want to try a SET but where to start, I have......

Italy71,
It occured to me that the link to the second and third SET articles at 6moons that I made reference to isn't within the first article so here they are:

http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/set/set_2.html

http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/set/set_3.html

I think you'll find articles 2 & 3 more meaningful and helpful.

Happy SET amp hunting . . .

Kevinzoe, the last article has been the most help
Thanks

Italy71,
Here are some more SET amp manufacturers that also make integrated amps:
* Ayon 300B (300B tube) US$6,700
* Korato Prometheus (211 tube) US$?
* Mastersound 845 Ref Integrated (845 tube)
* Viva 300B or 300P (300B tube)US$6,800 and US$5,800 respectively
* Viva Solista (845 tube) US$10K
* Audion (various models)

Also, lowest to highest powered SET tubes are as follows:
45 (1 watt), 2A3 (3 watts), 300B/PX25 (6-8 watts), 845/211 (20 watts).

Hope this helps.

Regarding the poster that categorzied SET tube amplifiers as suffering from "mushy bass and loss of dynamics". This blanket statement is simply not true; ie, not all SET tube amps suffer from these ills.

A correctly designed SET tube amp using quality interstage, output, and power transformers and with a quality chassis that absorbs resonance has excellent dynamics as well as excellent, defined, and tight bass. This assumes, of course, that the speakers are correctly matched with the amplifier for such things as sensitivity and impedance operating range.

Amps with poor bass and poor frequency response typically have average, at best, transformers and are capacitory coupled with cheap capacitors.

My custom 300B set exhibits none of the ills mentioned. It has great dynamics and wonderful bass as well as the full frequency response range.

A vote for Viva amps, I use the Solista integrated to great effect onto Living Voice speakers. I had a long chat with Kevin scott who makes LV speakers which run at 94db sensitivity as your Klipsch speakers. I was querying whether the 8 Watt welborne monoblocks would do. The answer was that they would for small scale, Jazz, solo singers and chamber music. For large scale orchestral, then 16 to 18 was what you needed, the Viva puts out 17 and does'nt sound strained with any musical form. I think you would argue a similar requirement for your speakers.
I agree with the last post, SET's do not have mushy base when well executed with good transformers. It just is'nt the easiest amplifier design to get right, that means it ain't the cheapest either