Regarding the reliability of the VTL gear, yes, they once suffered from horrendous reliability problems that nearly put the company under. Luke Manley took the company over a few years ago and has since turned the reliability problem into a non-issue. I have a pair of MB-450 Signatures that are run at least 3 or 4 hours daily, and in four years they have never failed. I also have a pair of the Tiny Triodes that have never failed in the same time frame. On the other hand, I owned a CJ preamp that was back to the factory 3 times in two years (all of the shipping paid by myself, even under warranty) and the ARC engineers do not bother to mask their boards to save a few production pennies. Take the top cover off of a product before buying, and check out the build quality. Also, NEVER take the word of a dealer for a competing brand regarding the reliability of another product. Oh, and the stuff is high powered, controls a speaker well, and much more neutral in terms of sonics than most tube gear. Listen to advice, but listen and judge for yourself.
