in 1982 i was in a definitive hifi store in north seattle, where a pair of huge [room divider size] magnaplanar tympani III speakers were being driven by 2 monoblock triode class-A amps of 50 watts each, to barely above background music levels [the tympanis were notoriously inefficient]- as an aside, the room was swelteringly hot due to the massive heat given off by these amps [driven to the max by the power-sucking maggies], each of which were about the size of a large window air conditioner. but what sound pressure level there was, was informed by the most magisterial and pristine sound i had ever had the good fortune to hear with my own two ears. the famous SET sound was clear yet warm. this was one of the only times that i swear i could hear what the amplification itself sounded like [or more precisely, how little it colored the music, in this case a direct-to-disc recording of a bach organ piece], separate from the speaker sound quality which was a benign overlay, akin to the effect of a [speaker] grille cover. it was so clear, that i could hear each component element's sound quality [i.e., amp, speaker, room, phonograph recording quality, turntable/tonearm quality, phono cartridge quality] simultaneously differentiated/delineated in mid-air. interestingly, the phonograph surface noise seemed to hover mid-room like an almost palpable cloud. the whole setup cost more than a house, btw- the monoblocks, the tympani speakers, the wires, the dedicated filtered power supplies, the room acoustic treatment et al. some doctor was there and bought the whole kit and kaboodle upon first listening. i remember being very envious of him, the lucky so-and-so. but that one listening convinced me that [class-A] tube amps have the best sound of anything i'd heard before or since.
21 Aug 2011, 5:11 am
