SET amp owners thread

[morricab]

Are there powerful pentodes like the triodes (211, 845, 813, etc.)?

Hi
The 813 is actually a Pentode. In the Aries Cerat gear it is being used as a triode. It is different than an EL34 though because it is direct heated. Audio Aero once used it as a Pentode alongside a 211 in some kind of funky output stage. Apparently damn good amps...

 

[Exlibris]

Hi
The 813 is actually a Pentode. In the Aries Cerat gear it is being used as a triode. It is different than an EL34 though because it is direct heated. Audio Aero once used it as a Pentode alongside a 211 in some kind of funky output stage. Apparently damn good amps...

Thank you. That's good to know. When I used to own Manley 250s you could toggle between running the EL34s in pentode or triode and I always preferred the sound in triode.

 

[Triode Pete]

BorderPatrol S10 with massive EXS power supplies (~100 lbs each of input choke filtered PS's) with Volti Audio "hot-rodded" Klipschorns in Brazilian Rosewood. Using either Western Electric 300B's or Takatsuki 300B's...

 

[adamaley]

BorderPatrol S10 with massive EXS power supplies (~100 lbs each of input choke filtered PS's) with Volti Audio "hot-rodded" Klipschorns in Brazilian Rosewood. Using either Western Electric 300B's or Takatsuki 300B's...

Pictures, or it never happened ;-)

 

[oldvinyl]

Cary Audio CAD-1610-SE monoblocks and Von Schweikert VR-9SE MkII. Cary's use the KR Audio 1610 tube, almost as big as a wine bottle. They produce a constant heat, or no, I meant 55 watts RMS. The amps have been tweaked with Teflon coupling caps, hexfred rectifiers, and upgraded cables for power and signal between the two decks. Have had these amps for over 20 years.

 

[Exlibris]

I replaced my Yamamoto A08s (EML 45 and 80) with the Thoress 845 monoblocks. While I have read the reviews from Wojciech Pacula(url below), it wasn't quite prepared for how well and closely he described the sound of the Thoress. At the right volume and with the right recordings, the following 2 paras really resonate with how I felt listening to the system with Thoress in place.

"It was fascinating how deep was the interaction between the instrument's box and the acoustics. It was an unusual harmony, air was vibrating, as if it was inseparable from the instrument itself - even though it was imaged precisely, without the blurring of its edges."

"It presents a great space, building it in the form of a "bubble", also around us. It energizes the air in the room with ease, including it in the created musical world."

The Thoress is really quite special in how it creates this 'bubble' of sound around the listener. Something that I have not experienced before in my own system with the Yamamoto or my other amps like Dynacos, MCcormack DNA1, audio note kit 1; and other more expensive systems I heard at shops.

It's a pity that I couldn't find more people sharing and talking this amp.

http://highfidelity.pl/@main-793&lang=en

I'm currently using a 45 SET but it isn't powerful enough to drive the speakers that I will be purchasing. The Thoress 845 is one of the amplifiers that I'm very interested in.

 

[morricab]

I'm currently using a 45 SET but it isn't powerful enough to drive the speakers that I will be purchasing. The Thoress 845 is one of the amplifiers that I'm very interested in.

So, are you getting Odeon 33s? You are in Canada, right? Another one you could consider is Wyetech Labs...or Aries Cerat if you can get them up there...I know that this combo is killer from experience.

 

[Exlibris]

So, are you getting Odeon 33s? You are in Canada, right? Another one you could consider is Wyetech Labs...or Aries Cerat if you can get them up there...I know that this combo is killer from experience.

I am getting the Odeon 33. I just have to wait to sell either my Audio Note AN-E speakers or Audio Note M6 Phono to put the money together for the down payment on the Odeons.
Wytech is actually manufactured here in Canada so that would be available. I'd have to make some inquiries on the Aries. Do you have any experience with the Thoress? I can easily acquire that here.

 

[Exlibris]

I am getting the Odeon 33. I just have to wait to sell either my Audio Note AN-E speakers or Audio Note M6 Phono to put the money together for the down payment on the Odeons.
Wytech is actually manufactured here in Canada so that would be available. I'd have to make some inquiries on the Aries. Do you have any experience with the Thoress? I can easily acquire that here.

I suspect the Thoress would be the most doable for me, price-wise.

 

[morricab]

I am getting the Odeon 33. I just have to wait to sell either my Audio Note AN-E speakers or Audio Note M6 Phono to put the money together for the down payment on the Odeons.
Wytech is actually manufactured here in Canada so that would be available. I'd have to make some inquiries on the Aries. Do you have any experience with the Thoress? I can easily acquire that here.

I have heard Thoress several times at shows and their room was always a bit vintage/romantic sounding. That of course says only a little about the amps role in that overall sound. Worth a listen for sure. I knew Wyetech was Canadian and that they are very well designed and made. They were known for being quick and very clean sounding...so might be closer to the 45 amp you are used to. Aries...well it’s my preferred choice.

