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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
mozartfan
2,143 posts
 

This OP is all about one Q

SHF (wont be long before my new tag phrase catches on,,watch Stereophile begin to employ SHF in their reviews..)

SET + ?which speaker?

SET amplification is SHF vs PP amplification = HF.

SETs are **set** apart from the pack of PP amps

Its a whole nother amplification. Another level, another league of soundstage.

caveat,

light jazz/blues , classical chamber /solo piano/violin. Lets keep this in the discussion please.

 

 

mozartfan
2,143 posts
 

Its a  well known fact by now music via  SET amplification is simply magical,,if not mystical.

w/o a  magical speaker,,  just what do you have?

1/2 the magic. = not practical.

Speaker selection with SET is more critcal than any other type amplification 

 

PP amps, whatever speaker you chose is just fine.

Not so with SET. 

Never ever buy a  SET BEFORE you buy the speakers 

Horse before the cart. 

mozartfan
2,143 posts
 

SET Esoterica

Perhaps even ~A Secret Society~

Or even ~~A Mystery Religion~~

noske
783 posts
 

On the other hand when all things are well-matched music just flows and nothing can stop it. 

Indeed, unique and profound words from a review.  I also note the psychedelic characteristics of another.  Throw in some magic and mysticism for some spice, and all is well in the world. 

mozartfan
2,143 posts
 
atmasphere's avatar atmasphere9,960 posts 11-11-2009 10:22pm IMO if there is a subsonic rolloff, you hear it as a diminution of bass impact ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ having not read your further posts, will do so today,, well yes SETs are often taged as roll off at both ends of bandwidtyh I GET THAT But again, as Ive reiterated so often on this board,,how much music are we talking about below 40 hz and above ,,say 10k hz..? maybe 1% Working right now on dual FR, trying to get a tad more bass slam out of a UX250 SET/Colbalt out trans. Runninga single W8 right now and not missing any bass in jazz ensembles. But when we come to classical orch/kettle drums, micing is too far away to get good slam, so addinag 2nd FR might open up a richer bass respose. So the old rumor that SETs roll off lows/highs,, has to be properly explianed. Besides the reason we love SET is for the rich, life like complete midrange Its in this mid band width that PP amps just are not able to match in the same magical nuances. PP are magical amplifiers, BUt SETs are another level of sublimity
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