IME with SETs, which are almost invariably high amplitude and order of distortion, the sound is just blurry and confused. I could plausibly see that microphonic tubes could add some fake dynamics, but what I’ve heard is the opposite, fake compression.
I keep telling people, if you want to hear what SETs do, your speakers have to be so efficient that the amp never makes more than about 20% of full power at clipping. This means for a 7 Watt (300b) amp that in most rooms the speakers need to be +103dB, preferably 8 to 16 Ohms (IOW, horns). Otherwise yes, they get quite confused. I already said they were the worst kind of amp around. But I understand the allure: the single power tube glowing, the circuit being really simple and so on. If I didn't have the parts around I wouldn't bother...
So beyond an impossible to reach ideal application, where and I guess can a SET amplifier be deployed and actually provide good sound reproduction?
What is meant by 'good'? I'm of the opinion that a properly designed PP amp will sound better (and measure better) in every way over an SET. And a properly designed class D can do even better...
When you don't have any other possible choice. Like you are on a shipwreck. A solar panel and speaker and SET are all that you have along with some music source on your deserted island. If a freighter sinks and an AVR washes ashore in a box, you have an instant upgrade.
I like mine.
With the low efficiency and high power requirements of gear these days and after all these years of experience with that type of gear it is easy to forget that one of the systems that was a major factor in getting myself into hi-fi gear was corner horns with a 30W/ch Hitachi Dyna Harmony amp and the amp was barely turned up and it was loud. Great sound I thought and then I found out that bigger power was required and speakers where not capable of what I experienced unless one had the big money for that efficient gear at the time.I like mine.
Yes, I'd concur that > 100 dB sensitivity is a must for serious listening -- not that enjoyable music cannot be reproduced by (yes, even) fleapower SET on less-sensitive loudspeakers.
I've been listening quite a bit lately to some of the latter, as I've noted elsewhere on this forum.
Fun is fun.
I like mine.
Yes, I'd concur that > 100 dB sensitivity is a must for serious listening -- not that enjoyable music cannot be reproduced by (yes, even) fleapower SET on less-sensitive loudspeakers.
I've been listening quite a bit lately to some of the latter, as I've noted elsewhere on this forum.
Fun is fun.
Imo less high frequency and less dynamics makes easier listening. You could probably replicate with a neutral monitor like the Genelec 8030, 8040 and some eq where you create a stronger slope down, with more bass and less treble.
At best, be a far less efficient version of a properly designed amp.
ahem.
), but it was meant to show tyros how simple an amplifier could be -- and still amplify music in a satisfying* way. 
www.audiosciencereview.com
archimago.blogspot.com
)
That's a... novel idea.
No, that's fine. It's the correlation with the amp's power that's questionable.
@atmasphere have you downloaded these yet?
