SET the best?


Is SET amplification where we should all end up? I keep reading posts where people tell of their journeys from plenty power to micro power, and how amazing SET amplification is 45 set 211 set 845 set otl, and usually, ....with the right speaker. I have yet to read of anyone who has gone the other direction from SET, to High watt beast class A amps or others.
If your speakers can be driven by minimal wattage, is this the most realistic, natural sound we can achieve? versus say, 86db sensitive speakers and a 1000w amp?
Is the end result solely based on speaker pairing? circuit? tubes?

I am in the process of changing my direction in my search for realistic sound, just because, and wondering if this really is the best direction to be going.
From what I have been reading I think it may be.

What do we get with SET? What do we give up?

What's you favorite color?
hanaleimike
I prefer Pure Class A SS amps over tube amps, including SET, after a long and varied tube amp journey.

+1 (a hundred times over).
The only people i know who let down long term SET went CH Precision solid state class AB and never looked back.
IMHO,
SET are most transparent, best in texture and tone, most organic and musical.
They need sensitive speakers. But in any case, the sensitive speakers are MUST for any good, musical system.
SET sound quality depends a lot from parts quality: tubes, transformers, capacitors, resistors,... So a good SET can’t be cheap to built.
SET are best for acoustic music: classical, jazz, vocals.
If you listen electronic music, POP, rock - there are better options than SET amps.
I will never go back to transistor amplifiers and low/mid sensitivity speakers.
Regards,
Alex.