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SET the best?

Is SET amplification where we should all end up? I keep reading posts where people tell of their journeys from plenty power to micro power, and how amazing SET amplification is 45 set 211 set 845 set otl, and usually, ....with the right speaker. I have yet to read of anyone who has gone the other direction from SET, to High watt beast class A amps or others.
If your speakers can be driven by minimal wattage, is this the most realistic, natural sound we can achieve? versus say, 86db sensitive speakers and a 1000w amp?
Is the end result solely based on speaker pairing? circuit? tubes?

I am in the process of changing my direction in my search for realistic sound, just because, and wondering if this really is the best direction to be going.
From what I have been reading I think it may be.

What do we get with SET? What do we give up?

What's you favorite color?
hanaleimike
calloway
874 posts
 
Then you've never heard a truly great SET mono block pair..!!!
thieliste's avatar
thieliste
825 posts
 
The only people i know who let down long term SET went CH Precision solid state class AB and never looked back.
alexberger
935 posts
 
IMHO,
SET are most transparent, best in texture and tone, most organic and musical.
They need sensitive speakers. But in any case, the sensitive speakers are MUST for any good, musical system.
SET sound quality depends a lot from parts quality: tubes, transformers, capacitors, resistors,... So a good SET can’t be cheap to built.
SET are best for acoustic music: classical, jazz, vocals.
If you listen electronic music, POP, rock - there are better options than SET amps.
I will never go back to transistor amplifiers and low/mid sensitivity speakers.
Regards,
Alex.
Post removed 
larryi
4,098 posts
 
I have a reasonably efficient speaker system  (99 db/w) which I run with a variety of low-powered tube amps.  Among such amps is an Audio Note Kageki, which is a 6.5 watt parallel single-ended amp running 2a3 output tubes.  It is a pretty good sounding example of a SET amp, yet, I would not say it is the best amp for my system and taste.  I generally prefer a pushpull 349a amp that I own that outputs 5.5 watts/channel.  Both the Kageki and my 349a amp deliver an expansive and enveloping soundfield, rich pallet of harmonics and a natural presentation without edginess or overly "etched" detail.  They differ a bit in the bass presentation.  The 349a amp is punchier and tighter in the bass, but, that bass presentation is a bit "mechanical" sounding (a sameness regardless of source material) while the Kageki sounds more varied and natural (albeit soft sounding) in the attack of bass notes.  Different strengths and weaknesses, and one is not "better" than the other.

Among the very best amps I've ever heard are a pushpull amp running the 252 tube and a one-of-a-kind output transformerless amp.  Both made my Kageki sound anemic in direct comparison.  While I really like several SET designs, I hardly think that, as a class, they outshine other tube designs.
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