SET Shootout China VS The USA

@charles1dad the Merason is VERY good. Very good. Worth a listen as I can’t promise it isn’t system dependent but I have listened extensively to the Merason through an Audio Note OTO SE Signature, a Leben, two Shindo systems and it just slays…it has displaced a MSB Discrete, an AQUA La Scala Optologic and I couldn’t recommend it more highly for others to audition.

Now @mozartfan let things settle in. As long as your speakers are suitable, a proper kt88 based push-pull amp should not be smoother than a proper 2a3 amp, push-pull or set. Whao can say though as you have a whole lot going on there. What does your tech say?

What does your tech say?

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Just ran by what I said here,, &&a 2A3 has superior mids than the KT series tube..** well tech wants to know **exactly which KT are you refering to...** hummm, tell ya what,,, humm, lets say this 2A3 took me by surprised, Better? well hard to say now , as its been 4 months since I heard the KT88’s, and those had 4k+ hours and ran the KT88’s via a Thor speaker and a single FR speaker and or a 8 FR + a W4 FR, THe W8+ W6 is a whole nother ball game. So all is not even .

You mentioned, **KT88’s as smoother vs a PP 2A3,,** Might have to agree, **Might** as in 1st off have to hear the new EHKT88’s, mid summer 2) have to0 hear a 2A3 mesh. Late summer So **The Jury is still out..** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What I will say is this Bottom line *IF** The 2A3 mesh plates do perform as 6 Moons says the Sophia 300B mesh perform,, well then we have a solid vote for 2A3 PP vs a KT88 PP. There does not exist a meshed KT88, only solid plates. This may give the advantage to the 2A3, Follow?? As you know these discussiions around tubes can get slippery. Not justa few weeks ago,,**SET, yeah #1..**

Now, cant say that. I actually by mistake or by lucky chance,,hit on this 2A3 PP circuit. Will the mesh elimiante some of the ever so slight harshness/in some mids fq’s??? Late summer we will know..

Give me some jazz!

Give me some jazz! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wanted to fulfill your wish with Diana Krall, a perfect track which displays fq spikes on piano, where other xover speakers are going to have issues. vs these FR dual speakers,,no spikes whatsoever. But can’t. Had a good rain last night, its FINALLY cool outside and humidity is at 100%. = the chips in the DAC are not happy, soaking in 100% humidity. Tiny pops. have to wait a good hour before the DAC heats up and dries out the chips. I’ve never heard it this bad before, although this is the 1st winter I had the DAC, so Now i know cooler temps + 100% humidity = DAC needs 2 hours warm up time to dry out, Dont want to run heater as we are enjoying the cooler temps inside the house, finally,... what a hot winter we are having. What I can say is the Diana Krall cd is recorded with a traditional jazz warmth. Too warm. But with this speaker, this amp, its all nice and mellow, clean, voice stunning accurate and te warm coloration toned down. There are so many wonderful KT88 amplifiers now avaliable. Cayin, Jadis, Line Magnetic, Willenston, Doge, Prima Luna, Muzishare. plenty others I did not mention. These will work with all speakers. But ideally, a SET or PP with SET type tubes is best for a FR speaker.

EDIT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So I steped away to go listen to music,,and the thought occured, Although this amp is not a  pure SET circuit, the 2A3 still adds some linear midrange which a  KT88 does not posess to ~~the same degree~~~, How s that fora  compromise.

= a KT88 will not be as effective, that is misses the linear midrange of a  2A3 whether the 2A3 is a  SET circuit of a  PP design.

So theres no doubt at this point. Witha  FR system a  SET or a  low watt tube is not only ideal, buta  must have  to effectively bringa  FR to its true midrange magic.

No I will not discuss this with my tech, as he's going to argue the other POV.

Then again for full Orchestra, a  KT88 is the superior voice for a complex band width in a  FR speaker,, which is why I do not like a  FR to go over the Golden Sens mark, at 95db sens. 

96 db is too high for my preferences. 

91db is a  bit too low. 

It depends on the FR speaker..