hey, i have a jrdg 8ti, which sounds great but ain't near as pretty as any of the burmester line. to my ears, tho, burmester electronics (@ least amps and pre's) are a bit too bright and analytical. they remind me of of the thresholds during the "pass era" (his new stuff doesn't suffer from the problems i experienced while he was @ threshold; perhaps getting one's own way thru ownership solves many problems).
Best solid-state amp made anywhere
I'd like to open up this "best of" to include amps from New Zealand, Canada, France, England, Germany and (my personal favorite) Italy, as well as whoever else I've left out (no extraterrestrial amps, please). I have spent some time with the most amazing solid state amp - made by Aloia of Italy and uses an inductive (!) power supply. These amps have a naturalness and ease I haven't previously encountered in solid state, not even Pass or Claytons. Have you noticed that the Italians make superb audio equipment? In this country, audio engineering is to engineering as podiatry is to medicine. It just doesn't typically draw the cream of the crop. In Italy music matters far more, and audio equpiment is designed by people who will make an opera singer sing her part over if they aren't satisfied with her performance. Well enough sociology - what's your vote for best solid state amp?