SET amps ?

"The question is , is now the time to try a SET tube amp ?"

Yes, now is a great time. I would recommend a 300b amp, not because that's
what I like (which I do) but for reasons based on what I think would
"marry" better with your 4.1's. Although if a particularly good deal
comes up on a 2a3 based amp, I'd say go for it.

"How long do the tubes tend to last ? "

Depends how hard the designer runs them. In general, they should last for at
least a couple of years.

Hi Larryi,
Knowing that you own an Audio Note Kageki, that OTL must be quite expensive if it causes you to pause. Is this OTL amplifier a bespoke-purely custom component?
Charles,

Charles1dad,

The OTL amp I mentioned is an amp built in the late 1970's by someone in Greece. It was never a "commercial" product. I have been told that the builder made about 10-12 amps, two of which were brought to the USA by the Greek ambassador in the 1990s. I cannot recall what kind of tubes are utilized, but, I understand that the tubes are old television sweep tubes. I also understand this amp utilizes the Futterman OTL design. The amp puts out about 30 watts.

Each of the monoblocs is massive--each contains a huge toroidal power transformer and four smaller toroidal transformers. I understand that in each monobloc there is essentially four separate power amps, including four separate power supplies, hence the four transformers. The previous owner had it for the past ten years and pretty much kept the amp on and in standby all the time; the output tubes were never changed in that time and very little adjustment to bias has been required (attesting to how gently the tubes have been run in the amp). I know the owner of the other pair of these OTL amps that is in this country. That other amp is actually a different version and has 4 boxes instead of two.

What is particularly striking about these OTLs is how they make even small and lower-cost speakers sound surprisingly "BIG" and ballsy and alive. OTLs, in general, are good at doing this (you could call it a parlour trick); this OTL is particularly good at this game.

Thanks very much Larryi, I can appreciate your admiration for these obviously one of a kind masterpiece amplifiers. This amplifier must weigh the proverbial ton! Now I understand the prohibitive cost.
Charles,

Bombay-as an owner/user of the C&C Abbys, mated with a sub and driven by an EL-34 based p/p amp, I can listen to AC/DC at volumes just short of 'I can't hear the person sitting next to me'.