Can SE amps play Rage Against The Machine

[Haselsh1]

Absolutely they can but quite possibly not how you'd like it to sound

[YNWaN]

Actually, whilst I completely agree with all the comments emphasising the importance of speaker and amp matching, I think Shaun (Haselsh1) also makes a very valid point. I have Rage Against the Machine's eponymous debut album and on my non-horn and non-single ended amp system it sounds incredibly tight and punchy. Now a very sensitive horn system with SET amps will certainly go as loud as it does at my house but it will present the music in a quite different way.

[anthonyTD]

A good push-pull solid state/ or valve amps ability to stop and start when needed, is a huge act to follow where conventional Single ended amps are concerned, However; you can get close with single ended, whilest still maintaning most of the virtues we associate with good single ended amps.

Actually, whilst I completely agree with all the comments emphasising the importance of speaker and amp matching, I think Shaun (Haselsh1) also makes a very valid point. I have Rage Against the Machine's eponymous debut album and on my non-horn and non-single ended amp system it sounds incredibly tight and punchy. Now a very sensitive horn system with SET amps will certainly go as loud as it does at my house but it will present the music in a quite different way.

[Gazjam]

Mines is a non commercial SET power amp built by Nick Gorham, so other than giving Nick an idea of your budget and have him build you one (best sound for your budget and way better than a commercial amp for same price imo), cant really recommend any, sorry!
Good SET amps don't come cheap unfortunately, but I've heard the World Audio Design amps are pretty good?

There's an old argument in the valve amp world between Push-Pull and SET, with fans of both types.
SET amps don't do rock, and Push-Pull doesn't do vocals as good as SET.
As always with these things, it ain't necessarily so.

Can speak to SET amps doing rock so its bollocks!

There is nothing like a spiked question to start some debate but to my mind good HiFi should be able to express all the emotions from passion to anger but many systems seem to focus solely upon passion and forget the other emotions. I'm pleased to learn there are SE amps out there that are not all sugar but can you please name them so I can have a listen myself - thanks.

Loudness The physical strength and amplitude of a sound - Intensity, power, or anger
Melody The linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity - Complementing harmonies: happiness, relaxation, serenity. Clashing harmonies: excitement, anger, unpleasantness.
Tempo The speed or pace of a musical piece - Fast tempo:happiness, excitement, anger. Slow tempo: sadness, serenity.
Mode The type of scale - Major tonality: happiness, joy, Minor tonality: sadness.

[Marco]

I play what I call real world music, which is; a bit of everything, and My Soul Single ended amps cope quite well, ask anyone who's heard them
But I agree, you have to partner things well, and that goes for all types of amplification!
A...

"Quite well" is an understatement, however, as you well know, their design is far from conventional, with them featuring the rather novel solid-state aspect of things. Also, if someone wanted a pair of monos built today, how much would you be asking, something like £15 grand?

That would be out of most people's price range, although they'd be getting a pair of amps, which if produced, say, by someone such as AudioNote, would retail for probably £50k! And yours would almost certainly sound better.

My point being, however, (and indeed as Gaz has also said, which I know you too will agree with) is that the best valve amps, either SET or push-pull, simply don't come cheap, as you can't get away with cutting corners, like you can with some SS amps.

Ultimately, everything revolves around the size and quality of the transformers, and in general, good valve amps are also more labour intensive to build, especially those that are hardwired, point to point!

Marco.

[Marco]

Now a very sensitive horn system with SET amps will certainly go as loud as it does at my house but it will present the music in a quite different way.

Indeed, but presenting the music differently is quite a different thing from being 'able to rock', or not. The point is, that the best valve amps, SET or push-pull, when used with the right speakers, don't lack 'grunt' - far from it!

One thing I would say though about the P/P vs. SET thing, is that I always prefer having a good few watts in reserve (at least into double figures), in order to prevent my amp(s) 'running out of steam', when/if used in more demanding environments than they're normally used to.

It's like hsving a car with a big engine: that sense of 'effortlessness', when driving at high speeds, is invaluable. It always pays to have ample reserves of power - and that applies to amps as much as it does engines.

Marco.

[Macca]

All the systems I have heard with SET amps and big horn speakers have been useless at doing rock recordings. Like a transistor radio sort of sound.

[Marco]

It's unusual, but the bottom line with anything is how well what's used has been implemented, and in that respect, the best designers can often make good sounds from a cheap collection of parts. Ultimately, it's all about experience and know-how.

However, in your example, you could pretty much guarantee that if the transformers used were replaced for higher quality versions of the same electrical value, the sound would be even better!

Marco.

[Marco]

All the systems I have heard with SET amps and big horn speakers have been useless at doing rock recordings. Like a transistor radio sort of sound.

There are other types of high-efficiency speakers available, than simply out-and-out horns. Tannoy DCs, for example, or the Eddingdales that Gaz uses

Either of which will 'rock da house', in a reasonable sized room, with a good SET amp.

Marco.

[Macca]

Getting plenty of volume out of a horn/SET system isn't really problem. Getting rock music to play loudly without becoming a confused mess is where SETs fall down, in my experience. Maybe there are SETs that will do it and I just haven't experienced them, but I would advise the OP to hear for himself before parting with any cash.

In theory you can do it with very sensitive speakers, which is what everyone seems to be saying. I've got a low power valve amp and use it with 96db efficiency speakers but it will not go to the SPL I require for rock music without getting a little 'messy'

To go above that you need proper horn loading and then you introduce a whole new raft of problems with colouration unless it is a multi-way system.