SET Tube Amps?

Early B.
Early B. Posts: 7,900
edited February 2005 in 2 Channel Audio
Anyone own one or have any listening experience to explain the differences they hear between a push-pull amp (or whatever else there is) and a SET amp. Does SET tube gear generally have better SQ than other types of tube gear?

Thanks.
HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

"God grooves with tubes."
Post edited by Early B. on
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Comments

  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited January 2005
    SET is cool in a line amp, but no thanks amp-wise.

    SET is a GREAT mid-range amp, if you want a good low and high end, go push-pull and don't look back.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited January 2005
    Thanks, Russ. So now that I've got an int. tube amp that sounds phenomenal, am I done upgrading yet?? Certainly hope so.

    Damn.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited January 2005
    I got a SET linestage from Russ and it's an amazing piece of equipment. Haven't heard a SET amp though. If you look around audio forums you'll see that SET owners have super eff speakers (100+ /w/m) because of their low power output. So I guess they sound fantastic if you have the right set of speakers.

    My pushpull amp runs in ultralinear and I've converted it to triode. That's just one step away from SET. The sound really improved. This is push/pull triode. I doubt a SET amp will have the balls to drive my speakers loud.
    am I done upgrading yet?? Certainly hope so.

    HELL NO!!! Now that you have an int tube amp, you need to start tube rolling. :cool:

    Maurice
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited January 2005
    HELL NO!!! Now that you have an int tube amp, you need to start tube rolling.
    Funny you should mention that. I ordered some Groove Tube 12AX7M's today and I got a pair of Mullard 12AT7's waiting in the dugout. They will replace EH tubes. Not ready to fork over the dough for NOS Telefunken's yet.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited February 2005
    In my system the groove tubes sounded incoherent. At least that is the word I can think of. A lot of smeared images and highs were more glaring than I'm used to. They were used ones though.
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited February 2005
    In my system the groove tubes sounded incoherent.
    Since we have a similar Jolida int. amp model, what preamp tubes have you found to be the best?
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited February 2005
    I was using telefunken and the newer CV series mullards for the past few years but recently got hooked on the full sounding EH tubes. I got them for about $5 a piece from some guy on ebay who removed them from some never used equipment. (so he said). I put them in just to laugh at them but they are really nice and full sounding. Keep in mind tubes are all about the whole stream of equipment you are using. What sounds great in one setup can sound totally crappy in another.
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited February 2005
    Early,
    Cool. I've heard great things about the 12AX7M from the asylum. From China and is suppose to be a copy of Mullard's 12AX7.

    No need to start searching and putting down big $ for Tele's just yet. Try out the Ei 12AX7 which is suppose to be a copy of Tele 'smooth plate'. Mike (BlueMDPicker) said it sounds identical to his Telefunken.

    Madmax,
    Were you using the 12AX7EH? I'm dying to start tube rolling with current production tubes on the GTA (6922/6DJ8). My fav so far is the GE 6DJ8 where the inside of the bottle is sprayed with some black chemicals and the Mullard 6DJ8. Want to try the Ei, JJ and EH.

    Maurice
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited February 2005
    Try the Bugle Boys! You may never want to change after that. :)
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited February 2005
    Gonna start looking for some. Thanks MM.

    Maurice
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