Lavardin IS Reference or IT - anyone heard?


The Lavardin integrateds have been the subject of several strong reviews and only recently found North American distribution. Has anyone heard them and had a chance to compare with other high quality integrateds? The reviews hit all the right buttons for me; fully musical and detailed at low volume, approaching the air and resonance of good tubes etc. Any experience out there?
panderso

Showing 3 responses by panderso

Thanks Sean, I'll check out pinkfishmedia.

Yes thanks, Budrew; that Hi-Fi + Issue 37 is one of the reviews that piqued my interest. There is also the Review of the IS Reference in the March 2005 Stereophile, an earlier review of the IS Reference from issue 13 of
Hi Fi +, back in Sept 2001, and an earlier review of the IT in Hi Fi + as well.

I'm especially interested in any comparisons with obvious comparators, such as the YBA Passion, the new Edge G3integrated, the well established Plinius 8200, newer 9200, the SimAudio Moon I-3 & I-5...well, there is a long list of quality integrateds these days, and then there's the tubes...Manley Stingray, ASL Leyla, Prima Luna Prologue and Pathos Classic One...

I'd love to hear how Lavardin stacks up against the competition - the reviews are tantalizing.
Budrew, perhaps you should get your tubes tied!

Seriously, thanks for the input Ed, Phil, Budrew.