SET amp owners thread

[wbass]

Thanks for the replies. Anyone ever get ears on the Garber/Fi amps? As above, I was pretty impressed with the 2A3 / 45 amp, particularly when running with the 45's, but I don't have enough experience with SETs to know if what I heard is typical or can be bettered. I'm aware that much depends on the amp layout and parts, and even similarly spec'd amps can sound different, so maybe just after general guidance.

I have an AES SE-1 (Cary made) that can run either 300B or 2A3. I've messed around with it a bit and liked it. Solid-state rectification. I'm sure it can be bettered.... On the other hand, I wouldn't want to duplicate it.

And, yeah, have read that larger Tannoy (and by extension Fyne) like a little more power. So, guessing a 45 amp might not be enough.

 

[morricab]

Thanks for the replies. Anyone ever get ears on the Garber/Fi amps? As above, I was pretty impressed with the 2A3 / 45 amp, particularly when running with the 45's, but I don't have enough experience with SETs to know if what I heard is typical or can be bettered. I'm aware that much depends on the amp layout and parts, and even similarly spec'd amps can sound different, so maybe just after general guidance.

I have an AES SE-1 (Cary made) that can run either 300B or 2A3. I've messed around with it a bit and liked it. Solid-state rectification. I'm sure it can be bettered.... On the other hand, I wouldn't want to duplicate it.

And, yeah, have read that larger Tannoy (and by extension Fyne) like a little more power. So, guessing a 45 amp might not be enough.

If you want the amp to have some real drive then make sure it is using an interstage transformer coupling between input and output stages. I have a rare Silvercore 2A3 amp that uses this type of coupling and it sounds more like a 20 watt SET rather than a 3.5 watt SET…was one of my best “hidden gems” audio find of all time.
You should add Aries Cerat to your list…amazing amps.

 

[TKK]

I think this baby from Treehaus Audio Lab deserves a post here — I’ve had it for a year, loved it from the very first second, and still do!
All Finemet transformers, all Finemet chokes, and a GOSS power supply for B+. 801A drives the 300B, with each DHT having its own dedicated power transformer. The sound is super natural, relaxed, transparent, and incredibly involving.

 

[morricab]

I think this baby from Treehaus Audio Lab deserves a post here — I’ve had it for a year, loved it from the very first second, and still do!
All Finemet transformers, all Finemet chokes, and a GOSS power supply for B+. 801A drives the 300B, with each DHT having its own dedicated power transformer. The sound is super natural, relaxed, transparent, and incredibly involving.

View attachment 156375

All DHT and interstage transformer driven is a winning recipe…bet it sounds great

 

[bonzo75]

If you want the amp to have some real drive then make sure it is using an interstage transformer coupling between input and output stages. I have a rare Silvercore 2A3 amp that uses this type of coupling and it sounds more like a 20 watt SET rather than a 3.5 watt SET…was one of my best “hidden gems” audio find of all time.
You should add Aries Cerat to your list…amazing amps.

You keep repeating this on an n off 1, silvercore’s other amps are cap coupled. His best amp that has most drive is the Eimac 304 TL

 

[bonzo75]

And, yeah, have read that larger Tannoy (and by extension Fyne) like a little more power. So, guessing a 45 amp might not be enough.

Most small tubes won’t be, you need push pull or big tubes for Tannoy. I have heard the Silvercore 833c on the tannoy sound good, better than the Kronzilla

 

[morricab]

You keep repeating this on an n off 1, silvercore’s other amps are cap coupled. His best amp that has most drive is the Eimac 304 TL

Maybe, but as I also said it is an early Silvercore design…plus I have the official schematics of the amp, so I am not speculating on the design…I know exactly what it is and have spoken with the designer about it. You have not even heard of this amp, so there are clearly gaps in your Silvercore knowledge. I bought it directly from Silvercore.
I never said it had the most drive of any Silvercore amp, just that it has huge drive for a 3.5 watt amp. As to sound quality, most SET fans think the lower the output the better the sound, so I think one could question whether the Eimac based amp sounds better or not. 2A3s are known for sounding very good…of course appropriate speakers are needed.

 

[bonzo75]

Maybe, but as I also said it is an early Silvercore design…plus I have the official schematics of the amp, so I am not speculating on the design…I know exactly what it is and have spoken with the designer about it. You have not even heard of this amp, so there are clearly gaps in your Silvercore knowledge. I bought it directly from Silvercore.
I never said it had the most drive of any Silvercore amp, just that it has huge drive for a 3.5 watt amp. As to sound quality, most SET fans think the lower the output the better the sound, so I think one could question whether the Eimac based amp sounds better or not. 2A3s are known for sounding very good…of course appropriate speakers are needed.

I am not talking about that amp at all. I am talking about your attempt to provide theory where none exists.

I have been saying lower watt amps sound better for years, nothing new, but his Eimac is just better made he has put a lot in it and requires drive, which is what it is meant for.

TM amps are transformer coupled, and while they sound nice, I have never heard them stand out for drive.

 

[morricab]

I am not talking about that amp at all. I am talking about your attempt to provide theory where none exists.

I have been saying lower watt amps sound better for years, nothing new, but his Eimac is just better made he has put a lot in it and requires drive, which is what it is meant for.

TM amps are transformer coupled, and while they sound nice, I have never heard them stand out for drive.

