best amp for rock n roll

[rcavictim]

I think push-pull is best for rock. I`d suggest a P-P ultralinear KT88 amp with 60+ watts per channel. Then you can `rock` with many different inneficient speakers. Look for a pair of Dynaco Mark -III monoblocs on ebay and get a taste of tube power inexpensively. It will cost you just as much to build a decent SET amp. You can always sell them later when your tastes evolve.

SET are as mentioned above more for the full range single driver crowd. IMO it takes a herculean speaker design to `rock` with 3-6 watts per channel. Physically large and high efficiency near 100dB. Even then you don`t get house shaking bass that a 20 watt or higher P-P will give you.

This from a previous high SPL rocker that now explores the flea power challenge on 3 SET watts per and herculean large, efficient FR speakers (custom built arrays).

If you are determined to get a SET amp first time in, stay away from 300B. Poor value for the money. Newly manufactured offerings of these tubes are often terribly unreliable and are WAY OVERPRICED because they are TRENDY.

[Trout]

I hoping to use SE KT77 setup with these boards. I want to put one unit in my music room for computer/studio for playback, And 1 unit in my family room for the entertainment system.

As far as Geetar amps go, I amp very happy with my PP KT77 setup. I have this thing tweaked to give me about any flavor I need.

Right now its biased for 6L6's just for grins. Even those el-cheapo gold pin realistic 6L6's floor eveyone that hears them. I have it in a Tweed 2 X12 Combo Cab packed with 98.8 db100W Jensen Neo's.
The Beast

Trout
Ps

Im dumping the MC240 and building these instead, I just love building things, And that SE board is a huge leap forward IMHO.

[kstagger]

I'll also add my .02 - get a pair of Dynaco Mark IIIs - then buy an SDS Power supply board and Triode Electronics input board to replace the stock 6AN8. It will be an awesome rock n' roll amp with some good KT88s/6550s.

[jrdmedford]

I'd consider this over SE if you like rock... Class A PP is more likely to get the
bass sounds working "just right". SE DHT requires some careful selection of
transformers and speakers.

Seth PP 2A3

The key part for this amp is the EXO-173 centre-tapped choke. As far as I know, there are no other off-the-shelf equivalents of this specialized part. The spread of
Euro/USDollar might make this purchase quite affordable. If you get tightening
of budget, you can use Hammond chokes in the PSU and output transformer.
In such a case, a good Hammond PP output transformer for this application will be
$50USD/ea. In Euro's, its probably less than a tank of petrol for you car. Of
course, if budget permits, get the MQ Nickel cored outputs.

-- Jim

[Dumbass]

IMO the more important question is what kind of speakers you use, then tailor the amp to the speakers.

Klipsch Cornwall is an obvious choice for your tastes IMO. The bass-reflex cabinet gives that slight emphasis/"bloom" that works great for rock and reggae. And the high efficiency means you have a lot of choices w.r.t. amplification.

[Dumbass]

Originally posted by rcavictim
SET are as mentioned above more for the full range single driver crowd.

I totally disagree.

Somehow "single-ended" and "single-driver" have been conflated, but only the most efficient single-driver design (Lowther in humongous back-loaded horn, for example) is really well-suited for SET. Most other single-driver designs need more oomph to really sing. That is why a lot of people are under the misconception that single-driver systems necessarily lack balls.

On the other hand, efficient multi-way systems work great with SET.

[Brian Beck]

Originally posted by tubelab.com
I sometimes get the urge to torture my neighbors with something like Depeche Mode.

You're alright, George

[phn]

It seems people are misunderstanding my point about SET and FR.

You have people with SET and Lowther-type speakers who insist this is the best of all possible set-ups. And they are right if all you listen to is chamber music. It also rules out 99-pct of all music. My point being that the SET/FR crowd has nothing to say that's of interest to most people.

It's indeed a myth that a SET can't have good bass. But if everything else is equal, a PP amp will have better bass and damping.

Ideally, you should get the speakers you want and then a suitable amp. It's the speakers, not the amp, that will set the limits for your sound system.

[Shoog]

A well implemented FR driver can rock and roll with the best of them. They do tend to require big cabs, but if you want deep natural bass then big cabs is what you need anyway. 6 watts will shake the roof off my house with some vintage Isophon drivers. They can cope admirably with Techno and grunge. They don't need to be timid or expensive. The whole Lowther thing has queered the pitch for fullrange, which is a real shame.

I would say that very few SETs will deliver the satisying bass that a rocker is looking for. You might spend a lifetime (and your life savings) searching for that magic SET amp - but have you got a lifetime! A well implemented PP amp will give you the bass slam you will want, but with treble a SET would sell their granny for, and a midrange to match the SET. I'am talking CLASS A triode PP, with interstage transformers for perfect phase splitting. Not cheap (but can be) and not to powerful - but the best. Just like the suggested 2A3 SETH amp

Shoog

[arnoldc]

From classical to heavy metal...

This is what's giving me pleasure. For as little as 1 watt, it can play party level with a slam. Erasure, Glass Tiger, PowerStation, Joy Division, and yes Depeche Mode too I have a small 4m x 4m room, so yes sometimes my neighbors get annoyed when I play Stravinsky and not Rammstein