Agree with Jwm completely!
He went from the very good push pull VAC Phi 300.1 mono block to his current splendid Absolare Passion Signature 845 PSET and it was an undeniable step upwards (and that's not a put down of the VAC). The SET renders more emotion, involvement and you're just pulled deeper into the music. Swampwalker, the very qualities you inquired about, tone, timbre, harmonic overtones is the strength of a good SET amplifier. Jwm is right, going to SET from push pull (non DHT tubes ) is like moving to push pull tubes from a solid state amplifier. Stuff like sound stage, imaging, spatial information are all included. The key to success is matching the appropriate speakers, otherwise you'll miss what a SET can do in your system.
A DHT tube push pull would definitely be my choice of amplifier if I couldn't utilize the SET. I'm really drawn to the DHT type of tubes.
As far as bass is concerned for acoustic bass I feel you gain texture and the natural bloom that they actually have and maintain very articulation. Depending on the speaker perhaps some slight loss of impact and weight (subtle in my experience). With synthesized and electronica emphasized bass I could concede that type of music would favor more ofen than not higher power PP tube and certainty SS amplifiers. Anything else, give me SET.
He went from the very good push pull VAC Phi 300.1 mono block to his current splendid Absolare Passion Signature 845 PSET and it was an undeniable step upwards (and that's not a put down of the VAC). The SET renders more emotion, involvement and you're just pulled deeper into the music. Swampwalker, the very qualities you inquired about, tone, timbre, harmonic overtones is the strength of a good SET amplifier. Jwm is right, going to SET from push pull (non DHT tubes ) is like moving to push pull tubes from a solid state amplifier. Stuff like sound stage, imaging, spatial information are all included. The key to success is matching the appropriate speakers, otherwise you'll miss what a SET can do in your system.
A DHT tube push pull would definitely be my choice of amplifier if I couldn't utilize the SET. I'm really drawn to the DHT type of tubes.
As far as bass is concerned for acoustic bass I feel you gain texture and the natural bloom that they actually have and maintain very articulation. Depending on the speaker perhaps some slight loss of impact and weight (subtle in my experience). With synthesized and electronica emphasized bass I could concede that type of music would favor more ofen than not higher power PP tube and certainty SS amplifiers. Anything else, give me SET.