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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
bjesien
1,279 posts
 
A really nice sounding class d amp is the SPEC but I found it to get a bit boring over time. I enjoy a certain amount of variety. Have you heard the SPEC Ralph? When is yours coming out and what’s the price point?
mozartfan
2,143 posts
 
The Big Bad 845 tube
with Horns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di2xJfZq1aw
tweak1
3,645 posts
 
The LSA Voyager 350 GaN amp is smoother than any SS Ive owned, the lone, very distant, exception being my Kinergetics KBA 75 which was 75 wpc pure class A..And a mere $3000, with trades allowed. Sounds much cleaner overriding the soft rubber footers and removing the top

hth
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,772 posts
 
When is yours coming out and what’s the price point?
@bjesien We're doing limited production right now. They are $5200/pair.

I've not heard the SPEC amp. But I have heard class D amps that are boring; I know what you're talking about. There's as much variance with class D amps as there is with tube amps.
bjesien
1,279 posts
 
@Atmosphere - boring is kind of crude for my description so I'll tell you what my 10 year old at the time said- We were listening to Metallica comparing the Luxman 590AXII to the SPEC (intro integrated but like $6K) with Devore Nines.

He thought through the Luxman, the band had authority and energy- real drive! He said through the SPEC they sounded like they were dressed in their Sunday best sitting neatly around a dinner table.

The amp had fine detail and was dead quiet but when you listen to metal the system should convey the kind of energy that makes you want to throw a chair through the window or at least be able to get you excited. It was awesome with electronica on the other hand.

We always seem to hear this when guys talk about an amp or speaker being good for this or that genre. For me there has to be some magic in the midrange without being too hyped that it gets fatiguing or makes my ears ring at 85 db.

So this is a mono set? I assume you recommend your tube pre, or is that coming soon too?  You seem to be the closest we have to a genius on this site, I hope you knock it out of the park!
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