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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
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,849 posts
 

I can't imagine any benefits from class D for high sensitivity speaker.

I can!! Low noise so low its hard to hear even with your head in the mouth of the horn- and greater detail/better 'focus' so images in the rear of the sound stage are easier to hear- and overall every bit as smooth- in fact smoother.

When you combine smoothness and greater detail at the same time that's when you're getting somewhere.

mapman's avatar
mapman
22,322 posts
 

Good point!

mozartfan
2,143 posts
 

so  how would you describe the sound of a  845 tube?  I guess this would depend on front  tubes, driver/pre tubes.

sns
3,291 posts
 

Compared to other SET and PP tubes, 845 always exciting, fast, immediate, impactful. Can also be refined or relentless, synergy important for last two. I prefer 845 driven by 300B, allows max refinement.

 

Speakers for SET, usual suspects, Klipsch Heritage, Devore, Omega, I've used Alon (now Nola), also used Merlin VSM-MM, Spatial Audio, Zu, always been curious about Pure Audio Project, Coincident, Audio Note, some claim Tekton, Charney, Coherent, Reference 3a, Avantgarde, of course I'm missing some.

alexberger
921 posts
 

I want to add vintage speakers to the list, like:

Altecs - VOT A5 A7, 19, Valencia, 604.

Old Tannoy - Silver, Red.

Old JBL L200.

Used full range: Lowther, Klangfilm, Telefunken.

 

New full range drivers like:

Audio Nirvana, Lowther, Fostex, AER, Voxativ.

 

I use myself Altec 604E. They can be driven easily even by 45 tube.

 

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