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In Reply to: RE: SET vs OTL in a shootout ? posted by trioderob on August 21, 2015 at 17:30:38
I don't do "shoot-outs". I might occasionally perform comparisons, but I find them useful only for gross differences. I prefer longer term listening, which has greater external validity...Now, to the crux of your opinion: "SET were extremely nice but never had the speed on fast transient passages."
I find *Systems* running SET amps can do that to my satisfaction and more. But not if running unsuitable speakers (there is more to it than efficiency and impedance) or an incapable SET amp.
I don't know what you are running - you have nine posts and no system listed - but for SET amps to deliver what you desire, the system should include speakers ideally suited to amps with high output impedance. A near worst case, yet common, example is the classic high Q driver run on an open baffle. Well, they may sound nice, but a little slow, soft and blunted. Floppy drivers without loading that need more control that a SET amp provides. More common and almost as poorly matched are efficient(ish), but under-damped, alignments.
Okay, my point is, SETs can pretty easily do what you ask and then some, but they need to be an appropriate design & build and run in an appropriate system.
It is Saturday night here. Beer and dinner are calling.
Regards,
91
"Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems to characterise our age." Albert Einstein
Edits: 08/22/15 08/22/15Follow Ups:
Nt
Such a system could probably sound nice, with a glorious come-hither vocal range. Probably not a master of transparence and dynamics, but hey, I have not heard it so could be wrong... After all, it is the final result that matters.
"Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems to characterise our age." Albert Einstein
I have a pretty good 300B power amp with double C-core OPTS and on soloist + guitar, it is both extremely linear, transparent and engaging. Also on solo instruments. No, my experience is that nothing can keep up with fast, complex piano passages, or the dynamic swings of the likes of Mahler, compared to what one hears in a concert hall. But the LS3/5As give a pretty good orchestral presentation as a whole.
Without having heard your set-up, transparency from the upper bass and above could be really good. Although the LS3/5a speakers are not bass monsters, the bass probably does not draw much attention to itself. Still, I reckon those double-C cores in charge of some nicely-matched refrigerators would be capable of some really decent bass. ;^)As for keeping up with Mahler and similar, I'd say that although we can't convincingly reproduce most music, some systems can do it more convincingly than others. That said, our systems should reproduce to our liking those things in music that matter to us... the things that make music meaningful. It sounds like your system does that for you!
To clarify my initial response, I believe SETs can have acceptable (for me) speed on quick transient passages. This should be well achievable from the mids through to treble. However, to achieve this in the bass, the speaker alignment needs to be suited to the high impedance output of a SET amp. A speaker designed to sound balanced when used with a low impedance source will generally sound a little too weighty, slow and soft in the bass when driven by a SET amp.
Regards,
91
"Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems to characterise our age." Albert Einstein
Edits: 08/23/15
But bass does not hold my interest as much as what lies between 60Hz and 10,000 Hz. So, I am well matched with my speakers.
Exactly my point; you have a system well suited to you. Enjoy!
Actually, I am not exactly a bass fiend; if I were I'd opt for much more displacement and big solid state power. But I do like an effortless and coherent sound, albeit at modest volumes, so my SETs into GPA 604s are fine.
You have reminded me that I need to get moving on my next amp build; a pair of custom nano-crystalline double-c cores are sitting on my shelf awaiting a home!
Keep well,
91
"Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems to characterise our age." Albert Einstein
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