SET amp owners thread
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They truly have a special sound, I have never heard such a coherent sound from any other speaker regardless of price.
Okay, we can start there ... it truly is a challenging piece. In room my system is not brought entirely to its knees ... maybe to its elbows. The Soria series with the wood dowels are quite elaborate with beautiful artwork; Soria did other issuances that were not quite as fancy. I also like Reiner doing Strauss' Don Quixote.
Videos - oomph, tympani, menace, power
Sorry, Peter, I should've just posted the current list here.
www.whatsbestforum.com
Try around 6:10 for the bombast.
Lowther PX4 Valve Amplifier: The Essence of Acoustic Purity
Rediscover music's soul with Lowther's PX4 Valve Amplifier. Hand-crafted in Great Britain, this masterpiece revives 1940s designs with modern precision, offering purity of signal and emotional depth in every note.
www.lowtherloudspeakers.com
Yes I have commented on it, both this and the speaker, you can do a search on lowther by me.Did someone listen to this?
Lowther PX4 Valve Amplifier: The Essence of Acoustic Purity
Rediscover music's soul with Lowther's PX4 Valve Amplifier. Hand-crafted in Great Britain, this masterpiece revives 1940s designs with modern precision, offering purity of signal and emotional depth in every note.
@Atmasphere has mentioned it before. it's a fun ride.Okay, we can start there ... it truly is a challenging piece. In room my system is not brought entirely to its knees ... maybe to its elbows. The Soria series with the wood dowels are quite elaborate with beautiful artwork; Soria did other issuances that were not quite as fancy. I also like Reiner doing Strauss' Don Quixote.
Videos - oomph, tympani, menace, power
Sorry, Peter, I should've just posted the current list here.
Try around 6:10 for the bombast.
Indeed it is.
I was always frustrated by not being able to find a good recording of Carmina Burana. Either the performance was great or the recording was good, but not both at the same time and with the dynamic punch I've heard that piece have in a live concert. That is part of what led me to record Canto General.
Do you know of a Carmina version that is both a good performance and recording?
I have both Die Kluge and Carmina Burana on tape from Horsch House
ticks both boxes
www.horchhouse.com
ticks both boxes
Carl Orff - Carmina Burana — Horch House
Sales Prices for Germany incl. 19% sales tax (VAT) Pure Master: 480,00 € Standard Master: 570,00 € Studio Master: 595,00 € Prices for other EU Countries calculated at checkout before purchase. Prices outside EU Countries excluding VAT.
www.horchhouse.com
There is a thread on this
Thread 'Searching for Best Version of Carmina Burana ?'
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/searching-for-best-version-of-carmina-burana.36402/
Its a good recording but I prefer other performances, at least if what I've heard of this one on YT is correct.
Thanks!
Kegel version is really good ,eterna makes really good classical recordings,you used to find it at the flea market for 2€ here in germanyI have both Die Kluge and Carmina Burana on tape from Horsch House
ticks both boxes
Carl Orff - Carmina Burana — Horch House
Sales Prices for Germany incl. 19% sales tax (VAT) Pure Master: 480,00 € Standard Master: 570,00 € Studio Master: 595,00 € Prices for other EU Countries calculated at checkout before purchase. Prices outside EU Countries excluding VAT.
Hello and thank you for the wonderful compliments on my W60's!Al , might you post the output rating for your amps as a guide for us to work with .
In the meantime I would recommend a pair of 1960’s Wharfedale W60’s which you should be able to pick up on the used market for $500 give or take for a nice pair , for my part I would look for the slightly earlier W60 as the later W60D can exhibit problems with the foam surrounds , they are a tad rolled off in the upper octaves , however they are quite lovely in the midrange and for near field listening .
Check out the many video posts from Don @No Regrets featuring his pair making beautiful music , several can be found in the female vocals thread Viz :
Post your female vocal videos
You're blessed to have to pairs of highly regarded amplifiers there! I'm curious, if you could only have one pair, which do you think you would keep to pair with your current speakers? Thanks, Don. Both the 110W Lamm M1.2 and the 18W Lamm ML2.2 work well with the JBL M9500 speakers at 4Ohm...
Post your female vocal videos
You're blessed to have to pairs of highly regarded amplifiers there! I'm curious, if you could only have one pair, which do you think you would keep to pair with your current speakers? Thanks, Don. Both the 110W Lamm M1.2 and the 18W Lamm ML2.2 work well with the JBL M9500 speakers at 4Ohm...
Post your female vocal videos
Blossom Dearie live at Ronnie Scott’s (singing and playing piano), from this recently released compilation: https://open.qobuz.com/album/aurabpf8lwgja That lovely track is from this original album: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blossom_Time_at_Ronnie_Scott%27s
My only caviat being their min rating of 5 Watts /8 Ohms if memory serves , as your 300B amp might be on the borderline with the W60’s
Just a few words on that....
Yes, as you had mentioned, I would search out the original W60's. Not the ones that have any suffixes such as W60"C", W60"D" or W60"E". But rather just the W60.
