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

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. 

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

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Well your post raises up a thought,,,what if this magic ofSETs is the experience that classical composers, jazz quartets intend their music be heard. That is to say, what if the SET opens up this Jimi Hendrex *Are You xperienced* emotive sound field , which remains locked in a stereo system that either has the key of magic, or regretfully does not hav the secret of the code word... Webern’s chamber was quite nice on the Defy/FR, Smooth, clean, nice. But along comes a SET (with a proper solder on a filter cap, which was my 1st listen, and was not wowed, repairs made, SET came to life) and WEbern’s chamber was simply psyche-delic. The music has no source, the speakers, the entire system disappeared, and you are left with your consciousness being mind blown and the musical sound field. SETs are like LSD, you cant describe the exp, either you are initiated or you are outside the initiates.

@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!