Best SET power amp below $5,000
Curious to get the benefit of the knowledge in this forum.
I currently have a low power SET amp, paired with 94db loudspeakers. Sounds great, but tbh, I bought it 20 years ago, and even then, my process was not particularly thoughtful.
Not trying to start an argument about push-pull vs SET. Though I am not an electrician or sound engineer, my instinct is that a simpler circuit is better. At this point, I am just interested in what folks here think are the best options for SET amps—in the $5,000 price range. I am also open to the feedback that the price range is too limiting.
I am open to new or used and given the many years that vacuum tubes have been used for this purpose, curious if there is any technology advantage in newer products, holding their condition constant (ie comparing a 1950s era SET amp to a 2022 design, both in mint condition).
Like @larryi , there are very nice, if properly designed, push pull amps out there. I'm using decware, which you have to buy on the secondary market if you don't want an 18 month wait. I had an SE34I.5 which was excellent SET. I upgraded to their ZMA, a push pull amp that is hard to distinguish sonicly from an SET. Very happy with it. While it can provide more power, the magic still happens in the first watt. Stay away from the mass produced push pull amps. |
Low power SET amps are among the oldest circuit designs, with little new ground broken other than new cases, perhaps better choices of parts and sometimes less ideal tubes used as more common ideal tubes have their good old stocks used up be expensive to supply. So I certainly wouldn’t think aboit newer versus older too much, focus more on the quality of the company or person making the amp. Older amps can have some caps get old and need some servicing to play music well. |
There really has been no new development in SET design or components in the past 20 years, so, if you are thinking that a new model will embody better technology, that is NOT the case. If you factor in inflation, you might in fact be moving in the wrong direction. SET amps are very simple in design, but, that does not mean they are cheaper to build because they put very heavy demand on the build of the output transformer. That is the most expensive part of any amp, and with SET amps, the transformer must be of special design, quite large, and well built. This means that a good SET amp is not cheap. I've heard the PX25 and it is a pretty good amp. I doubt that you can do better at anything near $5,000. If you are willing to at good pushpull amps at an expanded price range, you might find something worth investing in, but, you need to find dealers who will lend you gear to try at home to really know what will work for you. In moving above the PX25 level, you need that kind of service or you need to be willing to gamble. |
