SE 845 Triode versus KT88 Triode-Connected?

I have two 845 SET, been using 845 SET for years, previously used with Merlin VSM-MM which has similar efficiency, impedance as your speaker, wonderful pairing. I also presently have push pull amp and previously owned a number of other push pull over many years. I'd go with SET, nothing sounds like SET. If you like presence, immediacy, sense of live performers in room, SET way to go.

Push pulls while nice, won't replicate this sound quality. The KT family of tubes will also be somewhat more analytical than EL 34, my favorite tube for push pulls. But then EL34 may have too rounded bass and rolled off highs. These specific tube family sound qualities extremely dependent of associated equipment, these are generalities. Also, push pull with triode mode nice.

People say that once you have tried tubes, there is no going back to solid state. I would like to add that if you love music (not Hi-Fi), once you have tried triode single-ended amps, there's no going back to push-pull amps.


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Well  I just googled 
845 SET amps vs kt88 amplifiers,,and 1st link was here to Audiogon..
 Not many posts on this topic,,
But I'd say its going to get busu around here, as more  PP fans begin to rethink their PP amp set ups , with the new high tech WBers.


I have a  friends 250 tube amp that he built with  Cobalt out put trans, says they are 6 watts, but have power like my  Defy.

The sound actually is very close.
Not sure if the 845 is going to be any  major dif in resolution over this 260 SET amp.
His EL34 amp, sounds very close to the Defy, as does the his modded Dynaco ST70 and Allen Organ 90 amps, with KT120;s
I've come to the ~~general~~ opinion a  PP amp = a  PP amp..
Stated this belief around here quite often past few weeks.
Now I am going to really go ~~Philistineian ~~here and say,, 
a  tube amp = a  tube amp 
when paired with a  higher sensitivity horn/WBer speaker system.
Yep you heard me right. 
This is unorthodox, down right blasphemy and pure heresy.
No I have not actually heard a  845.
But its my hunch all tube amps sound pretty much alike ina  very general way, when pair with high sens, high tech horns/WBers.
This belief is based on the fact that speakers make up 90% of how our system voices music.
OK OK I'll recant a  bit,,85%.
There that should keep the stones  falling on my head...
I'm giving up 5% just to keep the peace. 
My plans  is to adda  cheap 845 amp and make some tests.

My hunch is , the nuances in the 845 is going to trump the DefyKT88 and thus the Defy will sit around collecting dust. 
I said similar, but enough nuances via the high sens WBer to justify putting the Defy as backup amp. 
The Defy has too much current for the WBer's as far as linestage vol pot.Joping the 845 will not be as strong in power and thus grating a bit more freedom in the vol  gain on the DPL linestage.
I listen low vol, near field, small room.
The Defy at 8L30 on vol gain, is  at the limit, say 75dn SPL.
Over 75(guessing) is  more that enough SPL.
But  my hope is the 845's 22 watts is exaggerated ad is more laid back in power....we will see...
I do not expect major  sound difs between,  the PP and SET voicing...
Nuances that will tip the scale in favor of the 845.

IMHO SET will be the #1 selling NEW amps in 10 years.
Finish, like to say, SETs do have SLAM,, They offer enough power to drive just about any speaker...
Lets clear this up.
SETs are NOT at all wimpy.
Some 300B's maybe, but not the big SET tubes, 845, 805, 250, 211 and others.

More random thoughts/reflections....

SETs will become the most popular amplification. 
Q  Why?
WBers will become most popular speaker. SETs + WBers. 
winning team
10 years.
As the poet wrote,,
 these times
they are
a  chnagin

I would add OTLs for consideration, assuming a highish and flat input impedance. With the right speakers, I have preferred it to SET or PP/Triode. Having said that, I think any topology can work really well in the hands of the right designer and matched to the right speakers.

I too love my 845 SET, as Casouza says, music, not hifi. SET's have that liquid see through character you do'nt seem to get anywhere else. The nearset I found in solid state was my Pass Aleph 3. The other advantage with the 845 is power. You can get real world power to drive efficient, but conventional cone drivers, I have never been a horn fan.
My Viva Solista puts out 22watts, but that belies it's true power in terms of current delivery.

Casouza, hi thank you so much on sharing your experience with different types of amps. I will check with the local tube amps manufacturer here in our country (www.amxtubeaudio.com) coz they have several models of ready made SET amps (845, 211, 6C33 ...etc) and likewise customize series.

Thank you once again :)

Regards,

Solp_online, I happen to own a pair of 20 W 845 triode monoblocks and a pair of 16W paralell single-ended KT88 amps, both made by Hyperion Sound Design.
I have also owned several push-pull triode, ultralinear and tetrode KT88 amps, by Quad, McIntosh and ARC, from 15W per channel to 90 W/ch.

My speaker's impedance is 8 ohms and their efficiency is 90 db/Watt. I can listen at loud levels with the 845 amplifier, though occasionaly, on very demanding music, I hear slight distortion.
Anyway,the Hyperion 845 amp is by far my preferred amplifier, it has magic, presence and emotion in spades, besides a very warm (lifelike, not Hi-FI), powerful and liquid sound.

IME, no push-pull amplifier I owned had such magic midrange and treble "air" nor presented the human voice so life-like, though push-pull amps have more power and tighter bass.

If your room is very large and you listen at high levels, go for the PP amps.

If your room is mid-size and you do not play at extremely loud levels, I believe you will be in heaven with a well-executed 845 amplifier.

People say that once you have tried tubes, there is no going back to solid state. I would like to add that if you love music (not Hi-Fi), once you have tried triode single-ended amps, there's no going back to push-pull amps.
Good luck on your search

Hi,

Thank you for the info. So it will really depends on the circuit design and especially the output trannies used.

So a well-designed tetrode-triode-connected amp can sound good as the real triode amp.

Thank you once again.

Any tube amp's sound depends on a plethora of factors like transformer quality, capacitor construction(polypropylene/polystyrene/Teflon/tin, aluminum or silver foil/ paper in oil/etc), resistors used, power supply topography and quality, point to point wiring or PC board, what driver and output tubes are chosen, and what the rest of the system/room sounds like for instance. Either tube CAN give you the sound you're seeking, but one cannot guarantee that either WILL.