SET the best?


Is SET amplification where we should all end up? I keep reading posts where people tell of their journeys from plenty power to micro power, and how amazing SET amplification is 45 set 211 set 845 set otl, and usually, ....with the right speaker. I have yet to read of anyone who has gone the other direction from SET, to High watt beast class A amps or others.
If your speakers can be driven by minimal wattage, is this the most realistic, natural sound we can achieve? versus say, 86db sensitive speakers and a 1000w amp?
Is the end result solely based on speaker pairing? circuit? tubes?

I am in the process of changing my direction in my search for realistic sound, just because, and wondering if this really is the best direction to be going.
From what I have been reading I think it may be.

What do we get with SET? What do we give up?

What's you favorite color?
hanaleimike

Showing 2 responses by johnk

I use SET PP SS designs tried most everything. I enjoy good SS and SET amplifiers but for SET get the right loudspeakers or not so nice. With the right designed loudspeaker a SET can produce deep detailed bass much SPL with low distortion. But loudspeaker will not be small. Still most all systems have limits and a fullrange driver plus SET can be very enjoyable and still have fidelity, not all about colorations and distortions like many say but acurate and detailed as any SS based system. Still for SET best to have loudspeaker designed for power output of amp a 45 SET does not drive loudspeakers as well as hi-power SET;) And will need more care with loudspeaker matching, most 300b set can drive vintage designs and allows more options with loudspeaker choice. 45 SET can sound wonderful but not if loudspeakers not matched. One should always look at audio as a system and SET owners need even more thought to total system matching than most other amp designs.
Atmasphere you said {This power limitation is one reason why I don't use SETs. The bigger you make them, the less bandwidth and detail} Please explain if you would for this doesnt seem to make sence, maybe its just wordered wrong. Maybe Im not getting your point. But power rating in SET doesnt have anything at all to do with bandwidth its the SETs design. Mostly the transformers used. I have owned SETs with limited bandwidth but if of proper build this isnt a universal SET problem. Now if you dont have power your loudspeaker requires thats a system matching error and not the fault of the SET amp but of owners system choice.