300B SET Amp driving Wilson Sabrinas

@vonhelmholtz or taking out the poster's bias.

I totally agree with you.

I have heard SET with Maggies, and it sounded OK. Bass control is bad on SET's and that is why they were just OK.

People, this is a hobby, it isn't life and death. 

I find listening to a good system between 65 and 80db is more than satisfying. The times I have needed higher volumes was when the sound quality was terrible. 

 If blasting your self silly makes you happy, go for it.

The surprise, not only did the Elekit drive the Sabrinas very well (improved clarity and tonality), but at the same volume with the same input level as the Modwright! Using a passive preamp, when I set the volume knob on the preamp to the same point for both the Modwright and the Elekit it results in essentially the same volume from the speakers.

@gareents There is more to this than just power. The reason the SET seems to keep up with the more powerful Modwright is due to the distortion it makes. As you push it harder, higher ordered harmonics show up (the amp lacks feedback so this is normal) which convince your ear that the sound is louder than it really is. A sound level pressure meter (which is available as an app for most phones) will reveal the truth of the matter.

Put another way, the mark of a good system is that it doesn't sound loud, even when it is. This is because it makes less of the artifacts that the ear uses to sense sound pressure, so sounds more relaxed.

@atmasphere - actually I did measure the dBA with a sound level app. The measurements between the two amps were essentially equal at the same volume setting. However, I also understand what you are saying because the SET amp "sounds" louder at the same setting. Interesting. Thanks.

I have a Korneff 45 SET w/EML Meshplates (3.5 w/ch) that are driving 40 year old Snell Type K bookshelf speakers. I’m amazed at how engaging the music is, although it’s by no means concert level SPL. The speakers are only rated at 90db efficiency and 6 ohm nominal impedance with frequency response of 70 - 20kHz. Of course I need a sub to fill in the low end, but this is the most fulfilling system I’ve had in 40 years of home audio. I have a pair of Coincident Invictus bookshelf speakers ordered. It will be interesting to see how they compare to the Snells.