I'm new to SET. I have a push pull KT88 tube amp that I like very much. I just got my TSE 300B amp up and running. Now I can't make a really fair assessment because I'm listening near field in a crowded 10ft x 10ft metal shop building, with modified Mirage bookshelf speakers with not my best frontend, interconnects, or speaker cable. And I'm using the cheapest 300B tubes I could find with only a couple of hours on them. And non of the amplifier parts are broken in yet, but this amp sounds wonderful. And once it warms up, I cant believe how good it sounds. All I can say is "WOW". I have to pry myself away from just sitting there listening to music.
If it sounds so good now, I can't imagine what it's going to sound like with my new Quantum transport, new BK-16 speakers, and new interconnects and speaker cable, and power cables. I've built everything new. Interconnects, digital cable, and power cords are all VH Audio recipes. Quantum transport is being built for me as we speak. I'll be breaking in the amp, cables, and speakers in a spare room while I'm waiting for my transport to arrive. The Psvane Treasure MKII 300B tube say they need 400 Hrs on them. I won't be able to put that many hours on them before the system goes out into the den, but one or two hundred hours maybe.
I'll say it again. WOW!!!
If it sounds so good now, I can't imagine what it's going to sound like with my new Quantum transport, new BK-16 speakers, and new interconnects and speaker cable, and power cables. I've built everything new. Interconnects, digital cable, and power cords are all VH Audio recipes. Quantum transport is being built for me as we speak. I'll be breaking in the amp, cables, and speakers in a spare room while I'm waiting for my transport to arrive. The Psvane Treasure MKII 300B tube say they need 400 Hrs on them. I won't be able to put that many hours on them before the system goes out into the den, but one or two hundred hours maybe.
I'll say it again. WOW!!!
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Glad to know you like the results. I remember my first exposure to SET amp. 🙂
As for the other components, especially the ones in red letter above, I wouldn't worry about them as long as they are of adequate gauge (speaker cables & power cord) and shielding (interconnects). They are not the bottleneck in home audio. Speakers and room acoustics are.
I agree. Speakers, and room acoustics play a really big part in the sound of a system. I think that the front end ( CD transport ) is equally as important as a good DAC and good amplifier. To a lesser extent, the interconnects also make a difference. I wasn't a believer. But when I replaced my Generation one Nordorst Blue Heavens, with My VH Audio silver wire interconnects with WBT Next Gen Silver RCA's I could hear a definite improvement in sound. Might just be a matter of taste.I've never used shielded interconnects, and never have seemed to have a problem. Speaker cable is another topic that we could probable talk about for a while. I'm using Clear Day Silver shotgun speaker cable. Small gauge silver cable. Sound pretty good so far. I won't know for sure until I get my transport, and get it all set up in my den. Power cords? I don't know it they make any difference at all. But I figured, if I'm building a whole new system, I might as well do the power cords to. It can't hurt. Well thanks for listening.
I used to think that way until I went through level matched double blind test. Such difference is not the case anymore since early 90's. In other words, they all sound excellent unless something is malfunctioning.
I was a believer until doing cable DBT (double blind test). You don't want to spend another penny on them. That is unless you are going for the looks.
Well, yes, and no. Barring the really cheap radio shack kind of junk. I kind of agree. Given 5 or any number really, different quality interconnect, of speaker cables, or what have you. They will all probably sound slightly different. I'm not saying any of them sound bad. Just different. You could spend the rest of your life, and some people do, rolling interconnects, or speaker cables or whatever. When I changed interconnects from the blue Heavens to the VH Audio silver interconnects, did I all of a sudden think my Blue heavens sounded terrible? Of course not. They are still great interconnects. I just think I like the new interconnects a little better. I don't go crazy swapping wires all the time. I'm just trying to make the best DIY system I can, and then just listen to it, and not change anything once I have it all set up.
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