Quote Originally Posted by topspeed
Listen to the PS Audio HCA2 and decide for yourself. You're in The City, it shouldn't be too hard to find a dealer up there. Bare in mind that Jeff Rowland's new 500wpc monos are also digital hybrids. Hmmm, maybe these guys are onto something, no?
I know that those and the Bel Cantos have a good reputation so I'm willing to keep an open mind. The first digital amps that I tried out several years ago sounded awful, and in general I'm kinda wary of gimmicky designs that measure very well on output tests but potentially pose other issues in everyday use (my favorite example is the Carver Magnetic Field amps from the 1980s, which got a lot of notoriety for their high output, light weight, and cool-to-the-touch operation, yet couldn't handle the UL safety tests without posing a fire hazard. Subsequently, they got banned in L.A. County because the fire department does not allow any non-UL consumer electronics to be sold there.)