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NAT Se2Se tube opinions

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Posted on January 2, 2016 at 10:32:22
Beaglebump
Audiophile

Posts: 42
Location: Midwest
Joined: November 8, 2005
 For those who have experience with the se2se monos, has anyone had the opportunity to compare the 211 vs GM70 tubes? In speaking with Dejan, he feels the switch to the GM70 is "a much better sound," so curious to know how owners/listeners may further define this?

 

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RE: NAT Se2Se tube opinions, posted on January 4, 2016 at 06:40:47
morricab
Distributor or Rep

Posts: 9181
Location: switzerland
Joined: April 1, 2005
 Well, I have heard two different versions of the 211 based amp and it was a beast...very transparent as well and superior in sound to a CAT JL2 Signature that we A/B'd head to head. I have not heard the new GM70 amp but from the looks of it the build is not as heavy duty as the older NAT amps. The SE2SE was not in the least "romantic" sounding but it was pure SET in terms of dynamics and 3d imaging and soundstaging. A very nice amp overall but possibly bettered by lower powered amps if you have very sensitive speakers. I think it is an ideal replacement though for those with "normal" speakers that are being driven by push/pull amps. In that setting it will beat pretty much all comers. Once you get to high sensitivity speakers though it will have stiff competition from the low powered crowd.

 

RE: NAT Se2Se tube opinions, posted on January 4, 2016 at 13:19:50
Beaglebump
Audiophile

Posts: 42
Location: Midwest
Joined: November 8, 2005
 That's a hefty endorsement of the 211 based version (always enjoyed Marc Mickelson's review of the CAT JL2). Have just been curious if anyone has heard an A/B against the GM70.

Our Daedalus Athena speakers are fairly efficient at 96dB 1w/1m, so experimenting with a high quality SET design seems like a natural curiosity. If we can find a power plant that retains the transient clarity of our ss, while bringing those glorious mids, imaging, and soundstaging, then we've taken a quantum leap forward. NAT designs have piqued my interest, as from all I've been able to gather thus far, this characteristics are Dejan's goal. Slightly concerned for long term accessibility to the NOS Russian inventory that he draws from, but will have to see.

 

RE: NAT Se2Se tube opinions, posted on January 8, 2016 at 14:05:51
morricab
Distributor or Rep

Posts: 9181
Location: switzerland
Joined: April 1, 2005
 Well, I also owned a NAT for some time. I had the NAT Symbiosis SE, which was a monstrously huge SE hybrid. A very rare design with a tube input, tube driver and a SINGLE MOSFET on the output stage. There was another MOSFET as voltage regulator for each output transistor. The only problem with it was that it didn't quite sound as good as their all tube designs...there was still something a bit, transistor like, with the sound. Hard to define but it reduced the palpability of images and so sounded a bit less "real" than a good SET.

As for the all tube NATs, unfortunately, they have a bit of a bad reputation in Europe for reliability. My Symbiosis was no problem but there were others I knew with NATs that needed servicing. Just something to keep in mind. I have also heard the "cheap" integrated, the NAT Single, and it also sounds quite good...a bit warmer sounding than the SE monoblocks but it is a proper beast of an amp in true NAT style.

 

RE: NAT Se2Se tube opinions, posted on March 12, 2016 at 04:03:37
TooMuchSurface
Audiophile

Posts: 23
Joined: March 5, 2013
 I had/have the following amplifiers in my home:

NAT SE 1
NAT SE 1 MKII
NAT SE 2
NAT SE 3
NAT Transmitter

I currently use 4 Transmitters and would highly recommend, if money is an option, the newer models. My SE1 caught fire and the current model still uses a fan to cool the undersized transformer. I would opt for the SE2, SE3, GM70 or if you can afford it the Transmitters.

Cheers

 

RE: NAT Se2Se tube opinions, posted on March 17, 2016 at 08:08:34
horn kid
Audiophile

Posts: 128
Joined: November 2, 2014
 Have the Transmitters, the best amp I have ever heard and has big time power on top of that.

 

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