"Iain Churches" wrote in message
i.fi...
"Keith G" wrote
Fine, but when people start quoting 'distortion figures' for valve
amps
(SETs in particular) it seems to me that it's bit like getting
carried
away with the E numbers listed on the label and the taste of the
actual
item is quickly forgotten.
It seems that the THD itself is not so important as the way
in which that total is made up, i.e. the relationship of
2H,3H,4H,5H etc that is important. It may be this which
gives each amp its sonic signature.
Quite possibly - I couldn't comment, it's over my head; I can't get past
the mental image of *happy/liberated electrons* flying about in a big
triode!! :-)
Also, to imply SET can't do much more than play female vocals and
small
chamber ensembles is more than a little misleading, IMO!
Many people seem to agree that is what they are best at.
I share that opinion. As I have mentioned before the
Resnekov plays Shostakovich like I have never heard it before.
OK, but 'best at' is different to 'can't' which is what is often
implied - although I'm not saying you implied it!.
Low power SET amps can drive 'normal' speakers of modest sensitivity
but
not to great levels with the result that, although it may be
interesting
to do, it is mostly a futile exercise. That said, I would only ever
say to
someone to try it - not everyone plays music/movies as loud as I
often do!
Understood.
Some time after I posted last night, I hooked my 3.5W SET up to the IMF
TLS80s (no idea what the sensitivity figure for those is offhand!) and
the sound, with the SET being driven by the Technics Control Amp, was
very pleasant/extremely listenable and could go plenty loud enough for
most!
I don't listen to DAB radio and so cannot comment.
During the day for sonic wallpaper and the evenings if FM is feeling
'chesty', DAB isn't as bad as some people would make out. Consider it
not unlike the difference between LP and CD! ;-)
Good PP valve amps can sound as good as a SET on horns and will have
more
clout, but are not as beguiling/listenable in the long run
Yes that seems to be a widely held view - especially by those who
have become enraptured with SET.
'Enraptured' is a strong word.....
But do not forget what is perhaps the main reason why SET is so
popular
with DIY builders. It is (up to a certain level) very simple to
build, requiring
Yes.
little or no test equipment.
Yes.
There is every chance the amp will work first
time
Yes (but some hum)!
without the stability problems that lurk inherently in every tube PP
amplifier.
Ah! OK, did that as well (from a kit)!!
while
CDs are always improved by any valve amp (on the appropriate
speakers), no
matter what....
I will leave it to someone else to reply to that para:-) I am not
sure
how a CD can be "improved" It can certainly be made to sound
different.
Quite simple: Play a CD on a SET/horns setup and it 'acquires' depth,
space, clarity and warmth and can become 'engaging'; play it on a
'standard' SS arrangement and it becomes two dimensional and will become
easy to walk away from....
I use a PP amp because it can make a good job of most material.
I do not claim it is more accurate than (or even as accurate as) the
Crown Macrotech usually used in monitoring recordings, but it
certainly gives a very musical rendition.
The SS Technics amps I have here have some of the lowest distortion
figures on record according to a (May 1999 HFN&RR) magazine review:
http://www.apah69.dsl.pipex.com/show/Amps01.JPG
http://www.apah69.dsl.pipex.com/show/Amps02.JPG
http://www.apah69.dsl.pipex.com/show/Amps03.JPG
And I can haul 'commercial' speakers from Ruark, Tannoy, B&W and IMF to
them without breaking a sweat as well as scrounge no end of others from
friends and at least one of the two local 'hifi' shops! Add to that I
have Sheffield Labs CDs here and a dozen different ways of playing them
(or do I? - make that half a dozen) and I think you'll agree I'm not
stuck with a *SET/LP only* situation!!??
I would also like to have SET (and plan to discuss a design with Nick
when the time is right) for playing certain types of music.
Well, OK then - that's what *we* all do at the outset; the problems
begin when you start *preferring* the sound from a SET system!!
;-)
You are preaching to the converted here, Keith.
You will recall not long ago I reported on both my visit to
the Lowther group, and also my experiences with the Resnekov.
But still I wanted to *see* why the two amps
sound different. I think I know now.
I'm sorry if I seem to be preaching at all - my reaction to criticism
of/comment on SET amps is a fairly standard one, usually brought about
by silly remarks made by people who don't think we (SET users) have any
experience of or access to other, more 'normal' amplification systems
(as above)!!