2. amps-preamps
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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
alexberger
869 posts
 

Hi @ron1264 ,

I'm not an expertise in Class D amplifiers.

But all of them digital and PWM are very different from SET.

For example, most of SET fans use high sensitive speakers like: horns or full range drivers. And they like these speakers not just because they don't need huge power amplifier - but because dynamics, texture, transparency advantage over mainstream low sensitive speakers.

I can't imagine any benefits from class D for high sensitivity speaker. 

About analogue chips for audio. Any small production parts "for audio" will cost crazy expensive. Look, for example , at prices for AN Kaisei electrolytic capacitors precising vs regular electrolytic capacitors.

mozartfan
2,143 posts
 

amplifier - but because dynamics, texture, transparency advantage over mainstream low sensitive speakers. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yep Box xover types had their day in the sunshine, Clouds are forming, Ck out the xover box used speaker listings,, likea grave yard,, where in 2 yrs you will see lots on unsold Zu and Tektons just sitting, day after day, week ,,month.... sad, thats suffering. My FMS aint going no where, A 2A3 dual tube amp is on the way. My Dual FMS is going to get a nice match. $550+$350 35 lb speaker.

~~~Wife Friendly~~ as a  huge bonus. 

ron1264
135 posts
 

@alexberger 

Fair enough

mozartfan
2,143 posts
 

SET amplification is ~~Esoterica~~ Only for a  select few. 

sns
3,003 posts
 

A couple years ago considering class D for summer amp replacement for my 845 space heater. Did much research looking for any and all comparisons to SET. While some were positive about class D, the ones that caught my attention were those with high efficiency speakers. The one commonality I observed in those cases claimed there was some loss of texture with the class D. Now, I'm not sure if they're talking about timbre or micro dynamics, perhaps some combo of both, but either way, I find this is special quality of SET and my horns. I don't hear my tubes as tubes, rather I hear them as what the Brits call them, valves. These valves breathe as flesh and blood beings. no SS device can match this special ability.

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