Also, I would tend to agree that a 5 - 8 watt single ended triode amp may be on the borderline for the W60's. You might be able to get away with it in a small room, listening near field and at lower volumes. If I remember correctly, their sensitivity is rated at 95dB, so on paper a single ended 300B might be fine. But, if you are looking for a dynamic, full sound that can scale with the music; it "might" be a little light with a small amplifier.
However, I think it would do better with something that has a great power supply, with more wattage and something that has some grip and control of the 12 1/2" woofer. I will say that when using my custom EL84 push/pull amp, these W60's have the ability to fill the whole house with a full, convincing sound. I feel they make a perfect match for each other.
Good luck with your search!
Best wishes,
Don
Had my ears opened recently auditioning an old Don Garber/Fi Audio stereo 2A3/45 amp. Running through a pair of Cornwall I's with I'm not sure what modifications. Running the 45 tubes, it was beautifully delicate up top and transparent in the mids, but lacking in bass. Running 2A3's some of that bass drive and heft came back, but maybe not quite as special in the treble. Both did some things I've not encountered from 300B amps, and I was quite impressed. (Though with both sets of tubes, the amp broke up quite audibly at medium-high listening levels. Not a surprise, given how low-powered both driver tubes are, I suppose, though it was unpredictable which tracks would make them distort. I wondered if one of the input tubes was perhaps below specs, as the distortion seemed to be mostly on the right channel.)
Another surprise, the old Garber absolutely slayed an Audio Research Ref75 (non-SE) that I'd expected to like quite a bit. The Ref75 only had about 10 minutes to warm up though.
I'm tempted to pick up the Garber, but I'd have to travel with it in my carry-on, and it seems somewhat delicate. Also, I'm sort of wondering if I can do better with a similarly designed but higher spec'd 2A3 or 45 amp (better transformers, separate PSU, etc.). I know that Don Garber was hugely respected and influential, but perhaps others have brought the SET craft further along in the last couple decades?
I believe the Fi Audio was using Magnequest transformers, though I don't know if they were the standard or silver wound models. I get the sense from poking around online that better results can be had with Hashimoto (which Garber himself later switched to) or Tamura iron. Anyway, now I'm exploring amps to run my Klipsch Forte III (99dB) and Fyne Vintage Classic XII (96dB). The Fyne, especially, might like a bit more power, but i guess I'll only find out from trying some amps. I listen at medium volumes typically.
Also, putting together a short list of SET designers. Any to add? I'll also go back through this thread.
Triode Labs
Yamamoto
Aric Audio
Tron
AirTight
Silbatone
Silvercore
Oliver Sayes
Another surprise, the old Garber absolutely slayed an Audio Research Ref75 (non-SE) that I'd expected to like quite a bit. The Ref75 only had about 10 minutes to warm up though.
I'm tempted to pick up the Garber, but I'd have to travel with it in my carry-on, and it seems somewhat delicate. Also, I'm sort of wondering if I can do better with a similarly designed but higher spec'd 2A3 or 45 amp (better transformers, separate PSU, etc.). I know that Don Garber was hugely respected and influential, but perhaps others have brought the SET craft further along in the last couple decades?
I believe the Fi Audio was using Magnequest transformers, though I don't know if they were the standard or silver wound models. I get the sense from poking around online that better results can be had with Hashimoto (which Garber himself later switched to) or Tamura iron. Anyway, now I'm exploring amps to run my Klipsch Forte III (99dB) and Fyne Vintage Classic XII (96dB). The Fyne, especially, might like a bit more power, but i guess I'll only find out from trying some amps. I listen at medium volumes typically.
Also, putting together a short list of SET designers. Any to add? I'll also go back through this thread.
Triode Labs
Yamamoto
Aric Audio
Tron
AirTight
Silbatone
Silvercore
Oliver Sayes
I would put Yamamoto at the bottom. Good value though. Silbatone hybrid is quite poor, nothing like the Silbatone they get in Munich.
Oliver Sayes 300b was quite nice, but he makes amps to any spec so depends on the spec.
Triode 45 features in my videos of Admire audio, that pairing was nice.
The GM70 I have written about on this thread is better than the Silvercore 833, Thoress 300b, Ayon Spitfire, Kondo Neiro 2a3, and their other 2a3s. The guy I mentioned where can do a SUT shootout at has many Kondos and has bought it too, so you can get to do a compare, and can get an in home audition quite easily, and not expensive.
The other SUT shootout we can do if you ever make it to Norwich, you can hear the 211 ongaku copy from Japan Uesugi.
Haven’t heard Aric and Tron amps.
SJS 8w 300b in silver is excellent, but more expensive than the ones in your list
Whammerdyne “The Damn Good’ amp.
2a3s Direct Coupled in stereo or monoblock.
2a3s Direct Coupled in stereo or monoblock.
SW1X Audio Design offers very high quality SET amplifiers at many price points. EL84, 6V6 (both as triodes), 45, 2A3, and 300B variants are available.
Heads up that Fyne isn't a good match with low power triode amps in my experience, regardless of the spec sheet.
@wbass more for your list - Finale Audio and related company Triode Labs ; New Audio Frontiers
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