Atma-Sphere M60 or David Berning ZH270?


Hi, I need some helps to decide which one of these two amplifiers to go with my 14ohm Coincident Super Eclipse (SE).

The Atma-Sphere seems a perfect match for the SE at least in impedance matching and at 14ohm, may get more power than 60 watts. The ZH270 may get less than 70 watts @14ohm. However, I have the following concerns for the M60:

1. 8 6AS7 output tubes per side generates a lot of heat and it does not have cage protection. This is quite a problem if you have young children at home like me. The ZH270 has tubes internal (like a Tube preamplifier) and thus safer for young children.

2. 16 6AS7, though last long time, can be more expensive than ZH270's 4 6JN6 if I try to replace them.

Pro for ZH270 can run without a preamp and is auto-biasing.

On the other hand, ZH270 is more expensive ($4995) than M60 MKII.2 ($4250) (current still have a few left).

As far as the most important factor: sound? I have no idea at all. I have not heard either one anywhere. I have owned ASL Hurricane for over a year and like the sound very much but disappointed for the constant re-biasing and QC problem.

Does any one have Reliability problem with either one?

My listening room is 13Wx8Hx26L and I listen almost only classical music from solo violin, piano, to chamber music to 20 century's big symphony orchestra works (Mahler, Strauss, Stravinsky, etc.).

Thanks for the helps.
laoyuap

Showing 2 responses by oneprof

Laoyuap, just to complicate things a little more, the Berning with all of the mods that Allan Bhagan has come up sounds notably different than the stock Berning. Neither Duke nor Swampwalker indicated whether they heard a stock Berning or a modded one (although I seem to remember from a previous thread that Swampwalker heard a fully modded one? Not sure). I think that most of us Berning owners have gone for the mods, and are very happy with them. Of course, the modifications do cost some additional money, but IMO the mods are worth it.
Laoyuap, here are the mods to the Bernings that I have: 1. All tubes replaced with NOS, some cryo'd, some not, not really a mod I guess, I think that new Bernings come with the Cryo'd 6jn6 tubes stock now, not sure

2. The ERS mods

3. Some of the caps have been replaced, again maybe that is stock now, not sure

4. The silver wire mod that Allan mentioned to you.

Also, since I have two 270's I run as monoblocks, I had some internal rewiring done to bridge them, but that's obviously not an issue with one amp.

I feel like I'm missing something, but I guess not.