Which is Better Sound From High Power: Single Tube SET or Parallel Tube SET?

[Kingrex]

My replies got disjointed.

 

[Al M.]

Ahhh Understood …

No, not understood at all. As I said before, Bonzo has no clue. I have heard in total five SET amps, all in people's homes, none at a show.

Of course, if I give specifics Bonzo will say but these are not the right speakers etc., and I don't know nothing etc., etc. etc. That would be a schoolyard-brawl type debate that I have zero interest in. Suffice to say that in all cases the speakers were 100 dB sensitive (with 2 SET amps) or well above (with 3 SET amps).

 

[PeterA]

No, not understood at all. As I said before, Bonzo has no clue. I have heard in total five SET amps, all in people's homes, none at a show.

Of course, if I give specifics Bonzo will say but these are not the right speakers etc., and I don't know nothing etc., etc. etc. That would be a schoolyard-brawl type debate that I have zero interest in. Suffice to say that in all cases the speakers were 100 dB sensitive (with 2 SET amps) or well above (with 3 SET amps).

Al, Would you say those five systems shared certain characteristics that you attribute to the high-efficiency speakers and SET amplifier combination? If so, could you describe it in terms of what you heard and why you think there are other approaches that sound more convincing to you?

 

[KeithR]

That is super ignorant then. Unless you played them on the wrong speakers. There is no reason to take on someone who is only SETs by just an equally ridiculous opposing statement, and plus selecting to quote the one comment on the thread that had no experience on SETs and generalized on SETs not heard.

I’ve actually owned or had long term loans of probably a dozen of them. My best audio friend now owns the $80k Absolares. Just because I don’t like them doesn’t mean you won’t. Why is audio on WBF so one tracked these days.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Mentor SET 300B/2a3 Power Amplifier – ANK Audio Kits

ankaudiokits.com

you don't need a lot of money to snoop around the set amp life. the audionote kits are good. a couple of 300b tj globshape(500€) driver tubes 150€ and rectifier 5u4g svetlana 30€.for 5k€ new you get a phantastic sound gurantee

+1

Phil Ressler's (213Cobra) tube amp manufacturer in China makes many varieties of low power tube amps in the $2,000 - $5,000 range.

 

[Ron Resnick]

KT 88, 66, 120, 150, 170 are all unmusical.

not unmusical; less musical

It is unsurprising that 100 watts and 350 watts does not maintain the musical purity of 2 watts and 5 watts.

 

[bonzo75]

I’ve actually owned or had long term loans of probably a dozen of them. My best audio friend now owns the $80k Absolares. Just because I don’t like them doesn’t mean you won’t. Why is audio on WBF so one tracked these days.

for what speakers? you haven’t had a single speaker that works well on sets. Your friend has Zus, not horns, or any good efficient speakers.

 

[Ron Resnick]

The flip side of the coin is 300B, 45, 2A3 etc are artificial and untrue to the source. . . . But they are creating sounds that are not how the mastering engineer intended for the music to be heard.

How do you know? Maybe a particular mastering engineer actually knows what musically convincing audio sounds like, and he intended an SET sound?

 

[bonzo75]

No, not understood at all. As I said before, Bonzo has no clue. I have heard in total five SET amps, all in people's homes, none at a show.

clueless, it is amp plus speaker combo, not just amp. Again you seem to be guarding this more than the govt guards the fact that there is no gold in Fort Knox

 

[bonzo75]

+1

Phil Ressler's (213Cobra) tube amp manufacturer in China makes many varieties of low power tube amps in the $2,000 - $5,000 range.

You mean the ones for which Keith doesn't go

 

[Kingrex]

How do you know? Maybe a particular mastering engineer actually knows what musically convincing audio sounds like, and he intended an SET sound?

My comment was not meant to be a statement of SET are untrue and creating sounds. I was trying to make the point that peoples perceptions are such that we all seem to gravitate to a sound we like. And then tell everyone who listens to some other sound that they are enjoying euphonic distortions.

Its also why I said the Dag/Boulder person will go home and prefer their system, but they may wonder why some details are buried or hard to hear.

