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SET Amp recommendations?

I have a 1957 HMV tape machine in a floor standing wooden console which contains a 13 x 8 EMI speaker in what is effectively a big open backed cabinet. The machine has a 2 watt single ended pentode amp and with the right tape it sounds both room fillingly loud and extremely pleasant.

IT IS NOT HI FI.

But it does sound very nice - occasionally.

Mostly I listen to my Quad 99 system though.....
 
malcesine said:
Thebiglebowski - Do you think its underpowered even if it's only the tweeter the amp is driving at lowish levels?
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Yes, not sure what the xover freq is for the D18 but it's generally around 3-4Khz so impedance will still be fairly low and a fairly difficult load for a SET valve amp.

Personally I wouldn't use SET with a speaker of below 93 dB sensitivity (even though sensitivity is not the greatest indication of a speakers response or capability)
 
Barrymagrec said:
I have a 1957 HMV tape machine in a floor standing wooden console which contains a 13 x 8 EMI speaker in what is effectively a big open backed cabinet. The machine has a 2 watt single ended pentode amp and with the right tape it sounds both room fillingly loud and extremely pleasant.

IT IS NOT HI FI.

But it does sound very nice - occasionally.

Mostly I listen to my Quad 99 system though.....
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And I bet it has NFB! So more hi fi than most "hi fi" ones:D
 
Barrymagrec said:
I seem to remember Serge referring to one particular very expensive and highly regarded SET as an effects box.
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Is he around? Im sure I remember him saying he quite liked the sound...hated the measurements of course...it's such a stressful hobby this HiFi thing.
 
Good discussion but can I try and gently guide things back to question...
Which SET / Class A amp would you recommend for a Proac tweeter...?
 
Rockmeister said:
Is he around? Im sure I remember him saying he quite liked the sound...hated the measurements of course...it's such a stressful hobby this HiFi thing.
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If an amp measures awful it will sound awful... or at best sound "nice" in a very coloured not hi fi way.

Unfortunately it doesn't work the opposite way round!
 
malcesine said:
Good discussion but can I try and gently guide things back to question...
Which SET / Class A amp would you recommend for a Proac tweeter...?
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A JLH 10Watt SS amp should work well (it's even sorta single ended..but not... Beyond the scope of the discussion). Use a cap of about 100uF in series with the tweeter or the switch on thump will fry it!
 
Arkless Electronics said:
Sounds like GEC/marconi type numbers...
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Yes, DH77 is an EBC90, N78 had no Mullard equivalent - EMI had a tie up with Marconi in those days, in fact a lot of Marconi domestic kit was made at EMI Hayes along with the all the HMV range.

If you ever see an Emitron valve note the label similarity with Marconi valves of the same period.
 
Arkless Electronics said:
I struggle to think of anything right about them.... no crossover distortion, there yer go... Everything else is awful! Assuming zero feedback then:

1/ Almost no damping factor. The frequency response will look like the impedance curve for the speaker!

2/ Very low power output generally. This is because it's single ended, which means it has to be class A, and single ended class A is generally even more inefficient than push pull class A.

3/ Very high distortion which is readily audible as false warmth and lushness in many SET's but can give harshness in some cases. Were talking 10% THD here in many cases!

4/ In many/most cases very limited frequency response and much worse still power response. Get beyond the first Watt and you're often talking 100Hz to 10KHz type bandwidth.... very audible!.

They are basically colouration generating special effects rather than hi fi amplifiers! If your ideal is 50's radiogram or 40's jukebox (but quieter) sound then they're just the ticket:rolleyes:
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Are you a mastering engineer?

Let’s not log onto the internet. It is a silly place.
 
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