SET amp owners thread

Zappadaddy

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My latest and best so far. Amazing SE-833 MX Challenge monoblocs with 80w single ended per channel, and Kronzilla SDX integrated with 50w, Tannoy Westminsters Royal
 

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morricab

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How would you compare JJ-322 and Wall audio monos?

The JJ had very good inner resolution and the bass was superb. The highs were slightly soft. It was more transparent but the Walls could really rock and had gorgeous (although a bit edited) tone. They also punched hard in the bass and were more linear in the highs. Overall, I liked them for different things...the Walls were really excellent with punchy Jazz and rock music. The JJs better with acoustic instruments and subtle music. The Aries Cerat Genus bests them both in the areas they are strongest but both are were very good and the Walls particularly entertaining (especially when driven by the NAT Plasma preamp).
 

morricab

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My latest and best so far. Amazing SE-833 MX Challenge monoblocs with 80w single ended per channel, and Kronzilla SDX integrated with 50w, Tannoy Westminsters Royal
Those are super cool amps! Like the KR as well...had a couple of those in the past (I was dealer for them in Switzerland for a while).
 
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Zappadaddy

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The JJ had very good inner resolution and the bass was superb. The highs were slightly soft. It was more transparent but the Walls could really rock and had gorgeous (although a bit edited) tone. They also punched hard in the bass and were more linear in the highs. Overall, I liked them for different things...the Walls were really excellent with punchy Jazz and rock music. The JJs better with acoustic instruments and subtle music. The Aries Cerat Genus bests them both in the areas they are strongest but both are were very good and the Walls particularly entertaining (especially when driven by the NAT Plasma preamp).
I was interested about the Walls but then I decided to go with these monsters, these Challenge sound so diffrent then anything else I have heard so far, just unbeliavable....and I agree about JJs great for acustic music, also very beutiful to look at
 

jeff1225

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My latest and best so far. Amazing SE-833 MX Challenge monoblocs with 80w single ended per channel, and Kronzilla SDX integrated with 50w, Tannoy Westminsters Royal
Excellent system Zappadaddy. Properly driven Tannoy Westminsters are some of my favorite speakers on the planet. I bet this speaker really rocks on Inca Roads.
 

Zappadaddy

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Excellent system Zappadaddy. Properly driven Tannoy Westminsters are some of my favorite speakers on the planet. I bet this speaker really rocks on Inca Roads.
I will get to Inca road, I know Muffin man is rocking :) Statue is on my property, I am the youngest fella on the right :) " Music is the best" said FZ and I agree
 

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Solypsa

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There is a fairly large range of power output for a SET amp depending on which power tube it uses, so the question is too broad for a simple answer...
 

Ron Resnick

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My latest and best so far. Amazing SE-833 MX Challenge monoblocs with 80w single ended per channel, and Kronzilla SDX integrated with 50w, Tannoy Westminsters Royal

Purely out of curiosity, how did you choose this particular brand of 833 SET amplifier as opposed to Silvercore or Audio Music or Wavac 833-based amplifiers?
 

Zappadaddy

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Simple answer, this brand is made near by me so I could easily audition it. Also I believe it is much more affordable then brands you mentioned (around $17000, and I could get it to you even cheaper) http://www.aleksaudio.ru/aleksaudio_ru/catalog/AMPLIFIER/lampovyie1.html When I read review of Michael Fremer I feel like he is talking about my monoblocks https://www.stereophile.com/tubepoweramps/704wavac/index.html , I am sure they are sounding very similar but without this high ticket( 20 years $350000)
 
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Zappadaddy

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Also Challenge monos have 80w per channel oppose to 20w of Silvercore monos, my Tannoy W.R. need more power then most people believe is needed for them. AM audio is Chinese and Wavac japanese I belive so I pass, I will rather support community near by :)
 

christoph

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Dec 11, 2015
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My latest and best so far. Amazing SE-833 MX Challenge monoblocs with 80w single ended per channel, and Kronzilla SDX integrated with 50w, Tannoy Westminsters Royal
Congrats to you very cool amps.
I also have the Kronzilla SX (without the "i", pure power amp, not integrated like yours).
How would you describe the differences between the SE-833 MX Challenge and the Kronzilla SXi?
 
