SET amp w/Neg feedback?

Where I termed it "big punch and power" I think Ralph is calling it "sound **pressure**" and I believe his term is more precise. If that is the goal, I'm skeptical that a marginal addition or subtraction of negative feedback will have significant sonic benefit or detriment.

I do believe that when using a properly matched speaker and tube amp combination, that marginal reductions in feedback yield significant sonic improvements. If your goal is to hear the harmonic tones of a violin, be able to pick out the timpani skin from within Solti's 9th symphony, hear how Neil Young's rythm guitarist scrapes the side of the pick along the length of a string or hear the unique tone of Hendrix's marshall amp at any volume, then less feedback is better. Jeff

Ralph - Thank you. I greatly appreciate all of your contributions to this forum.

The equipment matching conversation that is all over high end audio is a direct result of the conflict of these two paradigms.

If there was one fact I wish I had known when I started my audio journey it would be this one.

Gentlemen,
Thanks for all of the great responses. Everyone basically confirmed my own thoughts about NFB. I have a Cary sli-80 all triode w/ zero NFB. Its so much better than the regular sli-80 and they only have about 5db nfb. There is just a huge dif in musicality with mine vs the regular sli-80's. I have been looking at getting a SET amp and I found out the other day that one of them that I was considering has 15db of nfb!!
I think it's good advice to stay with zero nfb amps. I have coincident speakers, so they work great with tubes.
Ralph I want to come to RMAF and hear one of your amps, looking forward to it.
Thanks
Mike