However, DHT's are where it's at for sonic purity. Perhaps you never heard a well designed SET or listened to one with mismatched (un-synergistic) components & inefficient speakers that gives you that impression...
Your comment does not apply as I have heard the best names, including Shindo, and other brands many times all with proper sources, speakers etc. In fact I have the advantage of hearing many many, while you have not had the advantage of hearing mine or others. That does give me an "unfair" advantage. And forget diyers.
It is apparent, not your fault, that your paradyme is not what it should be due to the poor designs of nearly all analog components, both dhts and idhts. Very very few are very accurate and natural.
One important point. Please do not claim that others, especially myself, cannot improve designs and overall systems. That is a very poor assumption.
There are a few points that need addressing.
1) Since your paradyme is so negatively influenced by so many poor designs, you cannot make a descent comparison, especially to mine. The best systems are going to be vertical, which few do, by the way.
2) Even the best dht/idht SET designs have inherent flaws, and with dhts/300bs additional inherent physical design problems exist.
3) Even if one could design a near perfect SET, one still has the problem of the DHT/IDHT HD/IMD distortions
messing up the sound. For instance, for 8 watts out from 300b, HD at 15%, the IMD is an astounding 48%. At 5% HD, IMD is around 16%.
So one must run well below max power, low spl of the amp to keep these two types of distortion low. And the IMD makes it much tougher to play complex music without degradation.
Also only at much below max power out/low levels is the damping factor relatively constant.
Of course, preamps have no such problems unless an output transformer is used, with possible ringing problems. Then one needs or has a friend with a scope.
4) Because of the nature of SETs, the damping factor varies, and is related to output power/signal level but only over 1/2 cycle, 1/2 movement of the cone. Damping varies from calculated number around idle current to zero at the tube's cutoff. Not only woofer, but also mid/tweeter controls are affected.
We have not even begun to discuss the accurate/natural parts crisis, the good parts are becoming extinct due to improper testing methods and results propagated as fact on various forums. I cannot even special order some parts anymore.
The question that is really pertinent, besides correcting design flaws, is how are components suppose to improve when one cannot obtain the best "sounding" parts?
I realize there is a lot of hype out there, but it is because of such poor designs using all types of tubes. The truly transparent, accurate, natural comes from the lowest distortion, all types of distortions, designs.
As Bill mentions, the entire design is important. However, the power supply always seems to be lacking in proper design.
Thanks Rich. If I posted all the limitations of an entire design, well.....
Cheers
Steve