[Slapshot]

I have a relatively small room, 12/5x9.5, and an excellent pair of 300B monoblocks. Several people who are longtime audiophiles (as am I) strongly recommended Daedalus speakers for my situation. I have read most of the online comments and reviews and it seems that only a handful oof people feel that a SET amp can actually make these speakers perform. Even the owner has stated a preference for more wattage than SETs can produce. But here and there, someone says that pairing their SET with Daedalus speakers was magical.

Are these comments only likely associated with people who only listen at low, or at most moderate levels? I'm certainly no headbanger or anything close. While I do listen to moderate levels 75-85% of the time, there are certainly instances where I am going to listen to say, The Who, or yes, Or Led Zeppelin, and I want proper rock music listening levels for the necessary impact.

Any clarifications, experiences or advice greatly appreciated. I plan on making whatever I buy the last ones I will purchase for my upcomingretirement.

[Jarbs]

Like you, I really like my 300b SET amp. It presents in a way that SS, push-pull, or parallel amps can’t. I also don’t listen loudly and describe myself as a micro, not a macro listener. Depth, separation, and inner delicacy are important. However, I keep a high watt SS A/B amp around for rock music. Over time I use it less and less. The ears just don’t like slam anymore.

I had Daedalus Apollo 11 speakers. Excellent and versatile. I used many different amps ranging from 1.5 watt 45 SET to 200 watt SS. 1.5 watts didn’t work on anything but girl guitar material. 3.5 watts 2a3 SET was better, but just didn’t have punch. 8 watt 300b was the first acceptable level of SET power. Bass definition and volume would be ok most of the time, even on more casual rock, but it just doesn’t snap down low like a class A/B amp can - either SS or tube. I tried 20 watt GM 70 SET and 30 watt 845 SET. Each had ample low end heft, but still didn’t snap. Their compromises in inner detail rendered them unacceptable to me.

Perhaps the best compromise amp I used with the Apollo’s was a VAC 200iq (push-pull KT88). It could hit hard with voluminous bass and had tube harmonics and long decay. A Thomas Mayer on hand proved to have superior sound quality overall (more refinement and coherence). Just can’t find everything in one amp it seems.

Alternately, if you are committed to the 300b amps, there are other speakers to consider - DeVore, Audio Note, or Tobian could work well. I ended with Tobian.

A compromise of another kind could be Daedalus with the Spatial Audio Blackbird monos - 300b push-pull by Dan Sachs and Lynn Olson. I may try these myself.

Circling back, if I could only own one amp, it would be the 300b SET. As always, many paths are possible.

[Slapshot]

Jarbs, thanks for your reply and for detailing your experiences. Its greatly appreciated. It sounds like I may still be in trouble with my "just purchased" 300B monoblocks. As mentioned in my original comments, I listen at moderate levels 70-80% of the time, however, if I want to throw on a serious rock album, I want it reproduced in at least something close to the sound level originally intended. It sounds like 8wpc appears to be at the very lowest level of what can effectively drive a Daedalus Muse or Athena, and I don't want to limit myself for what will be a "forever" speaker purchase.