Single ended = large images?

I have some great memories of Cary amps… and yes the images were nice and fat (not obese)… and warm and embracing. They were inviting and natural. I’ll let someone comment on specific models.

You can also effect specificity of imagine with speaker changes. I am familiar with parsivals.

Also, you said you have more than one sub. Make sure they are properly integrated (turned down)… with many, they are going to be almost turned off or the bump in lower frequency bass will interfere with the imaging and muddy it up. I had two subwoofers and had the crossover at 40hz or so and volume less than 10 percent… really close it off or it screwed up the imaging. I have gone to lots of audio friends houses and first thing turned them way down and the system came alive.

I want to add a strong word of caution on the pursuit of vivid small imaging. This often comes at a great cost of musicality and natural tonal quality. Be very careful not to slowly walk yourself into higher treble higher definition sterile systems. One of the wonderful things about Cary and CJ and for that mater Audio Research is the warmth and natural rhythm and pace. Focus too much on imaging and you can end up with a unnatural ones. I can definitely recommend audio research. Imaging is outstanding and natural… not pinpoint, definitely not fat, but outstanding, detailed, natural, and musical. 

Thanks for the response. You are preaching to the choir on all those points :) We are in the same place relative to sterile neutrality, etc. I wouldn't put Audio Research in the Cary and old CJ camp, but generally I'm in big agreement with you. I am not after pinpoint imaging... I just don't want it to be oversized, like I remember hearing from the 805b amps. I'm just wondering if that comes with the territory with all SET amps... or not.

Yes my REL subs are professionally dialed in by a dealer, and I have a lot of experience with subwoofers for 20 years. I'm always preaching to people about not overdoing it on subs, having too high of a crossover point etc., when the mains are run full range like mine are. These subs are beautifully integrated and added so much to my system. 

I will not be changing speakers because I love my system right now ... just wanting to try SET again. My current amps are Quicksilver v4 monos with KT-150s.

I just read the owners manual for the 805 AE and it says there is adjustable feedback from 0-10. I thought there was no adjustment with this model, which is the one I'm thinking about because it has optional 211 or 845 tube. Maybe this would allow me to dial down the size of images... at least one reviewer suggested it could.