[PaulFolbrecht]

1) Is there anybody out there that would go on-record as saying the D100/200 sounds "as good as" or "has the qualities of" etc of a good tube SET amp?  I thought I was sold on my new Art Audio Carissa but it's not enough to drive my Gallo Ref 3s to the levels I like *once in a while*.  So... it's back to the search yet again (maybe).  Ugh!

2) Do the two (100/200) sound virtually the same sans the different power ratings?  Designed the same?  Same quality parts, etc?  (If I go this route - I am sure the 100 is plenty of power for me, but I read so much more about the 200.  I wouldn't want to buy the 100s expecting them to sound the same as the 200s and be disappointed.)

Thanks so much.

[PaulFolbrecht]

Ok, a bit more research (archives here) have turned up 1 or 2 that seem to have given up SET for the CI monoblocks.

It does also seem that there are substantial differences 'twixt the two in terms of design.

Can someone answer this: How much negative feedback is used?

[DaveX]

1) Is there anybody out there that would go on-record as saying the D100/200 sounds "as good as" or "has the qualities of" etc of a good tube SET amp?  I thought I was sold on my new Art Audio Carissa but it's not enough to drive my Gallo Ref 3s to the levels I like *once in a while*.  So... it's back to the search yet again (maybe).  Ugh!

Hello Paul, I haven't heard all the SET amps on the market but I'm certainly pleased with the D200's which replaced a pair of Cary 300B SE monoblocks. Yes, in my opinion the D200'S do have the mids and immediacy of (good) SET amps but you need to listen for yourself in your own system.

[Charles Calkins]

Paul:
 Do it!! D-200's all the way. You will never look back. Your search for killer amps will be all over.

                                               Cheers
                                               Charlie

[zybar]

I bought a pair of D-200's and they certainly are excellent amps, but they don't sound like a SET amp.

If you want SET sound, go buy a SET amp!   

Heck, my mega-buck amp that I think is incredible doesn't sound like a good SET amp (in terms of an incredibly rich and lush midrange), although it produces a very engaging and pleasing sound.

As was suggested previously, audition the D-200's and decide for yourself if their presentation is what you are looking for.

BTW, what do you feel are good qualities of a SET amp?  That might help some people give you some more information in case you can't go the audition route and have to base your decision on other people's comments.

George

[PaulFolbrecht]

George, and others -

Thanks for the replies.  For me, the must-have SET qualities do NOT include "lush midrange" - I think that's something not directly related to SET.  I think I can distill down to two things what the SET amps I have tried have given me that I've not found elsewhere:

1) Detail retrieval/microdynamics.  Time and again, I heard things on my discs I have never heard, from any push-pull tube or solid state amp.  The NuForce 9's I tried *may* have given the same level of detail, yet there was something "off" about it.

2) Soundstaging that is just realistic in a sense that I cannot adequately describe with words.  Whether this is a by-product of not splitting the signal (with a PP phase-splitter), I can't say.  Again, I have found that the switching amps I've tried have gotten closer to this ideal than SS amps.

I have tried both NuForce and Bel Canto and found them both a bit too dry - especially the NF.  Do the CI200s have a different sound than these?

Thanks,
Paul

[zybar]

Compared to the NuForce amps the D-200's aren't dry sounding.

I totally hear what you are saying about the NuForce being off...you can search here on AC to see what I thought of them.

Based on what you wrote above, I think the D-200's are going to be more to your liking, but you know the only way to be sure. 

George