Sns,
I actually do like a number of 845 and 211 SET amps. For speakers needing more power than what a low-powered SET can provide, good SETs using either tube are contenders. But, when driving extremely efficient speakers, I don't think they are, at lower volume levels, as detailed sounding or deliver small scale dynamics (sound lively) as 2a3s or 45s. Of course, I've only heard a small number of any kind of amp/tube combination in my own system, so I am only roughly generalizing here. When it comes to SETs, the output transformers are really hard to design and build properly so a LOT depends on getting that part right. I bet that is particularly the case with either 211 or 845 amps because of the high standing current in the primaries.
For the vast majority of applications, that would be an academic argument because a low-powered SET would be unsuitable. I believe that first and foremost, one picks a speaker system that sounds great and then looks for a suitable amp. If I needed more power, I would certainly consider 845/211 amps (e.g., I really like the Wyetech 211 amp). I've heard some really strange sounding systems where someone "fell in love" with a particular low-powered amp and then went looking for suitable speakers (some single driver systems and horn systems are truly weird sounding to me).
It is a matter of picking the best compromise. The SET purist out there would certainly have a lot a bad things to say about the parallel single ended approach employed in my amp. I am not convinced any particular design is inherently superior. One of the very best amps I heard was a pushpull amp that is over 50 years old (a huge, rack-mounted Western Electric amp that currently sells for something like $70,000 per channel).
I actually do like a number of 845 and 211 SET amps. For speakers needing more power than what a low-powered SET can provide, good SETs using either tube are contenders. But, when driving extremely efficient speakers, I don't think they are, at lower volume levels, as detailed sounding or deliver small scale dynamics (sound lively) as 2a3s or 45s. Of course, I've only heard a small number of any kind of amp/tube combination in my own system, so I am only roughly generalizing here. When it comes to SETs, the output transformers are really hard to design and build properly so a LOT depends on getting that part right. I bet that is particularly the case with either 211 or 845 amps because of the high standing current in the primaries.
For the vast majority of applications, that would be an academic argument because a low-powered SET would be unsuitable. I believe that first and foremost, one picks a speaker system that sounds great and then looks for a suitable amp. If I needed more power, I would certainly consider 845/211 amps (e.g., I really like the Wyetech 211 amp). I've heard some really strange sounding systems where someone "fell in love" with a particular low-powered amp and then went looking for suitable speakers (some single driver systems and horn systems are truly weird sounding to me).
It is a matter of picking the best compromise. The SET purist out there would certainly have a lot a bad things to say about the parallel single ended approach employed in my amp. I am not convinced any particular design is inherently superior. One of the very best amps I heard was a pushpull amp that is over 50 years old (a huge, rack-mounted Western Electric amp that currently sells for something like $70,000 per channel).