deep sonud stage,fast bass built like a tank whih a Phd.

none

these monoblocks are a great combination of power,huge 3d image,great sense of realism switchable to triode or tetrode ,has agreat sound in both triode or tetrode beautifully built truly a grate sonding amp.

Presence, tangibility, authority, delicacy, sweetness, accuracy, long tube life

No sonic weaknesses. Biasing not as easy as some others.

These monoblocks offer a great combination of power -- the ability to project big sonic images -- along with a sweetness and delicacy that comes from the fact that they operate in triode mode. Even with large orchestral pieces, there is ample power to handle my Virgo speakers, which are not the easiest to drive. The amps are very extended in the highs, tangible in the mids, and on the warm side in the mid-bass, but far from plump or tubey, rather there's a nice sense of weight and fullness. Best of all is a natural, sweet, listenable quality that makes listening to strings, vocals, etc. a joy. It may not be the last word in all things -- some amps may have tighter bass, or better soundstage layering. But this is a class A piece, with a magical combination of qualities that make it a keeper. Another plus is the reliability, the good service of VTL, and the fact that tubes will last upward of 5000 hours. Be prepared to use a multimeter when it comes time to bias the tubes, every couple of months, but at least you'll learn about Ohms law.

Similar Products Used:

Spectral, conrad-johnson, Music Reference, EAR