SET sound without a lot of money

Let's cut the shit. There is no good SET sound for not a lot of money.

Maybe, but I for one do not agree to your statement.

If you cannot build one, what you said is probably true but if you can, and understand what you are doing, then you can have a true SET that is most likely better sounding than what is commercially available and with better components to booth and lesser in price overall. Most if not all of the popular true SET amp manufacturer, Shindo or AudioNote for example, started via DIY.

I mentioned "true" SET because to me, a real SET sound comes from DHT output tubes! IMO, no IDHT SET, like Pentode strapped etc. has the real SET sound. In other words, them are just "wanna be SET's" he,he :)

If you're talking about the Almarro A205A, like the RM-10 it's not an SET amp. It's actually a single ended pentode:

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/almarro4/mk2.html

Sounds great, though; I owned one for a couple of years.

The Almarro 318 is indeed an SET.

David

Obviously, I didn't mean building one by oneself.

Listen to an Almarro 318B or an Audion Sterling Integrated. Both put out about 18 w.p.c., sound excellent, and are well under $2,000 on the used market. Match them with moderately efficient speakers, sit back, and let the music flow!

I heard Almarro mono's driving Marten Miles 3 in a small room, very musical and easy to listen too in a small room. Pre's were VTL and front end CEC transport into AMR dac. Well worth investigating the brand from my limted experience.