Vote for best US made solid state amp

The Ayre V-1 and the Ayre V-3. By dd on 11-16-99

I have to agree that the Warner Imaging VTE amp WAS the best amp I have heard and owned. I have had Krell, Levinson and Theshold in my system at one time or another. I have listened to friends' systems of various componets and nothing has exceeding the sound of the Warner Imaging amp.... until recently. I think the reason for the sound is that the Warner amps are all meticulously handmade, bench tested and matched. Recently auditioned in my system 2 new monoblocks from Warner Imaging called The Electronic Renaissance. Without a doubt these amps were the most sweetest, refined, balanced and powerful amps that has ever lit up my Wilsons. They sounded even better than the Warner VTE. Finally a Warner imaging amp that looks as good as it sounds (the VTE is plain ugly). I think I am going to have to have a firesale or sell dope in order to get these amps, permanently.

Pass Aleph series. I have the Pass Aleph 3. Musical and true.

I have owned just about every so-called audiophile out there. I recently tried the LAMM 1.1 amp and sold my Levinson 33 monoblocks and my Spectral amps. In my opinion nothing even comes close. I have stopped my hunt for the perfect amp because I have found it.

Anything by Spectral?? May you spend you life listening to a DMA-50. M-360's certainly are in the running. Threshold went out of business for a reason, and by the way, Nelson Pass's next great design will be his fisrt. Ditto for Dan D'Augustio at Krell - their best amp was years ago and Dan did not design it. David Hafler has done some nice work with various helpers including Bongorno formerly of G.A.S. Levinson the man is again unemployed in the audio world as he well should be. John Curl, Charlie Hansen, and Jeff Rowland are all in the team photo. By default then, the M-360's from Spectral. But rather than be patriotic about it, I would rather save the money and listen to the latest version of the Plinius 250. Near enough to the very, very best in solid state and a bargain by the price standards of the industry.