edwinr Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 During a very recent conversation with the legendary Parrot, I admit emailing him with this somewhat frank impression of my listening experience with a pair of SET monoblocs. >> I recently spent some time listening to some low powered SET. >> Interesting experience. SET offers a unique and somewhat tiny window >> into which music is compressed and then squirted out into the >> listeners ears. It's quite attractive at the relatively low loudness >> levels SET is capable of. It's like listening to AM radio. It amazes >> me that those that listen exclusively to these amplifiers, don't >> recognise this. One SET amplifier I listened to, in fact two Audio >> Note monster mono blocs, were amazing. Amazing that so much amplifier >> made so little sound! I wouldn't attempt to drive a Klipschorn with >> these. You would need a single driver horn design like a Lowther or >> perhaps a Loth-x to do justice to your music. My apologies in advance for offending those that may be offended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 ---------------- On 4/29/2005 4:36:24 AM edwinr wrote: During a very recent conversation with the legendary Parrot, I admit emailing him with this somewhat frank impression of my listening experience with a pair of SET monoblocs. >> I recently spent some time listening to some low powered SET. >> Interesting experience. SET offers a unique and somewhat tiny window >> into which music is compressed and then squirted out into the >> listeners ears. It's quite attractive at the relatively low loudness >> levels SET is capable of. It's like listening to AM radio. It amazes >> me that those that listen exclusively to these amplifiers, don't >> recognise this. One SET amplifier I listened to, in fact two Audio >> Note monster mono blocs, were amazing. Amazing that so much amplifier >> made so little sound! I wouldn't attempt to drive a Klipschorn with >> these. You would need a single driver horn design like a Lowther or >> perhaps a Loth-x to do justice to your music. My apologies in advance for offending those that may be offended. ---------------- Hi Edwin: It is unfortunate that on an open Forum with each noting opinion(s) that an apology is felt necessary. There is ample room for SET, PP, Tri-Path to make an obeservation without feeling the need to change other people's tastes or type of unit that they own. This is the only area that I see as being a point that PC does make any sense. Thank you for sharing without attempting a converting. But then, you understand the differences in taste and taking people's feelings into account. Win dodger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coda Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 you cannot know what you cannot feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverSport Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 ah, but I prefer a person who gives his REAL opinion on something...it lets you know where they stand...isn't THAT an uncommon concept....Stand for something! I am so tired of people saying something in order to appear invisible and not rock the boat (it apparently isn't a problem for those here however... ) As I have found edwinr an honorable gent, I say carry on sir and thanks for your opinion...I like SS but am not against tubes so... Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott0527 Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 What SET's are you listening too Edwin? I haven't exactly been bowled over by my first SET experience yet(only been about a week), but I'm going to give them a couple of months before making any final judgements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 Nevermind. I don't know why I posted in this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 You cannot know what you cannot hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 ---------------- On 4/29/2005 8:25:07 AM silversport wrote: ah, but I prefer a person who gives his REAL opinion on something...it lets you know where they stand...isn't THAT an uncommon concept....Stand for something! I am so tired of people saying something in order to appear invisible and not rock the boat (it apparently isn't a problem for those here however... ) As I have found edwinr an honorable gent, I say carry on sir and thanks for your opinion...I like SS but am not against tubes so... Bill ---------------- Oh, I like my McIntosh Tube, SS, NAD, Technics Class A. I'm just a believer of you pay for it, I have no right to tell you what to do - no attack dog mentality. I also guess that what makes a person happy is what is meant for them.. Not a cram down your throat or if I have not seen it there's no way it could have happened. No disagreements in our thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hardy Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 As the ol' Romans used ta say: "de gustibus non est disputandum" So it is. We use PP and SE amps at Casa Hardy all the time; even sometimes solid state amps. Different sources, different speakers. Fun to change around and not difference in tone and in texture. Couldn't imagine being locked into one format. I will say that I tend to return, sooner or later, to the SE 2A3 Bottlehead Paramours and my 1974 Cornwalls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 thanks edwin for your observations. I have made similar decision regarding SET for my system