SET the best?

wolf_garcia5,865 posts05-28-2020 1:44pmIt 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.

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The vast majority of speakers are low efficient, unefficient, poor efficient.
Like you the very 1st thing i ck is 
~~~~~db sens level~~~~
I boughta  single brand new Seas
New Flagship tweeter
~~Crescendo~~ Seas on their site claijms 92db
So I bought it on the cheap/winning bid.
. Not even close to 92db. More like 84db
IF THAT!!!!!!!!!
at 84db, you will need
~~~Jadis's JA800~~~ to  force it to sing..

WBers at 92db (true db sens) and on up, , now here is where a  SET amplifer gets happy.

My friends 6w+6w 250 tube had made amplifier, packs a   punch in bass. 
The Seas W18E001's with 87 db, ROCKKK  on Sophie Milman's  recordings.

I've got all kinds of nice mods in my Jadis Line stage and Jadis DAC, that now finally can take on presence
Mundorf Caps, Takman resistors.
New high  tech Class A JFET's opamps in the DAC, 4 duals. 
Now these tweaks can voice via  higher gain on the DPL linestage vol pot.
Vs the Defy's over load 12 KT88's power, where gain could not be more than say 9 oclock with spilling over massive SPL strain on the speakers

SETs allow the mods to come alive with usage of more gain on vol. 
+ the WBers are more happy with SET power vs PP  power. 
Its a 
win-win-win

, if low efficiency speakers make a come-back


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So you think the energy sucking xover types are falling in popularity??
Look at the speaker page.
Your average low efficiency speakers get top attention.
High sens = WBers?pointSource/Full Range single driver + all Horns in one camp

vs
Seas/ScanSpeaks, / all A-Z xover style speakers /Stas/panels..in the other camp= Low efficient, low db sensitivity.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90WD_ats6eE

Wow!

Not necessarily.  I own two low-powered pushpull amps (both custom builds) and a very good SET amp (Audio Note Kageki), and even limiting the analysis to my personal taste, my particular room and my system, I cannot say that any particular amp is unequivocally the best.  I have a relatively SET friendly speaker system (99 db/w efficient) which is also necessary because my pushpull amps are also very low in output.  My overall favorite amp is the pushpull 349 amp (5.5 watts/channel), but, it doesn't deliver the subtle tonal qualities in deep bass that the Kageki can deliver (it sounds more punchy than the Kageki, but this punch is a bit "mechanical" in its sameness). 

I think that the best amp I've ever heard is an OTL amp that is also a custom build.  It manages to deliver the explosive dynamics and liveliness one expects from an OTL while not being the least bit harsh and edgy.  The next best is a pushpulll 252 amp (a tube similar to the 300b, but not murky and bloated sounding) that I heard side-by-side with the Kageki that made the Kageki sound limp and drab.  The next amp on my personal favorite list would be the Audio Note Gaku-On (parallel SET) or my 349 amp.    

oldhvymec3,796 posts09-28-2021 12:47amWow!

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I'm not done yet.
Poor  Jadis
Now that the real news is starting to go viral, 
SETs are back as the new high tech WBers are in
Leaves no place for big hefty PP amps..\
Not sure what Jadis was thinking.
They offer maybe 1 set amp. 
The future is 100% SET.
Here is what went down
95%+++ of all USA audiophiles jumped on the 
high impedance/low sens/big box xover types.
You know Wilson's, vandersteens, magnepans, Von Schweigert's, Thiels....so Jadis went where the money is, A-Z big box speakers require PP amps besides the avg USA audiophile loves adores massive soundstage SPL and monsterous size bass slam.
Places SETs at a slight disadvantage
So Jadis knowing what the consumer demands, made all its models PP amplification.

Now with everything headed to SET/high sens speakers.. Jadis is going have serious issues trying to play catchup, when you can get a  great chinese SET for under $3G's. 

Over the comming decades you'll see big PP amps dumped along with big box speakers on the cheap.
SET + high sens speakers will be The Bomb. 
I see Larry is trying to market his PP votes and a  OT amp.

Can't agree
After my experience with a  SET + WBers, sadly my Jadis will collect dust.
I have $2K recent mods done and am not going to sell.
EDU, EDU,
WE need to educate the newbies about SET's as magical magnifience, Pure music, finesse, super high fidelity and lush mids, solid bass, glorious highs.
Sure we are only talking a  miniscule gains in these areas, but its a rather nice modification in fidelity vs a  PP's pure POWER energy.
Also note this 250 tube SET has  bass slam as good, better than  the Defy's 100 pure true watts.
6+6 SET  wattts, = same as Jadis ' 100 true watts.

Go figure..
We need to demystify these SETs, 
there is alotttt of misunderstanding about what these amplifiers are capable of. 

Its all about using the linestage vol control, 
PP amps  make awaeful limitations on how much  gain you can use,, whereas SET's give freedom on the vol pot.

This is what I mean about **only a  nuance,,but a  significant  nuance**