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

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

 

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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. 

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.

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.

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.

Now I switch between the two systems. They both sound awesome. They both have compromises. But they both have synergies and areas where their performance excels. Neither is perfect. The destination should be contentment, not perfection. Everything matters and there’s always something better out there.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Well I can’t subscribe to everything you just said. As I hear the 2 designs, I much prefer SET amplification. Now its true I’ve only heard 1 SET amp and several PP amps. Buts it my firm belief SET delivers almost all the bass ofa PP amp, superior midrange and almost same level of highs as a PP amp. Thus SET’s offer superior nuances and make fora finer musical experience. Seems IMHO PP amps **push and pull** the music. = a bit more aggressive sound. Attacks. SETs never ever attach, More relax, refined, laid back, more natural, neutral, linear. Significant number of numances superior = SETs offer a superior musical soundstage. And with the new FR drivers out past few years, big PP amps are not needed any longer. They served their purpose as we all know audiophiles for decades now have been enomoraed with big box xover types, highly IN-efficient thus rendering the need for big muscular PP amps. My plan is to own a good SET amp one day, and us my Defy7 as a 2nd amp, backup of sorts, But never as Principle Amplifier. Jadis now takes 2nd place. Jadis catered to the audiophile community that wanted pure big bad power for their low sens speakers, Jadis delivered the goods.

 

But in another 10 years, big PP amps, eh, dime a dozen. Used market will be flooded with PP amps. Dime a dozen. Give away prices. In 20 years it will be all SET. SETs are a superior amplifier is so many ways. Jadis will not be able to compete with china SET made amplifiers. At that time. Jadis is going in the wrong direction with their new KT150 and KT170 designs.

You could not give me a jadis KT170 amp. I alrady have their Defy7, why would I need yet another PP amplifier = all PP sound basically the same. El34/KT88/KT120/KT150/KT170, nuances of dif.

 

SETs offer a  greater nuanced  realm of musical experience.