SE 845 Triode versus KT88 Triode-Connected?

Hi,

Thank you for the info. So it will really depends on the circuit design and especially the output trannies used.

So a well-designed tetrode-triode-connected amp can sound good as the real triode amp.

Thank you once again.

Solp_online, I happen to own a pair of 20 W 845 triode monoblocks and a pair of 16W paralell single-ended KT88 amps, both made by Hyperion Sound Design.
I have also owned several push-pull triode, ultralinear and tetrode KT88 amps, by Quad, McIntosh and ARC, from 15W per channel to 90 W/ch.

My speaker's impedance is 8 ohms and their efficiency is 90 db/Watt. I can listen at loud levels with the 845 amplifier, though occasionaly, on very demanding music, I hear slight distortion.
Anyway,the Hyperion 845 amp is by far my preferred amplifier, it has magic, presence and emotion in spades, besides a very warm (lifelike, not Hi-FI), powerful and liquid sound.

IME, no push-pull amplifier I owned had such magic midrange and treble "air" nor presented the human voice so life-like, though push-pull amps have more power and tighter bass.

If your room is very large and you listen at high levels, go for the PP amps.

If your room is mid-size and you do not play at extremely loud levels, I believe you will be in heaven with a well-executed 845 amplifier.

People say that once you have tried tubes, there is no going back to solid state. I would like to add that if you love music (not Hi-Fi), once you have tried triode single-ended amps, there's no going back to push-pull amps.
Good luck on your search

Casouza, hi thank you so much on sharing your experience with different types of amps. I will check with the local tube amps manufacturer here in our country (www.amxtubeaudio.com) coz they have several models of ready made SET amps (845, 211, 6C33 ...etc) and likewise customize series.

Thank you once again :)

Regards,

I too love my 845 SET, as Casouza says, music, not hifi. SET's have that liquid see through character you do'nt seem to get anywhere else. The nearset I found in solid state was my Pass Aleph 3. The other advantage with the 845 is power. You can get real world power to drive efficient, but conventional cone drivers, I have never been a horn fan.
My Viva Solista puts out 22watts, but that belies it's true power in terms of current delivery.

I would add OTLs for consideration, assuming a highish and flat input impedance. With the right speakers, I have preferred it to SET or PP/Triode. Having said that, I think any topology can work really well in the hands of the right designer and matched to the right speakers.