I have found the Hovland just produces music in the most compelling way. After owning tons of passive and active designs over the last 20+ years I can confidently tell you that transparency is not the only issue and can in fact keep you from exploring what makes music seems the most real. The Hovland makes virtually every source enjoyable from Tuners, SACD, CD etc. The latest configuration of the HP-100 clears up any concerns over the very earliest versions.
