Once upon a time a popular reviewer concluded that my (major high-end brand of) reference amplifiers didn't reproduce a musical rendition of the material he played on his system. This review to this day has thrown a long shadow over the worthiness of this product. OK, everyone has an opinion, right? but this guy isn't just "anyone". I and i am, well, nobody. Nonetheless, I have had these
amps for some time now and they get out of the way of the signal you feed them as well as ANYTHING i have heard either tube or transistor. AND these are my 5th set of amplifiers so far. although i have been repeatedly tempted to "go in another direction", nothing i put on my stereo sounds
less than stellar, and i have been in this hobby for over 25 years, been to lots of audio stores, demos, and even some shows. Nothing sounds EXACTLY like a live jazz group or an orchestra concert, but often i am so drawn into the music (at home), that the Illusion of the final few veils has been lifted. The imperfections (i.e. acoustics) of my living space are far greater than the limitations of my components.
Sometimes I wish i could squish that reviewer's head like a grape (just for fun). Oh well, it's just that much less i care what he or many others think when writing down their "professional viewpoint" or whatever. Another example (glaring i think from reading so many divergent views) regards Magico speakers. Exquisite attention to the most minute details is spent in their design and construction. Group-A thinks they are the best of the best, while others find them to have a lifeless quality...??!! No, i personally have not auditioned them. But i have heard a number of different B&W speakers and they do not suck in the least (though some here in the forums think they are terrible sounding speakers...??).
Even a "now-ancient" pair of Matrix-801's do not suck, although i have heard speakers since then that do some things better (they also cost three times as much). In fact one of the best sounds i have heard in the past was a blue note jazz album played on 801's using Pass Aleph amplifiers.
Don't believe the reviews. Look at the specs, check out how the product is made, compare prices all you want. But forget about what "Joe Schmo" says he heard. And "borrow" copies of audio magazines if you can avoid paying money for them. I gave mine away so my friends could read the ads....
