Horning Perikles w Frankenstein amp

Swampwalker,
Do you still have the Wavac MD 300b? I realize it`s approach to power supply and circuit is different from the Frankenstein. It may still give you some idea of compatlbility with the Horning.

The Horning is designed to be very compatible for SET use. My speakers
have two 10" woofers and when I replaced my 100 watt push pull tube
amp with the Frankensteins there was no problem, the sound improved, a
different world.
People who own various Hornings seem to drive them with SET amplifiers
and are happy. I suspect that other amplifier types work well also.lf you
look through the Virtual system section under Horning you'll find a number
of people with lower power SETs driving them.

Swampwalker,
Marshall Nack reviewed the Horning Agathon Ultimate(this used two 12" woofers per speaker) and he used 5 or 6 different 300b SET amps with comments on all of them. This was in Positive Feedback Online issue # 20. From what he found I don`t think your smaller woofer version Horning would be a problem.

Trelja raises a good point and mentions reasonable alternatives. No amplifier does everything (there's always the reality of compromise regardless of what you use). Some 300b SETs have better drive and control than others, High Water Audio demonstrates Hornings with 300b amps sometimes, see what he advises. I could see a DHT push pull being a very viable alternative. I don't know how much Hornings differ from the Coincident speakers in terms of ease of drive. The Frankenstein drives them pretty easily with good bass and woofer control. I've always been curious to hear the Frankenstein with the Hornings, Tonian Lab and the Ocellia speakers.
Charles,

Markus,
That's the same point I made earlier when comparing the Franks to my
push pull amps(both a 100 watt and a 40 watt amp). Simply no problem
with the Coincident dual woofers. The Horning may or may not be a
different case(could be harder to drive?). Your comparison to the VAC REN
30/30 (excellent amp) speaks volumes of the Frankenstein's considerable
capabilities. The Frankenstein has a very stout/ heavy duty power supply
that may provide drive that some other 300b SET lack, as a possible
explanation.
Charles,

Agree with Jwm completely!
He went from the very good push pull VAC Phi 300.1 mono block to his current splendid Absolare Passion Signature 845 PSET and it was an undeniable step upwards (and that's not a put down of the VAC). The SET renders more emotion, involvement and you're just pulled deeper into the music. Swampwalker, the very qualities you inquired about, tone, timbre, harmonic overtones is the strength of a good SET amplifier. Jwm is right, going to SET from push pull (non DHT tubes ) is like moving to push pull tubes from a solid state amplifier. Stuff like sound stage, imaging, spatial information are all included. The key to success is matching the appropriate speakers, otherwise you'll miss what a SET can do in your system.

A DHT tube push pull would definitely be my choice of amplifier if I couldn't utilize the SET. I'm really drawn to the DHT type of tubes.
As far as bass is concerned for acoustic bass I feel you gain texture and the natural bloom that they actually have and maintain very articulation. Depending on the speaker perhaps some slight loss of impact and weight (subtle in my experience). With synthesized and electronica emphasized bass I could concede that type of music would favor more ofen than not higher power PP tube and certainty SS amplifiers. Anything else, give me SET.