 

[bonzo75]

The Found Music is along the lines of any of theae. But it was a lot more. It semed to have more drive and percussion. More inner detail. I was very pleased by the 300B and 45 I heard. Very nice and my flavor. On the 45 we were listening to a lot of Punk. So its hard to say inner detail. But the speed, pop and grit was all there. The 300B more jazz/singer type music. Neither made me say I have to have it. But I would happily enjoy them.

What did you hear the found music on? Not really clear what you are saying here. On one hand you are saying lots of drive, percussion, inner detail, but then you heard only a lot of Punk, so hard to say inner detail, but had pop and grit and speed.

If the 300b sounded good only on jazz and singer, it is either not a good amp or was used on an umatched speaker.

Whammerdyne 2A3. Forgot the speakers, a fully custom 45 on horns. Airtight 300B on DeVore.

And you did not like any of these? Neither classical, jazz, nor rock sounded like live? Though with forgot the speakers tough to make a call

Someone who likes Dagostino/Wilson/Magico/Boulder would probably find it not their taste. But I bet they would go home and put on the same album and wonder why they can't hear some things they heard with mine. What I don't hear out of mine those Dag/Boulder type systems bring is visceral punch and thrust. And a sort of inky black background.

i find all the Dagostino wilson magico boulder type systems I heard relatively slower with far less punch and thrust. But that is on matching extremely agile SETs or low watt PPs on efficient speakers where the drivers require very low grip and can move a lot of air with less movement.

Btw, I heard jazdoc's system when I visited Mike end of 2016.

 

[Ron Resnick]

You mean the ones for which Keith doesn't go

They don't have enough power for the Fynes.

 

[bonzo75]

They don't have enough power for the Fynes.

i was just punning

 

[DasguteOhr]

The Svetlana is a great rectifier for the money! Very dynamic and holographic. Perhaps not the last word in tone but it is still not thin sounding.

excellent symbiosis with tj 300b. the tj tubes for me the best. ok they don't shine so nice no mesh anode.

 

[PeterA]

You mean the ones for which Keith doesn't go

A good example of SET and efficient speakers is Jeff’s JBL Hartsfield system in his new room. You have heard that system. I think Keith, Ron and Al have also heard it.

 

[bonzo75]

A good example of SET and efficient speakers is Jeff’s JBL Hartsfield system in his new room. You have heard that system. I think Keith, Ron and Al have also heard it.

when I was there it had work to be done on crossover and finding the right amp.

there are tons of examples on the SET amp owners thread. The guys who don’t know are welcome to tour and listen to see what they like and don’t. If they don’t have the time or inclination to do it, they shouldn’t type just because they are bored. And while I understand they got ticked off here debating with Brad, it does not mean they go the other extreme and misrepresent.

next we will hear from Al that analog is just coloured and limited dynamic range

 

[Al M.]

when I was there it had work to be done on crossover and finding the right amp.

The crossover was taken care of in the meantime. Unlike it could before, the little sweet 2W SET amp now could drive the speakers without strain, in fact entirely effortlessly, to loud volume levels. Just amazing. The 8 W SET amp worked great as well, of course.

next we will hear from Al that analog is just coloured and limited dynamic range

That's just dumb, Ked. Don't you know I love analog? Have I not said so many times? Yes, there's limited dynamic range on some pressings, but often good vinyl reproduction will blow the roof off the joint dynamically. Especially on jazz. So no, vinyl does not have limited dynamic range compared to digital -- tape doesn't anyway. Of course, by measurements it does, but who cares about those.

 

[microstrip]

not unmusical; less musical

It is unsurprising that does not maintain the musical purity of 2 watts and 5 watts.

Yes, known since long. Electrons in 2 watt and 5 watt amplifiers are educated in schools of nuns, electrons in 100 watt and 350 watt are trained in whorehouses. How could they be pure?

I would love to know where Lamm trained their 32 Watt amplifier electrons, but it is well kept secret.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

Yes, known since long. Electrons in 2 watt and 5 watt amplifiers are educated in schools of nuns, electrons in 100 watt and 350 watt are trained in whorehouses. How could they be pure?

I would love to know where Lamm trained their 32 Watt amplifier electrons, but it is well kept secret.

Prefer to have my tubes/electrons schooled in a house of whores as they know when and where to play the part. I worked in a Catholic School while attending Norte Dame. While I respect the sisterhood they only know one act.