2. amps-preamps
  3. 1129733242

SET for Orchestral , Big Band etc.

I've always heard how suited SET amps are for vocals, chamber music, jazz ensembles, etc. And, I listen to this type of music a lot. Which is why I've decided to move to this type of system. However, after reading those opinions, I'm inferring that people are implicitly saying that these amps would NOT do as well for large orchestral or big band jazz music which I also listen to a lot of. Currently, when I listen to a symphonic piece and there is a large crescendo punctuated with a tripple forte accent, I can feel it with a big umpf! It's chilling. Will I hever have that with a SET system? Will I need a small sub-woofer? I thought sub-woofers were not very musical and used largely in HT setups. My new speakers will be much smaller than my current ones due to my small room (approx 11x13). Thanx for your thoughts.
pawlowski6132

Showing 2 responses by larryi

larryi
4,290 posts
 
It's not that SETs, per se, can't handle large-scale orchestral music, it's more the case of people trying to couple inappropriate speakers to low-powered SETs. I have no problems with 8 watts of SET power (parallel 2a3s) on 99 db/w efficient speakers that are an easy load. I also get reasonable volume level with a pushpull 45 amp (about 3 watts). Both can do the closing minutes of Mahler's 8th at reasonably realistic levels.

By the way, I think choral music is a much harder test of output cabability for most amps than orchestral music. At surprisingly low subjective levels, choral music can start to sound strained and rough. Try Rachmaninov's Vespers, as an example of this phenomenon.
larryi
4,290 posts
 
I currently run my 99 db/w efficient speakers with a SET amp using parallel 2a3s. That is plenty enough power. While I like the sound of this amp very much, I also get pretty good results with pushpull triode amps as well. I know that there are a lot of people who will say that only a SET can deliver certain desirable qualities, but, since everything is a matter of finding acceptable compromises, if you don't have suitable speakers, if you prefer more control in the lower bass, etc., you should also look at good pushpull alternatives.

I have a 45-based pushpull amp that I keep as a backup (I may use it to bi-amp my system some day. It is not a shabby alternative to my SET amp.
More to discover