Output Transformerless SET designs vs. "regular" ones

[JimJ]

I've been sort of looking at one of these: http://www.transcendentsound.com/single%20ended.htm for a while now, to replace my current power amp...my DIY speaker design could be wired to 16 ohms to give it full power output, so that would work well. I'm just not that familar with OTL designs and why/if they're superior to regular single-ended amplifier stages.

I figure that most people here wouldn't know the answer, but all I need is a few opinions

Thanks in advance.

[req]

ive got three and a half of those two on the side top. they work ok in most times if you mount them sideways on the back (but not at nighttime)

hope that helps




lol! sorry - i dont know jack **** about this stuff ^_^

[JimJ]

Die

[PV Audio]

if pakiah would come back, he may be able to help u

[JimJ]

Pakiah had experiences with PP tubes, if I'm not mistaken...he had a EL34 and most recently, a KT88 PP integrated. Didn't mess around with SET.

DesertHeat was the only one around here that I remember being interested in OTL.

I think I'm just going with a regular 2A3 power amp...if someone will buy my current one

[analogkid]

i would love to hear one of those. its something i will probably never see, but it is im sure the purest sound reproduction you can find. everything today is something digital trying to replicate what the older technologly was.

[JimJ]

but it is im sure the purest sound reproduction you can find.

It's different than solid-state, but I'm not sure about "purest" - after all, we are talking about amps that have 4-5% THD Even-order harmonics, maybe, but still harmonic distortion...

I disagree that everything digital is designed to emulate older gear. I know only of a few pure Class A solid-state designs (one of them, the Pass Labs First Watt, is a beautiful 10wpc MOSFET creation, but there are only 100 in existence). Newer gear is built, primarily, to keep mass-market consumers that don't know any better happy with their all-in-one-box-systems. Meanwhile, high-end solid-state designs are going up and up in power...do you really need 300W RMS in a 2 channel system? What's been lost is the superior build quality and construction in consumer-grade gear (those old Magnavox and Eico/Hammond console amplifiers were built for the mass market, and they still kick the socks off stuff built today, while you need to spend mucho $$$ to get current gear that will last anywhere near as long), and the attention to detail in a fleapower audio setup. Those are hard to find these days.

[PV Audio]

BUT, tubes are rather inefficent and require good amounts of hardware to make serious power. and above all else, they are $$$$$$$$

[JimJ]

BUT, tubes are rather inefficent and require good amounts of hardware to make serious power. and above all else, they are $$$$$$$$

That's part of the point...you don't need serious power for pure enjoyment of music. 2 watts can fill a medium-sized room if you do your homework with the speakers. You can't just throw any old amp together with any speaker and expect to get the best results. If you're throwing a party or reproducing home theater at reference levels, that's a different story; tubes wouldn't be the best choice for those uses.

As for being expensive - yes, on a dollar/watt basis they're several times more expensive than anything SS. But overall? They're still very affordable if you find the right products, or build your own...

[req]

yea man. the top side ones with the red serial numbers at the bottom corner on the west side work awesome if those are the ones you are talking about

is yours the kind with the bottom\front thats rounded on the side sort of? didnt you wanna get rid of that? cuz you can always send them to me. i think ill find use for it someday.



i love you jack
thanks for the koda8's.

[JimJ]

thanks for the koda8's.

Is that your slang term for "favors"?

[PV Audio]

That's part of the point...you don't need serious power for pure enjoyment of music. 2 watts can fill a medium-sized room if you do your homework with the speakers. You can't just throw any old amp together with any speaker and expect to get the best results. If you're throwing a party or reproducing home theater at reference levels, that's a different story; tubes wouldn't be the best choice for those uses.

As for being expensive - yes, on a dollar/watt basis they're several times more expensive than anything SS. But overall? They're still very affordable if you find the right products, or build your own...

folded horn?

[JimJ]

That's one way to go, yes.

[desertheat]

Ah the otl If you happen to ever get one you will be in for pure bliss. So open, so clean and they have BOTTOM END!! Yes real smooth clean botton end! Otls are often though to have near 0 bottom end, but not the trancendants. One of the best designs and amps I have ever heard.

Also yes guys, 2 watts can be magical and fill a whole room, no doubt about that!

[JimJ]

Have you done any ABX comparisons with single-ended triodes?

I think my next project is going to be 2A3's single-ended, to give you an idea of where I'm going...