Per bass issues with SET. Over decades of using both pp and SET I've found bass performance to be highly variable. I've probably had more issues with overly resonant, one note bass with pp vs set. What I've discovered over the long term is speaker and amp has to be a sympathetic match, the right tool for the job. One needs both high efficient and impedance friendly speakers for SET, also need amp with quality power supply, meaning some reserve capacity, finally quality transformers. 845 SET can drive some speakers not often associated with SET, power supplies with these quite substantial, around 900V plate voltage with these. With the right speakers a nice 300B amp running top tier 300B tube like the new Western Electric is sublime, never heard any pp that can replicate harmonic structure of these.
Would You Rather Own A Good SET Amp, Or A Great Push Pull Amp?
Throwing this out there because I would appreciate the viewpoints of the many knowledgeable, and experienced audio people here. I'm really torn about a decision I am considering in this regard. And no, sorry, I cannot name the amps involved. I could lose one or both options if I publicized them here. And honestly, only the tiniest fraction of forum members would ever have listened to even one of these options.
The speakers they would be used with can equally accommodate either of these choices per the designer/manufacturer, who I ran it by.
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
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On one hand I'm surprised by lack of support for SET here, on the other, not. The speaker is a critical part of the equation, flea power SET's, 300B and down really only fit for horns, single drivers, perhaps dual driver with minimalist crossovers, 845 and some other relatively high power transmitter tubes can run some speakers in 95db efficiency realm but I doubt many have owned these amps. PP have the ability to run large number of speakers SET really not fit for, so easy to understand the preference. |
I've heard for extended periods PP Amp's and Set Amp's as well as OTL Amp's. Some from Brands that have managed to aquire exposure around the Globe, some not so well recognised as a name. Some as a build using a Kit Design as the fundamental. Some being quite heavily modified in relation to their basic design. Some from a recent production period and others extending back to being undeniably a die for Vintage Model I'm still left with the million dollar question, being, " what makes a great amp and what makes a good amp? " Is there such a choice available?
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@sns A typical 845 SET makes about 20 Watts at full power, which will be about 10% distortion. By contrast a Dynaco ST35 can make 17 Watts with about 1% distortion. At any power level, the Dynaco will outperform the 845 not just in terms of distortion by also bandwidth- it will go lower and go higher. I get that the raw THD does not tell the whole story. So then it comes down to that seductive bit. I've found that distortion obscures detail, and having run an LP mastering operation as well as a recording studio, I have a number of LPs that I know exactly how they are to sound. That's the sticky bit; since I know how they are supposed to sound I've yet to find any SET at any price (including 845 based amps) that can do as well as a PP amp of only 15-20 Watts (usually EL84 based, FWIW). That is, if being faithful to the actual recording/signal is important while being able to present it in a relaxed way with authority that allows one to listen all day (or night).
@pindac Yes, there is. |
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