SET amps ?


Hi all, I have been a budget system builder since the mid 70's.I still have my first system ( Marantz 1060/Pioneer PL 12D ,JBL l36.I stopped in the mid 80"s for kids.I have Adcoms,NADs several Marantz's you know the deal.Anyway I picked up a pair of Tekton 4.1's and have them powered by an NAD 314.The question is , is now the time to try a SET tube amp ? I have been looking at several in the $750.00 to $1500.00 range. I do have a nice small listening room for the 4.1's . The Dared MP 2A3c looks interesting at the price.Any feed back would be helpful.How long do the tubes tend to last ? Thanks...
jazzman463

Showing 3 responses by bombaywalla

The question is , is now the time to try a SET tube amp ?
hold on Charles1dad: according to me, the OP is confused & does not really know what he wants to do. So, he's asking the forum for some guidance. I take that to mean that ALL options are open - continue with solid-state, move to P-P tubes, move to SET amps, move to OTL amps, move to hybrid amps & even move to "digital" amps like the new NAD digital 30W/ch & 50W/ch amps. I don't interpret his statement to mean that he WANTS to move to SET amps.

I'd like the OP to take a step back & find out what he/OP is really looking for. Being a budget system builder since the 1970s means that he's had a lot of budget sonics experience (do not take this to be a derogatory comment as there are plenty of good budget components - from the likes of NAD itself - that can deliver a very satisfying music experience. Nothing wrong with being a budget system builder). So, my question is: what's missing from the OP's sonic experience? Have you heard your various friends' systems? If yes, what do you like most & least of those friends's systems? Have you heard systems at audio shows, at audio dealers? What did you like the most & least of those systems? I.E. what new sonic experience are you looking for?
Just 'coz you have high efficiency Tekton 4.1 Fostex driver speakers does not mean that it's time to move to SET amps.
Do the Tektons play ALL (& I mean ALL) of your music to your satisfaction? Or, are these single-driver speakers good for certain types of music genres?
You could get a SET amp for these speakers & then try to play AC-DC. Will the total system deliver? (I think not from my personal experience of listening to Cain & Cain Abbey & Carolina Audio single-driver speakers with various ASL amps but my experience is limited & there could be several single-driver aficionados that would say otherwise).
So, look at what you are trying to achieve & what kind of music genre(s) kind of person you are & then try to see what is the right path for you.
Trying a SET might leave you jaded & you might be one more victim who'll drop out of audio (there's a long-running thread that seems to go like "why don't more people love audio?")....
Anyway, FWIW. IMO.
11-22-13: Mt10425
Bombay-as an owner/user of the C&C Abbys, mated with a sub and driven by an EL-34 based p/p amp, I can listen to AC/DC at volumes just short of 'I can't hear the person sitting next to me'.
I'm sure that I believe you.
I was merely asking if the entire system using a SET (not P/P as you are) would deliver for the OP. Something he needs to find out for himself.....
I agree that Jazzman463 has left the building!! ;-)
But it is clear now from the discussion that Charles1dad, Tubegroover & Larryi have been having that with Jazzman463 having only $750-1500 available that he should not bother looking into SETs. The quality in the power supply & the transformers is simply not going to be there to deliver the goods. Better options might be Atma-sphere 30W/ch or a P-P like the RM10. thanks.