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

It pointed out that “all” other current GaN based amps use existing modules with chips that are currently used in non Audio devises like power chargers.

@mglik If he's getting semiconductor devices made for him I can see that happening. Usually you have to buy quite a lot of such devices to get any semiconductor manufacturer to pay attention to your order! But he might have an in with one of his former employers. But FWIW the chips used in switch mode power supplies have a lot in common with the requirements you face in building a class D amplifier.

@mglik  @atmasphere  There are so few threads focused on SET amps....Is it too much to ask that the AGD and GAN and Class D discussions be moved to their own thread or one of many already in existence?

I realize this is a 'resurrected' thread, but I for one am glad @mozartfan  did so.

Thanks. - David.

For me looks very weird that someone who was SET fan suddenly became digital amplifier fan. I can't say that SET are better or worth than digital amplifiers. But they are so different. These amplifiers topologies work best for completely different music, completely different speakers and completely different people.

It is like after be sport car fan become big SUV cars fan. 

As ASIC chip designer I can add. For any chip production you need to produce millions of chips of this particular model. Otherwise you will lose a lot of money.
For example, companies like Chord who made FPGA based DACs use FPGA for their custom DSP algorithms. Thay do it not because FPGA is better than ASIC. It is opposite in ASIC is possible to get in many times higher performance.
But they do it because ASIC production need to produce millions ASIC chip.
Therefore nobody does produce a special chip for audio!

There are so few threads focused on SET amps....Is it too much to ask that the AGD and GAN and Class D discussions be moved to their own thread or one of many already in existence?

@david_ten There are also a good number of SET threads. The comments are relevant due directly to the question asked in the OP. It appears that if the answer were 'yes' at one time that SETs are rapidly being eclipsed, even by class D amps let alone other tube topologies.