A 9 watts beats Passlabs, EAR and YBA ?


Over the weekend, I have listened extensively to the following four different amplifiers and I have decided once and for all that the SET 300B, no negative feedback is the way to go.
The four amplifiers are as follows:
Passlabs X150: very neutral, powerful yet the sound almost very sterile.
EAR 834: very musical, tube mid-range yet sound the least like live music.
YBA 2 High current, Double Transformers: very musical, soft and sound very enjoyable; yet again not like live music.
Audio Note kit one: This is a killer and provided the music is limited to vocals and chamber music. Very good mid-range with good attack and the best like live music; but not very much bass.
However, this listening session made me to want more bass with the SET.
Thinking about the Cary 805, deHavilland or Atma-sphere ?
Any comment ?
Please advice
robertwolfee

Showing 1 response by undertow

Audio Mirror amps.. Just unreal bass, like subwoofers with no needed equalization! Very sweet and natural as well, my 20 watt amps just destroyed the last threshold and Odyssey mono blocks I had.. But then again the more efficient the woofer the better off you are. I auditioned some atma-sphere Mono blocks, pretty good too, but with like 15 tubes per mono way to excessive in my mind, re-tubing is a nightmare, and they use the same tubes as the audio mirrors, but the audio mirrors only need 2 power tubes each, both models the 20 or the 40 watt. Pure SET class A and the best I have heard yet honestly.

I normally don't comment on these amps as they are very rare to see, most don't know about them, and just don't need to get into a debate.. Oh and I had the carys as well, but too soft without as good of a drive for my taste. The others I have never heard.