SET Shootout China VS The USA

The 349 is now quite rare and expensive, although there is a reasonably priced drop in alternative (6V6?).  The amp also runs 348 as input and driver tubes.  Both types now sell for somewhere around $1600 each for used tubes that test “strong.” My stereo amp runs four of each type.  The only good news is that the tubes are run gently so they seem to last forever.  The amp is essentially a stereo rebuild of a Western Electric 133 amp.  It has the correct input and output transformers for that amp type as well as some other vintage parts.

The sound of my 349 amp is similar to a 6L6 amp.  I generally like that tube and KT 66 tubes as well.

"I've gone over this more than a  dozens x's here on audiogon and I aint gonna repeat myself."

Of course you will mozartfan, you always do.

@larryi 

The listening experience was quite some years ago at CES. At that time I actually felt the push-pull was the better sounding choice. I just don't believe you can serve 2 masters equally due to inevitable compromise design and implementation decisions to do both. Could be SET was more affected by the  dual purpose/circuit design.

 

I'm a SET amplifier guy but without any question push pull (Particularly with DHT tubes) can sound superb.  I heard a Jadis amplifier using the very common el 34 and it was exceedingly good sounding. Talent level of the builder is such a huge factor. 

Charles 

Of course you will mozartfan, you always do. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Boiled down, I despise xoverlowsens box speakers, Lets just all get along here, eh? Nothing wrong with strong opinions. So long as we keep civil. If you hate FR, go ahead and explain.

tubes) can sound superb. I heard a Jadis amplifier using the very common el 34 and it was exceedingly good sounding.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I wished the Defy had

1) individual Bias pots for each tube

2) accepted EL34’s

3) 4 tubes per channel, not the 6. ,

Back to reality, I really did not note much dif between my techs EL34 (something like the Dynaco design), his Allen Organ KT120 mono blocks, and the Kt88;s. ’Blind testing, you’d be lucky which is which. Readinga DIYers offerings on Aliexpress, His dual 300B amp and dual 2A3, your choice, he went on to say, **both the pure SET and this dual tube per channel PP design, one can not say, either is superior to the other...** Paraphrase mine. After reading his comments on his amps, I’ve altered my opinion about PP in both SET tube designs and KT designs. . The initial emotions of experiencing the super linear, magical midrange on certain recordings, , has to be considered as just 1 option for high fidelity. Should be monday when I have the 2A3 PP amp, up N running/biased properly. I*f I find its a keeper, I’ll order the TJ Full Music *mesh*,, Although my tech is not buying the tube is a true mesh. At least not like the mesh plates made back in the early days of tube manufacturing.