Who makes a GM-70 based SET?

Thought I'd chime in on this. I just received a GM-70 monoblock amp from SAC Thailand (to pair with my Hawthorne Audio Trio Open Baffle Speakers) and am very impressed. The sound of the GM-70 tube is big, bold and immediate. It may not be as nuanced as some of the smaller SET tubes but the presence is addictive. Bass is not lacking at all. The sonic signature is the same played at low or high volume. I've ordered a pair of copper plated GM70 tubes to see how they compare with the stock graphite ones. The 38W amp easily drives the Hawthornes. In fact, it seems much more pwoerful than the power rating. Great option for those out there who want to use a SET but don't have HE speakers.

The first GM-70 I heard was from Shindo. I absolutely love the amp but can't afford the asking price. Dehavilland is a bit cheaper but still well over $10K. I took a chance on SAC Thailand after looking at their web site. I could not find many independant reviews on any of their products. I have, though, seen a few positive comments about their transformers which they manufacture themselves.

Anyone looking for a reasonably priced GM-70 amp should check them out. I was able to get my custom made GM-70 for under $5K. Time from order to delivery was about 2 months. The owner promptly answered all my questions via e-mail - most of them next day. Service so far has been very good as well. One of the GM-70 tubes broke in transit from Thailand. He Fedexed a replacement to me right away without any hastle.

I have not heard much about them on audiogon so I thought I'd pass along my $.02. My take is that they a very good outfit flying under the radar. Usual disclaimer applies - I have no financial or other interest with SAC Thailand.

I just checked out the SAC Thailand web site.

They look very attractive and appear to measure very well for SET's. What can you say about build quality and cosmetics?

Build quality and cosmetics exceeded my expectation for the price. The chassis is the same as the Glowmaster GM-70 on their website. Difference being my amp is modified for a single, not parallel GM-70.I was also offered the option of a wood chassis at the same price if I wanted that aesthetic (it would have taken a few more weeks to build). I mean it's not a piece of modern art or anything but I think it represents a pretty darn good value for those of us who want to see what the GM-70 is all about and are not (a)wealthy or (b) into the DIY scene. I was on the fence about using SAC Thailand because I could not find out much about them on the web and did not want to get ripped off. Just wanted to let people know that it really is a legit business.

Has anyone compared the sound of GM-70 vs 845 tubes ?
Seemingly they both are used to build tube amps with high power, but both have different origins hence should have a different signature sound. Can someone shed some light here ?

Sibelius, does your amp have negative feedback ? What preamp are you using with this amp ?
Can you give a comparison of this amp with another popular tube amp you might have heard ? That would give a clearer perspective. I have been looking at these guys for sometime but lack of reviews have kept me at bay.

Pani,

Kara Chafee at Dehavilland would be the expert to answer your question. Dehavilland has been focused on making amps with 845s and GM-70s for quite some time.

FWIW, I can't say enough good things about my experience owning Dehavilland amps (in my case Aries 845G monoblocks).

From my own experience previously owning many types of tube amps, here is a broad stroke attempt to help you. Both the 845s and GM70s give you the magical midrange that is often associated with tubes like the 300B, but they don't sacrifice roll-off at either freq. extreme to nearly the same degree. Even more importantly, they provide more power to allow you to drive many different real world speakers that would sound terrible if paired with low powered SET amps.
They provide transparency that I've only heard equally with OTL amps or a few 6C33 designs.
Their bass might not be quite as punchy as big EL34-based amps, but the are surprisingly dynamic.
My 92db/8ohm Silverline La Folias are a pretty easy load, but most people can't believe it when I tell them that they are listening to only 30w amps. Most 845 or GM70s would probably elicit the same type of reaction in that regard. Hope this helps. Cheers,
Spencer