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SET vs Class A vs tubes vs Class AB amps

Long time reader, first time poster here. Can someone describe the basic differences in sound between a Class A amp , an SET amp, a Class AB and a regular tube amp? Are there basic sound differences in the general sense? I have only owned Class AB amps.
needlebrush
lewinskih01
907 posts
 
@wolf_garcia 

Interested in your experience with Dennis Had amp. Is there a thread/post you could point me to?

Horacio
austinstereo's avatar
austinstereo
61 posts
 
All SET amps are class A by nature.  In a class A amplifier, the output devices are biased on for the entire waveform.  This is why they are lower power output when compared to similarly sized class A/B amps.  Some of the best amps we've heard are class A, but it's really about the overall design and build.  Plenty of fantastic A/B and other output type units out there.  
ebm
9,311 posts
 
All are great if done right.
wolf_garcia
6,631 posts
 
Lewinskih01/Horatio...on the Audio Aficionado site there are hundreds of pages devoted to all aspects of Dennis Had amps. That site can keep you busy for hours and make your head spin with the "what power tubes with what rectifier with what input tube" endless discussions. Fun stuff.
gsm18439
895 posts
 
I have two amps. A 300b SET from AncientAudio and the 12R (solid state) from Bakoon. They sound more similar than different.
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