Someone mentioned presence earlier in thread. I started off many years ago with ss, then class A ss, next push pull tube, finally SET tube. My first SET was 845, smitten with sense of presence, could also be called immediacy, right from the beginning. SET brings performers into room like no other topology. Add horns to the mix and this sense further heightened.
Also, modern sounding SET amps don't roll off highs and have round, fat tubby bass. My present system is rather neutral flavored, can even veer off into analytical territory at times. One can flavor SET as well, I've had 2a3, now have custom built 300B monoblocks, Coincident Turbo 845, Art Audio Carissa Sig. 845 and Prima Luna Dialogue Four with diy mods, push pull amp. Each of the SET has it's particular sound, all bring sense of live performers in room. And I play every genre of music, some may think EDM (electronic dance music) couldn't possibly sound good with SET, quite the opposite. As for large scale classical, I would say I've heard greater sense of scale with wonderful high powered ss. Still, my SET pretty nice with this music. Rock, jazz, folk, etc. , all smaller scaled more intimate music, they all work with my setup, my playlists all over the place when I'm streaming music.
I will never leave SET, live performers in room, ability to change flavors, micro dynamics just amazing, sufficient macro dynamics with correct speakers, transparency that just amazes. Whats not to like!
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I'm willing to entertain the thought class D amps could replicate SET sound qualities at some point. Based on comparison reviews I've seen, not there yet. I admit the AGD amps had me intrigued. Class D would have the advantage of cooler running and not suffering tube wear.
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Can't put in one basket. 845 300B, 2a3, and then added variable of loudspeaker. Find the right combo, experience live performers in room every listening session.
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@mozartfan Well, I did use LSD back in the day, quite likely Owsley's creation, also did shrooms more frequently. Exclusive use of SET's these days, both 845 and 300B, I do still listen to psychedelic music periodically, add flashbacks, that makes three out of three. Man, I must still be tripping with the bliss I get from present setup!
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Try adding DHT preamp, my Coincident Statement MkII uses 10D tube, have Psvane WE, Linlai Elite mesh and solid plates to choose from. My 300B monoblocks aren't soft at either freq. extremes, each has power supply equal to what you generally see in stereo 300B, silver litz internal wire, hand wound transformers, Texas Component TX2575 nude vishay resistors, Miflex caps, using Psvane Acme 300B. My 300B very similar to my 845 in both not the old fashioned tube sound. I've had a variety of SET over the years, all in modern sound vein. Did the romantic route years ago, limited my enjoyment for all genre of music. With 845 I've done as low as 90db sensitivity speakers, no steep slope impedance issues.
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larry is correct in that output/power tubes critical for SET. The difference between Shuguang Black Treasure and Psvane Acme 300B is like night and day. Shuguang like $250 pair, Psvane $900-$1k pair. The Elrog, WE, Linlai Elite, EML, Takatsuki will all be $1-$1.7K pair.
I'd never purchase budget 845, we're talking 900 volts, some major hurt if these things malfunction.
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There can be tradeoffs with SET. With 845 I can run speakers as low as 90db sensitivity, gives me lots of choices. With my extreme modded Klipschorns, 845 and 300B give different but both entirely satisfying presentations. Previously ran 2a3, limited speaker choices. I've been contemplating 2a3 or 45 for Klipschorns (104db) but have seen a few negative comments for the pairing. Klipshcorns do have a decently severe impedance curve in lower mids.
Anyway, 845 most exciting SET I've owned, 300B sweethearts, 2A3 inner luminescence. Topologies matter, implementation matters, partnering speaker matters, get it right, wonderful, wrong, less than wonderful.
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As with all amps, power supplies are critical to best performance. My custom built 300B monoblocks each use power supply one generally sees in stereo amp. Larger, better ps equals more filtering-resolving powers, reserves of power-transient, micro and macro dynamics. Add in some silver internal wiring, hand output transformers, no soft romantic old fashioned 300B sound. Actually nearly the equal of my 845 in most of impact related sound qualities. Hard to believe when you compare 845, 300B power supplies. 300B power supply looks silly small in comparison to either of my 845's. Again, power tubes make large difference in SET, some romantic or old fashion sound, others modern sound, more linear.
I agree, SET will never be objectively best topology, just as any topology isn't. Each person has their own values as to what sounds best. Certainly, speaker choice is more limited vs higher power amps, although continually seeing introduction of more high efficiency speakers over time.
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A couple years ago considering class D for summer amp replacement for my 845 space heater. Did much research looking for any and all comparisons to SET. While some were positive about class D, the ones that caught my attention were those with high efficiency speakers. The one commonality I observed in those cases claimed there was some loss of texture with the class D. Now, I'm not sure if they're talking about timbre or micro dynamics, perhaps some combo of both, but either way, I find this is special quality of SET and my horns. I don't hear my tubes as tubes, rather I hear them as what the Brits call them, valves. These valves breathe as flesh and blood beings. no SS device can match this special ability.
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Compared to other SET and PP tubes, 845 always exciting, fast, immediate, impactful. Can also be refined or relentless, synergy important for last two. I prefer 845 driven by 300B, allows max refinement.
Speakers for SET, usual suspects, Klipsch Heritage, Devore, Omega, I've used Alon (now Nola), also used Merlin VSM-MM, Spatial Audio, Zu, always been curious about Pure Audio Project, Coincident, Audio Note, some claim Tekton, Charney, Coherent, Reference 3a, Avantgarde, of course I'm missing some.
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To say 845 sounds similar to 300b or any other SET is nonsense. 845 plate voltage nearly 1000V vs 350v with 300B means everything. Power supply 845 massive, 300b baby in comparison. Certainly, transformers extremely important, but these two tubes and amps very different animals. Both 845 amps I've been running for many years sound similar and unlike my 300B or 2a3 I ran some years ago. 845 tube has unique requirements, results is unique sound qualities.
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845 not for you, heat, weight, and reliability factors in as well. Heat is enemy of reliability, these things run hot, hot, hot, they have no soft start circuit so wear out tubes more quickly. I wouldn't trust just anyone with nearly 1000v running through these things, not sure I'd trust these rather unknown Chinese 845. Line Magnetic is one of better ones, although I've seen propensity to burn out certain boutique power tubes, which tells me they run them hard.
This is issue I see today with SET in general, some of these guys run higher plate voltage then output tubes can handle, too many instances of premature tube failure. People too often blaming tube manufacturers. Prior to purchasing any SET, I'd research this aspect of that particular amp, know what your in for.
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