 

[Keyplayer]

I use a Antique Sound Lab 845 to drive my Odeon Nr. 30.
The ASL has 20 Watt output like the Thöress and my old Nr 30 has 96db at 1 Watt (the new 33 has 94db)
It sounds really great up to max. 98-99db at my listening place.
Will say if you like to listen to real live like volume >99db the single 845 came to its limit with the Odeons...

 

[morricab]

I use a Antique Sound Lab 845 to drive my Odeon Nr. 30.
The ASL has 20 Watt output like the Thöress and my old Nr 30 has 96db at 1 Watt (the new 33 has 94db)
It sounds really great up to max. 98-99db at my listening place.
Will say if you like to listen to real live like volume >99db the single 845 came to its limit with the Odeons...

Yeah, I don''t think the single digit watt amps are going to work with most Odeons. That said, I got really good sound from my Odeons with an 11 watt SE(Pentode) amps and an 18 watt PP Triode amp...still compared to the better SETs I have had on (Aries Cerat, Ayon, KR Audio, NAT, Wall Audio) them there was not the headroom or the realism.

 

[Exlibris]

I use a Antique Sound Lab 845 to drive my Odeon Nr. 30.
The ASL has 20 Watt output like the Thöress and my old Nr 30 has 96db at 1 Watt (the new 33 has 94db)
It sounds really great up to max. 98-99db at my listening place.
Will say if you like to listen to real live like volume >99db the single 845 came to its limit with the Odeons...

Living in a condo, I can't listen that loud but I value headroom and a relaxed, effortless, and unstrained presentation at around 90db. I think I'll be seriously considering the AC Genus amp.

 

[morricab]

Living in a condo, I can't listen that loud but I value headroom and a relaxed, effortless, and unstrained presentation at around 90db. I think I'll be seriously considering the AC Genus amp.

My weapon of choice along with Kassandra DAC

 

[Exlibris]

My weapon of choice along with Kassandra DAC

I've found that Thomas Mayer's electronics are immune to the bad AC that I have in my building. With other equipment the sound is full-blooded one evening and anemic the next. I don't know much about the design and build of gear but I suspect it's the way he designs and builds his power supplies that makes his gear immune to bad AC. I read that the Thoress 845 has a solid-state power supply (I don't know about the AC Genus) and I worry that it won't be as immune to bad AC as the Thomas Mayer gear.

 

[morricab]

I've found that Thomas Mayer's electronics are immune to the bad AC that I have in my building. With other equipment the sound is full-blooded one evening and anemic the next. I don't know much about the design and build of gear but I suspect it's the way he designs and builds his power supplies that makes his gear immune to bad AC. I read that the Thoress 845 has a solid-state power supply (I don't know about the AC Genus) and I worry that it won't be as immune to bad AC as the Thomas Mayer gear.

It is solid state but uses very large “super capacitors” and large inductors for a very stable supply. I have not heard significant day/ night differences with Genus. I have heard significant changes with some other gear I have owned

 

[Exlibris]

It is solid state but uses very large “super capacitors” and large inductors for a very stable supply. I have not heard significant day/ night differences with Genus. I have heard significant changes with some other gear I have owned

That's good to know. I figured the tube rectification was a big part of it (though I have owned gear with tube rectification that was not immune to bad AC).

 

[VinylSavor]

I've found that Thomas Mayer's electronics are immune to the bad AC that I have in my building. With other equipment the sound is full-blooded one evening and anemic the next. I don't know much about the design and build of gear but I suspect it's the way he designs and builds his power supplies that makes his gear immune to bad AC..

There are several aspects in the power supply design which make them insensitive to influences from the mains:

The power transformers are custom made to my specs with triple shielding. Two separate shields between primary and secondary which provide a good barrier for noise to pass through. In addition an outer flux band.
The power transformers are designed not for maximum cool operation but are intentionally a bit lossy so that crud from the mains is converted to heat.
After the rectification there are choke input filters which. ensure a rather constant current draw from the mains instead of short pulses. This makes the supply insensitive to slight resistances upstream
And lastly the amplification stages are designed such that they are not sensitive to changes in supply voltage over a wide range

Best regards

Thomas

 

[Golum]

Living in a condo, I can't listen that loud but I value headroom and a relaxed, effortless, and unstrained presentation at around 90db. I think I'll be seriously considering the AC Genus amp.

I would advise, if possible to listen, Tobian Soundsystems MA100 mono blocks - DHTs of your choice (300b, 46, 211) in PP configuration sounding magical...immaculate product.

 

[Exlibris]

It is solid state but uses very large “super capacitors” and large inductors for a very stable supply. I have not heard significant day/ night differences with Genus. I have heard significant changes with some other gear I have owned

I'm also intrigued by the Line Magnetic LM-503PA monoblocks.