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Setton: Towards Perfection

Jack Setton founded the Setton audio company in the mid-1970's. Setton is considered by many to be one of the most obscure audio brands ever in the market. Alain Carre of the Pierre Cardin Orgaization designed the cosmetics and front panel. Since the focus was many on looks, Settons retailed for enormous amounts of money in their day. Setton tried to boost their profit and released three different lines of audio gear, but each line sold fewer than it's predecessor. Their final line was so unsuccessful that I have yet to find any information on it anywhere on the web. The only reason I know about it is from reading it in an old audio brochure. Thus, few Settons were sold and they are considered to be extremely rare today. Setton was out of business by 1980. Fortunately, I discovered that Setton was forgotten by audiophiles and the demand was truly, second to "none."

Many people prejudice against "vintage" audio gear like this and believe that it is just "old junk." I can say for a fact that I have yet to find a single Home Theater system or any sound system at Best Buy or Circuit City that is even compareable in both sound and build quality. I even tested my "old junk" against my dad's new BOSE system, which was considerably more expensive than mine. It was hardly a contest! It was like comparing a live concert to a $5 kitchen radio. And the Setton was a thousand percent more powerful than the "Blose"! Most new audio manufacturers simply focus on cost-cutting and profit instead of quality. Setton's focus was on 100% quality. I was able to purchase my Setton amplifiers for inexpensive prices relative to their size and power.
Although they did not sell well "back in the day", they were aimed at the high-end audio market. The build quality and sound quality was incredible. The knobs and paddles were solid machined aluminum, as well as the quarter-inch-thick faceplate and rack-handles.

Below is taken from an early Setton brochure

"Some hi-fi manufacturers seem to be in the fashion business. Every year another step closer to reality. New models. New designs. And always more power. Supposedly at no extra cost.
But to give you all this and more for the same is impossible. Even to stand still is expensive.
Something has to be sacrificed.
All too often, it's quality. Compare the new with the old. Perhaps the components are cheaper. The finish is not all that is was.
But, almost certainly, the build quality will have increased. From necessity. To get anything approaching a reasonable sound, the amplifier has to be driven with more and more reserve. Because there is more distortion, introduced by the savings made elsewhere.
Put quite simply, power isn't everything. And sometimes it's nothing. Remember the old valve amplifier? Often with an output of no more than fifteen watts. It did the job because it could be driven to the full. But cheap transistors can't. So you end up paying for power you can't use.
At Setton we disagree.
From the moment you first touch a Setton you know have found quality which will be hard to surpass. Every control operates with absolute precision and authority because, from conception, a fundamental decision was taken to eliminate compromise.
For six years fifty technicians and designers have worked and researched to produce the finest range of amplifiers and receivers.
Nothing has been left to chance. Not only is reliability inherent in the design, thorough and continuous quality control is rigorously applied at every stage of the manufacture.
The interior is remarkable for the lack of connecting wires. But, where they exist, the connections are 'wrapped' rather than soldered. Avoiding the possibility of dry joints and breakage.
As soon as you realize, Setton is built to a standard. Not to a price. And every amplifier and receiver is fully guaranteed for five years.
There is no reason why you should have to change your Setton any more often than your house.
But everything is subordinate to one purpose, the sound. And every watt is a useable watt."

Contact

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Content: by Henry "The Blacknight"
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