but my reasons were slightly different. I actually LOVED the sound coming from SETs auditioned in my system, I did not find them squeezed or compressed or limited in any way, as a matter of fact they sounded VERY transparent, open and lively as long as they were not pushed, volume-wise...my only regret was that they could not sustain the volumes I sometimes like to listen to in my rather large room without compressing and squeezing. I think they sounded superior to any other amp I have had in the system as long as the volume was kept low enough. ANYWAY I found my answer I use DHT in a PP configuration and get 75-80% of what I liked about the SET sound with sufficient wattage to rock out when I wish. the reallly wierd thing is that my two number two choices in my system would be a good 2A3 SET and/or a Krell FBP200, both gave me unbelievable sound from my system, in my room, with my music, etc. more different amps there cannot be, but both produced among the best music I have heard in my system. as always this is not a right or worng thing, the RIGHT thing is to pick components that sound best to you in your room, the wrong thing is to lick a component based on dogma, etc. best regards, tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 I'm offended and I want to riot : ) Doesn't really seem like a debate though but rather an expression of opinion. I would no sooner try to convince you of what my SET sounds like anymore than I would try to tell a women what to do as both excercises in futility. This is where I break out into song..... Now, the world don't move to the beat of just one drum, What might be right for you, may not be right for some. A man is born, he's a man of means. Then along come two, they got nothing but their jeans. But they got, Diff'rent Strokes. It takes, Diff'rent Strokes. It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world. Everybody's got a special kind of story Everybody finds a way to shine, It don't matter that you got not alot So what, They'll have theirs, and you'll have yours, and I'll have mine. And together we'll be fine.... Because it takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world. Yes it does. It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world. LOL couldn't resist : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 I too love the sound of 2A3 tubes with Khorns (and a deep subwoofer), but my second choice might be a massive solid-state Pass X250 (at $4k) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 So long sad times Go long bad times We are rid of you at last Howdy gay times Cloudy gray times You are now a thing of the past Happy days are here again The skies above are clear again So let's sing a song of cheer again Happy days are here again Altogether shout it now There's no one Who can doubt it now So let's tell the world about it now Happy days are here again Your cares and troubles are gone There'll be no more from now on From now on ... Happy days are here again The skies above are clear again So, Let's sing a song of cheer again Happy times Happy nights Happy days Are here again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbflash Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 How many times are we going to beat this to death? Don't like SET, don't buy it. Like SET, buy it. How hard is that? Why didn't you mention speaker wire and IC's and really get the flames going. Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 People that like an SET like it, that's that. Myself, I've heard good SETS and some bad SETS, I mean very bad. I really don't hold with this being into a single kind of amp---tube, SET, SS or whatever, as I've heard all types sound both good and bad. Better to take amps on an individual basis rather than dogmatically. I have 3 hi-fis going, one powered by PP tubes, one by a Tri-Path and one by a conventional SS receiver. All work well and sound good. And I hear far more difference between the speakers used than the amps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 ---------------- On 4/29/2005 11:41:43 AM dbflash wrote: How many times are we going to beat this to death? Don't like SET, don't buy it. Like SET, buy it. How hard is that? Why didn't you mention speaker wire and IC's and really get the flames going. Danny ---------------- Apologies were already extended for Posting an observation noted in an email. Knowing EdwinR, this was not to start a debate, argument, disagreement, irritation, flame, debate over technology, etc.. It was a simple thought put into a Post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 and a nice way to explain ones perspective and tastes others. I am glad the edwin posted his opinions, as did others here. it is what the board is all about, learning from others. tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbflash Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 My comments were not towards EdwinR, Paul or anyone else. I enjoy the posts that they bring to the BB. I was just saying do a search on SET and you can read the same thing over and over again. Nothing new was added. I guess its me. I think I might have been here too long. I think it maybe time to look at different BB and get burned out on them. Again I was not slamming the poster I was just looking ahead to where this post will be going and it gets old. Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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