@charles1dad I'm good with that- that's how I would describe it too. You expect an SET to sound fuller as it has more 2nd harmonic distortion where the MA-1 really does not have much at all. I think that if you had a sound pressure level meter in the room, you would have found that although you were careful to match the volume of both amps by ear, that in reality the MA-1 was actually playing at a higher level.
The leaner sound our amps often have is simply that they make less distortion (most of it being the 3rd harmonic, at about or slightly less than an SET will make at the same percentage of power level with respect to full output).
When designing any kind of amp its all about the distortion it makes as to how it will be regarded. For example solid state amps have a lot less distortion but what they do have tends to be higher ordered harmonics which the ear translates as 'bright' and 'hard'; for a solid state designer its the 7th harmonic that is the one to be avoided if possible. I figure those are the drop dead harmonics to avoid if you plan to play the system for hours and hours on end. That way you won't get fatigued.
The leaner sound our amps often have is simply that they make less distortion (most of it being the 3rd harmonic, at about or slightly less than an SET will make at the same percentage of power level with respect to full output).
When designing any kind of amp its all about the distortion it makes as to how it will be regarded. For example solid state amps have a lot less distortion but what they do have tends to be higher ordered harmonics which the ear translates as 'bright' and 'hard'; for a solid state designer its the 7th harmonic that is the one to be avoided if possible. I figure those are the drop dead harmonics to avoid if you plan to play the system for hours and hours on end. That way you won't get fatigued.