300B's will have to wait awhile from a financial standpoint, but I know that Grant Fidelity, for example, offers discounts to ANK customers on the higher end Chinese tubes, so I might look into that. I've also heard that there are the "super" 300B's by KR and Emission Labs that put out some extra power somehow, but I'm not sure if they're compatible with my amp. Anyway, that's all for down the road.
This speaker thing is ultimately going to be a tough call. Much of what I like sounds so great on my De Capo's with the Kit 1, save for the limitations I've already noted. I am awfully curious, though, how the Kit 1 would perform with a very efficient speaker that gave it lots of breathing room.
Charles, now I "get" the SET thing... it's amazing. There's nothing subtle about the improvement in my system and the pleasure this amp is providing.

Mapman,
Yes, agreed.