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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
alexberger
935 posts
 

SET roll off highs ?

My SET has bandwidth -3db from 7 Hertz to 95K Hertz. 

mozartfan
2,143 posts
 

Exclusive use of SET’s these days, both 845 and 300B,

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

haha you old rocker,, I almost did a tab, Purple Haze,, I was scared and nervous, I opoed it in,,but i do think it missed my mouth,, anyway, yes a single FR + SET is pure magic.. I just uploaded a YT vid showing dual FR . Success? WEll yes and no. No as in the intimate exp of a SET magic + a single driver and the listener is now broken. What you get is more dynamics. For my classical it works ok,, for jazz fans, I’d have to say,, its a matter of room size and recording characteristics. And if you are willing to sacrifice some linear purity for more dynamics.

 

But there is no doubt in my mind SET is  the  ultimate amplification for true highest fidelity. PP amplification is 2nd place to SET. Did you hear that Jadis, your PP amps do not get the Cuban Cigar..

MY Jadis::

 

**BUT all the big money audiophiles demand massive ohm sucking speakers, which require 100+ lb PP amps. ***

 

GOT it. But guess what, your PP amps take 2nd place to a SET. No Cigar. 

mozartfan
2,143 posts
 

alexberger474 posts 11-28-2021 1:52pm SET roll off highs ? My SET has bandwidth -3db from 7 Hertz to 95K Hertz

 

 

. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I dont know,,maybe its a idea I got visiting Audiogon yrs ago in discussion about SET amps,, So yeah SETs do all and everythinga PP amp can do,,,~~~ But better.... SETs rule.

audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,213 posts
 

I have had most of everything out there ,and owned a Audio store 

SET. Amps are great holographic midrange especially  300 B  but are softer at the extremes , 845 I feel has more drive , you should have a very efficient speaker 

adding good powered subs is a plus  from my experiences.

sns
3,406 posts
 

Try adding DHT preamp, my Coincident Statement MkII uses 10D tube, have Psvane WE, Linlai Elite mesh and solid plates to choose from. My 300B monoblocks aren't soft at either freq. extremes, each has power supply equal to what you generally see in stereo 300B, silver litz internal wire, hand wound transformers, Texas Component TX2575 nude vishay resistors, Miflex caps, using Psvane Acme 300B. My 300B very similar to my 845 in both not the old fashioned tube sound. I've had a variety of SET over the years, all in modern sound vein. Did the romantic route years ago, limited my enjoyment for all genre of music. With 845 I've done as low as 90db sensitivity speakers, no steep slope impedance issues.

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