TM amps?

 

[bonzo75]

TM amps?

Mayer

 

[morricab]

I am not talking about that amp at all. I am talking about your attempt to provide theory where none exists.

I have been saying lower watt amps sound better for years, nothing new, but his Eimac is just better made he has put a lot in it and requires drive, which is what it is meant for.

TM amps are transformer coupled, and while they sound nice, I have never heard them stand out for drive.

It’s not just my theory and I have numerous practical examples that makes the theory convincing. It doesn’t mean there aren’t other dynamic sounding amps done with cap or direct coupling, but for a given power rating I think IT coupled amps sound more powerful and have more drive.
This Russian NEM amp I have sounds enormously powerful and dynamic for a 17 watt amp and is IT coupled. The Horning amp I had with same 520b output tube sounded nice nowhere near this power and dynamics to the sound.
Aries Cerat amps are the most dynamic sounding of anything I have heard and are IT coupled.

 

[morricab]

Mayer

On Avantgarde speakers they sounded amazing on WVL speakers less so…only heard under show conditions though…

 

[bonzo75]

On Avantgarde speakers they sounded amazing on WVL speakers less so…only heard under show conditions though…

They are good amps, but that is not the point. They don't stand out for drive, and there are good cap coupled amps as well, and some cap and some trans have good drive and some not. There is no reason to generalize things especially starting off with a silvercore amp where the designer's most commonly used amp and his premium amp are cap coupled. Maybe for 2a3 he though transformer driven was good. Possibly look into what design suits small very low watt amps vs bigger tube amps.

 

[morricab]

They are good amps, but that is not the point. They don't stand out for drive, and there are good cap coupled amps as well, and some cap and some trans have good drive and some not. There is no reason to generalize things especially starting off with a silvercore amp where the designer's most commonly used amp and his premium amp are cap coupled. Maybe for 2a3 he though transformer driven was good. Possibly look into what design suits small very low watt amps vs bigger tube amps.

I can’t speak for why designers change, cost savings comes to mind.
Nearly all IT coupled designs I have heard excel in drive. Whether TM amps do or do not I can’t comment…all others I have heard and owned did excel at drive. WAVAC is another good example of IT that excels at dynamics and drive.
So, while there may be exceptions, in general it is IMO the most dynamic sounding SETs are when they are IT coupled. You can disagree and that’s fine, but I don’t consider your opinion a qualified one.

 

[bonzo75]

I can’t speak for why designers change, cost savings comes to mind.
Nearly all IT coupled designs I have heard excel in drive. Whether TM amps do or do not I can’t comment…all others I have heard and owned did excel at drive. WAVAC is another good example of IT that excels at dynamics and drive.
So, while there may be exceptions, in general it is IMO the most dynamic sounding SETs are when they are IT coupled. You can disagree and that’s fine, but I don’t consider your opinion a qualified one.

I am not pretending to give a qualified one, you are, when you lack the technical know how to do so. That is always you, which is why you thought Horning Sati and AS 2000 were similar designs because you saw metal. You take some random observations and pretend to be a scientist.

To prove transformer coupled amps are the way to go with drive, you have to prove cap coupled ones are not, and that there aren't transformer coupled amps without drive.

 

[morricab]

I am not pretending to give a qualified one, you are, when you lack the technical know how to do so. That is always you, which is why you thought Horning Sati and AS 2000 were similar designs because you saw metal. You take some random observations and pretend to be a scientist.

To prove transformer coupled amps are the way to go with drive, you have to prove cap coupled ones are not, and that there aren't transformer coupled amps without drive.

Now you think you can be an arbiter of what is and is not scientific? The fundament of science is observation and hypothesis. I have done both and you have not disproven it with your anecdotal opinions. It is not a fact that TM amps lack drive, it is only your opinion. And unless TM made a similar cap coupled amp to compare it to, you wouldn’t know what the reason for the relative lack of drive was caused by.

 

[bonzo75]

Now you think you can be an arbiter of what is and is not scientific? The fundament of science is observation and hypothesis. I have done both and you have not disproven it with your anecdotal opinions. It is not a fact that TM amps lack drive, it is only your opinion. And unless TM made a similar cap coupled amp to compare it to, you wouldn’t know what the reason for the relative lack of drive was caused by.

I did not say they lacked drive, but I certainly did not hear any ability to drive more than any other amp. It was just about right when matched with the right speaker, nothing more, nothing less. Oh and unlike you these are not based on Munich listening where they sound far below what they are capable of. The fact that you want to sound like a scientist using a small number of incorrectly tested observations is up to you. I make no claim one is better than other, there are samples in both schools to be tried and matched for different high efficiency systems. You just seem insistent on putting a structure to explain what you do not understand

 

[morricab]

I did not say they lacked drive, but I certainly did not hear any ability to drive more than any other amp. It was just about right when matched with the right speaker, nothing more, nothing less. Oh and unlike you these are not based on Munich listening where they sound far below what they are capable of. The fact that you want to sound like a scientist using a small number of incorrectly tested observations is up to you. I make no claim one is better than other, there are samples in both schools to be tried and matched for different high efficiency systems. You just seem insistent on putting a structure to explain what you do not understand

I am not talking about Munich observations….once again you make strawman arguments to knock down.

 

[Audiohertz2]

 

[jeff1225]