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What's the greatest bargain in SET these days?

Hi, Gang,
I response to my recent review of the Reference 3A De Capo BE speaker, someone wrote that if you really want to hear them sing, you should try them with a SET amp, or words to that effect.
That got me thinking. The De Capo's are 92 db efficient, which (correct me if I'm wrong) seems kind of borderline for low-power SET amps.
In any event, right now I'm running mine with a pair of Manley Mahi mono-blocks. They are switchable from triode (20 watts) to "ultra linear" (40 watts). I run them in triode all the time, and in my room, the volume knob almost never goes past 9 o'clock; more would just be too loud.
All that said, what do you guys think of running the De Capo's with a SET amp? And if I did, what's the best bargain in SET's these days?
Thanks!
rebbi
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
4,637 posts
 
I listened to the top Supratek DHT, two box, tube regulated preamp last week. It has a switch allowing the owner to switch between transformer coupled and capacitor coupled. I prefered the capacitor coupled option as the highs were less grainy, more extend with improved smoothness. It this design the transformer option limited the top end.

This got me to thinking more about direct coupled as the best option. It is an interesting design.
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
4,637 posts
 
Forgot to mention I bid up to $1250 on that direct coupled set of 300b amps. I just did not want to go higher without hearing them!
jetrexpro
500 posts
 
Lots of direct coupled 45 and 2A3 SET amps but not too many 300b amps. Harder to drive a 300b tube without a cap or an interstage transformer. Plus a direct coupled amp has to be done just right or all sorts of bad things can happen of there is a parts or tube failure. As Charles points out, Electra-Print amps must sound really good and have a great reputation but we dont seem to hear very much about them. Their transformers are more well known.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
6,996 posts
 
Jet,
From what I understand a direct coupled 300b is difficult to execute for the reasons you mentioned. As far as capacitor vs interstage transformer it comes down to part quality and implementation. A good quality cap beats an average quality transformer. If both are of high quality it becomes a matter of design and preference. Companies that offer both such as Audio Note select interstage transformers for their upper tier products. Good transformers don't come cheap. I know excellent results are obtainable with eirher choice. Engineneer Andy Grove of Audio Note has written interesting articles on this topic. Strong arguments can be presented for either approach.
Charles,
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
4,637 posts
 
Not arguing which sounds better as they both have tradeoffs I have heard in various preamp designs from Coincident, Supratek and others. I just wonder if direct coupled is the best option for sound quality. The scematic looks pretty simple really on the EP 300b DRD amp. May be worth building a set of these?

Jet, the voltage on a 300b DRD amp is 700VDC!
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