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SET the best?

Is SET amplification where we should all end up? I keep reading posts where people tell of their journeys from plenty power to micro power, and how amazing SET amplification is 45 set 211 set 845 set otl, and usually, ....with the right speaker. I have yet to read of anyone who has gone the other direction from SET, to High watt beast class A amps or others.
If your speakers can be driven by minimal wattage, is this the most realistic, natural sound we can achieve? versus say, 86db sensitive speakers and a 1000w amp?
Is the end result solely based on speaker pairing? circuit? tubes?

I am in the process of changing my direction in my search for realistic sound, just because, and wondering if this really is the best direction to be going.
From what I have been reading I think it may be.

What do we get with SET? What do we give up?

What's you favorite color?
hanaleimike
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unoear
141 posts
 
Favorite color...green WE 300b

Second favorite color...black Russian

Favorite beach...easy, just outside of Hanalei

Mike, as mentioned in the posts above there are some really cost-efficent ways to try out SET amplification. Visit 6moons for a few reads on the different flavors that are available. From there you will be off chasing speaker designs that are efficent along with easy loads to drive. SETs just love easy blowing trade winds...
larryken
537 posts
 
It is a matter of taste. I was a high current SS guy for many years and morphed into SET once I heard a nice setup....music sounds very natural and I found myself listening to the music rather than the equipment. Downside is tubes require a little bit of fussing and you are limited in your speaker choices. However, there are a lot of highly efficient speakers out there and if you are a "fiddler" then you enjoy biasing tubes, swapping out tubes to try different sound combos etc. I have a second rig for my tv and it's high powered SS.....yes it's more visceral but the highs are a little etched and it sounds a little artificial but still a good rig....I just can't listen to it for hours on end without some fatigue creeping in.
t_bone
1,182 posts
 
Blue.

And while there are a few nice beaches out near Hanalei (especially the one with the wicked rip), I like Anahola beaches better (sorry hanaleimike), but I won't say which one because it isn't very crowded.

I also really like Polihale.
danielk141
489 posts
 
I had the Cary CAD300SEI. It sounded very good in my bedroom system.
I got a pair of small floor standing Meadowlark speakers,
with the Vifa Ring Tweeter. They sounded very good with the Cary. They sounded even better driven by my Pass Aleph 30. That speaker & the Pass solid state amp just worked better.
I'm suggesting you should try to pick your favorite (affordable) speaker first, then try different amplification.
When you get that combination with a synergy in your system, you'll have the answer that's unique for you, your gear and your room.
My favorite color is blue. The Cary branded 300Bs in my CAD300SEI had a blue glow to them. They sure looked cool!
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
5,002 posts
 
Purple

The beach on the other side of Cozumel

SET...tried it, didn't like it.
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