2. amps-preamps
  3. 1257069072

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
alexberger
922 posts
 
Low sensitive tower speakers + super powerful transistor amp = COMPRESSION!!!!!!!
Oppressive, tedious, non-natural sound.

Most of audiophiles have zero experience, with high sensitive speakers.
The reason is - all high sensitive speakers (excluding Klipsch) are not mainstream today.
When I first time (17 year ago) listened Lowther in Oris 150 horns with 2a3 SET monoblocks, I felt like a middle-age knight who saw a tank :-)
I understood that anything I heard before where toys (including Montana, Wilson Audio, Martin Logan, Dynaudio, Spendor, Focal,....).
gsm18439
895 posts
 
Not sure how you define "mainstream" - "all high sensitive speakers (excluding Klipsh) are not mainstream today." While they may be in the minority, there are many manufactures of high sensitivity speakers. 
alexberger
922 posts
 
All these manufacturers are very small compared to mainstream manufactures like:
Dynaudio, Focal, B&W, Kef, Monitor Audio, Elac....
wolf_garcia
6,711 posts
 
It is interesting that one can box yourself in with a lower watt tube amp, and deny yourself the vast multitudes (and clear large margin majority) of 83 to 90db efficient speakers...I check efficiency in every review and simply say meh...it will be a while before I lose interest in efficiency, and I'm happy with the sound of my massive 12 watts into horns...the dynamics are there, the clarity is there, the musical "correctness" is there, and I'm there.
luisma31
516 posts
 
Good that works for you @wolf_garcia could not agree more with efficiency and the ability to use pretty much ANY amp
More to discover