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Zappadaddy

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Congrats to you very cool amps.
I also have the Kronzilla SX (without the "i", pure power amp, not integrated like yours).
How would you describe the differences between the SE-833 MX Challenge and the Kronzilla SXi?
Kronzilla is very neutral, it does not have that very thick bass and mids, Kronzilla is little to bright for me. I am always happy to go back to Challengers. I just love that sound, never heard such sound from any amplifier. I used to have McIntosh 2301, Manley 240 Refeence gold, Naim 135, Sroll, Almarro monos, Kinki, Mark Levinson 432, Octave Mr220 monos, Moon 860a, Electrocompaniet 180 monos, JJ-322......
 
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christoph

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Kronzilla is very neutral, it does not have that very thick bass and mids, Kronzilla is little to bright for me. I am always happy to go back to Challengers. I just love that sound, never heard such sound from any amplifier. I used to have McIntosh 2301, Manley 240 Refeence gold, Naim 135, Sroll, Almarro monos, Kinki, Mark Levinson 432, Octave Mr220 monos, Moon 860a, Electrocompaniet 180 monos, JJ-322......
Thank you for your answer.
If you find the Zilla too bright, your ears must have bled with the Octave amps :p
I find the Zilla very transparent and yet very organic :cool:
Do you use the Challengers and the Zilla in a bi-amping configuration or do you switch between amps?
 

J.Uotila

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Hello guys, this is my first post – and I love set amps!

Here’s my rig:

Speakers: Audio Note AN-E SPx AlNiCo
Dac: Audio Note DAC 3.1x II Balanced
Streamer: Lindemann Limetree Bridge + Keces P3 LPSU
Turntable: Audio Note TT-3 + PSU4
Tonearm: Audio Note Arm 3/II
Cartridge: Audio Note Io Gold
Power Amp: Audio Note Jinro Shochu
Pre & Phono amp: Audio Note M5 Phono Signature
Step-Up: Audio Note AN-S8
Interconnects: Audio Note Sogon, Audio Note Pallas
Speakercables: Audio Note AN-SPe, biwire
Power cables: Audio Note Isis

...and some photos:













-Janne-
 

bonzo75

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Thank you for your answer.
If you find the Zilla too bright, your ears must have bled with the Octave amps :p
I find the Zilla very transparent and yet very organic :cool:
Do you use the Challengers and the Zilla in a bi-amping configuration or do you switch between amps?

If the zilla are under driving the Westminster they might lack bass or sound edgy when played loud. They were fine with vintage tannoy.
 

Exlibris

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I've read some good reviews of the Gold Lion PX300B as well.
I had originally outfitted my Allnic A-6000 monoblocks with Gold Lion PX300Bs. Each monoblock takes four 300Bs. A few months ago I got the itch to try something different so I put in a pair of TJ Full Music Meshplates. The A-6000 doesn't require one to use matched 300Bs because each tube has its own manual bias. I was surprised that just substituting a single pair of tubes would make such a difference. The Gold Lions are okay but the TJs sound more real -- more like I'm hearing real people and real music in my room as opposed to music being generated by electronics.
That got me wondering what would happen if I replaced all the Gold Lions with TJs and what another brand of 300Bs would sound like. Last week I swapped out the TJs for a pair of Elrog 300Bs. The Elrogs are just fantastic in every way. The odd thing is that though their stated power is less than that of a traditional 300B, they sound much more robust, more in control, more palpable, and more forceful than the other 300Bs that I've used.
 

bonzo75

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Had told you this. Elrog have the best 300b, followed by KR. They are better than EML, Tak. And way superior to psvane, TJ, JJ, etc
 

bonzo75

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Yes, and I had assumed that to be the case. I just couldn't afford 8 Elrogs at the time.

Hope they last well.

You will find they are very transparent to recordings. They show through concert hall ambience better. The only thing is with your preference for amplified music and because you like it more in room in front iirc, as compared to mid hall or back of the hall, Tak do that with a beefing of the midrange
 
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