You always played the field too much for me Ked, cosying up and fluttering your eyelashes at any number of horns, planars, SETs, OTLs. Even when you commit to the one Lampi, you insist on as many changes of tubes as a girl changes lingerie.
SET amp owners thread
- Thread starter bonzo75
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This 'revival' of Single Ended Triode amplifiers, maybe it never left, and indeed many are finding their destination system in it?
I left for a while and am now back, it feels good....
Can you provide more info on the components in this pic and are you working on reviewing any of them? What makes up the rest of the system?
Still loving those Swings? I am thinking about a DIY project with that mid/high horn! Just not sure about plastic compression diaphragms...I really like the sound of my Beyma CP350Tis!
Look up his thread of BD swings. Those are the Mayer 46 valve 1w amps.
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/bd-designs-horn-speakers.27372/#post-554499
Yes in the pic is my Mayer 10Y, my Mayer 46 stereo and a BD Swing. All owned by me.
Yes loving the Swings. I almost did a DIY project with the Orphean too until I saw the Swings. The BMS drivers sound really great but of course you could go for an alternative if you wanted. I personally am content with them being more than enough for me.
Just been reflecting for a moment on my last post - was rushed earlier as was doing children’s bed time.
The Swings have actually ended my speaker journey - I have no desire to replace these or even consider other options. They are truly an enthralling listen with the Mayer amps and Vyger front end. They draw you in from the very first note and grip you for the entire album. They have this amazing resolving character that unearths micro-resolution whilst being fully musically communicative. Ked and I always talk about the ultra resolution and fluctuations from note to note (and inside the note itself) we hear on the General’s Pnoe. The Pnoe is better still, but this certainly gets to 90% of that. The bass is very tight and fast - never out of sync with the upper horn. There is a bass EQ switch in case you want more extension but I never engage it cos it is superior straight / au naturelle. Once you own a horn system, you realise the dynamic capabilities of almost all other system topologies can’t cut the mustard. I don’t think I could possibly return to cones / stats now as I am totally spoilt with the Swings. I will keep my Quad 57s for upstairs and my vintage Wharfedales because they are a total joy but the Swings are just stratospherically superior.
Anyway - back to the main SET theme.
The Swings have actually ended my speaker journey - I have no desire to replace these or even consider other options. They are truly an enthralling listen with the Mayer amps and Vyger front end. They draw you in from the very first note and grip you for the entire album. They have this amazing resolving character that unearths micro-resolution whilst being fully musically communicative. Ked and I always talk about the ultra resolution and fluctuations from note to note (and inside the note itself) we hear on the General’s Pnoe. The Pnoe is better still, but this certainly gets to 90% of that. The bass is very tight and fast - never out of sync with the upper horn. There is a bass EQ switch in case you want more extension but I never engage it cos it is superior straight / au naturelle. Once you own a horn system, you realise the dynamic capabilities of almost all other system topologies can’t cut the mustard. I don’t think I could possibly return to cones / stats now as I am totally spoilt with the Swings. I will keep my Quad 57s for upstairs and my vintage Wharfedales because they are a total joy but the Swings are just stratospherically superior.
Anyway - back to the main SET theme.
You mentioned "fluctuations from note to note and inside the note itself," I don't think it is the speakers that does this. I remember this is the impression I got right after I installed the AS. I think it is your tt that does this. Your speakers are just resolving enough to let you hear. Try changing to a different tt and you probably hear what I said.
"Anyway - back to the main SET theme."
Kind regards,
Tang
Tang, I wonder if it’s really about just the tt here doing it. Great analogue holistically clearly does some things that digital struggles to approach but I find micro detail and fluctuation within the note to be something that very good digital can deliver as well.
I would suggest that this fine kind of microdynamic shading and nuance tends to be a trait that certainly horns and ribbon panels also characteristically can deliver on but also great dynamic cones can also in varying degrees.
But for me this plasticity and flow within note and tracing transient micro detail is however an area where SET actually excels and in contrast to many other amp types that seem to struggle to keep that quality of subtle dynamic shading within the note.
I’d be guessing (from some distance) that the Mayer BD Swings combo might be particularly great at this... and so it might be an amp speaker pairing thing tho am figuring Bill might be able to confirm or deny.
Kind regards
Tao
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Hi Tang,
You are absolutely right - we reached exact same conclusion! You just need (as you rightly say) speakers that can resolve it. It is a remarkable level of addictive fidelity I must add - a lot of musical emotional connection seem transmitted in that inner detailing.
It happens less with the 211 and more with the 46.
In audio quattr's system I get it more with the Lampi 242 and 101d than with analog.
In audio quattr's system I get it more with the Lampi 242 and 101d than with analog.
Beautiful system Audiophile Bill,
I love those Mayer beauties of course as I am a little biased here
I believe you have his 46 power amp as well? If so, which version ( which driver)? And how do you like the amp?
The landscape 10Y really matches the rest of your setup. Congratulations.
This is so true of Thomas Mayer's midlevel amps and preamps on up. They deserve the best speakers one can afford or fit inside the audio room. Then let the magic begins as Audiophile Bill have described it here.
I am thinking SET or not SET should be able to do fluctuations, shading, nuances. SS could be even more resolving and can deliver these traits. Excellent digital can probably do it too. I just never put myself in that territory of MSB or Lampi with proper tubes. I think too many boxes and interconnects leave more chances to more variables though. The most important thing about this is in the area of upstream at point source. If it is lost there or never there at the first place, you never gonna recover it down the line.
I am probably wrong, the attraction of SET and horn is more in the tone, dynamic and how they present music. We can find extreme resolution from amps and speakers regardless of their types in my opinion.
Kind regards,
Tang
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