Alright, Ryno. We exchanged emails last week.
I thought the Belles was one of the best amps I ever heard.....until I heard the Berning. All improvements that were realized when I ran the Belles - depth, weight, proportions, balance, tonality, ease, presence, texture, realism - were touched on deeper with the Berning.
My system (today):
Cary 306/200
Hovland HP-100
Berning ZH-270 (Prior amp was Ayre V-3)
Cardas Golden Reference RCAs
Cardas Golden Ref Bi-wire
Proac Response 2.5s (Merlin VSM-Ms on the way!!)
TG Audio and Empirical Audio power cords
PS Audio P300
I could easily live with the Belles. But there was something about the delivery on the Berning that made the sound flow so effortlessly. Funny, the Belles is rated at 250 WPC and the Berning at 70. The Berning just played louder and stronger and put out a major bottom end.
Even as a tube neophyte, I am intrigued about "rolling" the tubes with some after-market NOS upgrade like tube groover reprorted in the Tenor thread.
I also tried my CD player directly into the Berning. Too early to tell. (berning has a "passive" input with volume knob on amp.)Initially I would say there is a trade-off. Higher resolution with loss in soundstage.
I thought the Belles was one of the best amps I ever heard.....until I heard the Berning. All improvements that were realized when I ran the Belles - depth, weight, proportions, balance, tonality, ease, presence, texture, realism - were touched on deeper with the Berning.
My system (today):
Cary 306/200
Hovland HP-100
Berning ZH-270 (Prior amp was Ayre V-3)
Cardas Golden Reference RCAs
Cardas Golden Ref Bi-wire
Proac Response 2.5s (Merlin VSM-Ms on the way!!)
TG Audio and Empirical Audio power cords
PS Audio P300
I could easily live with the Belles. But there was something about the delivery on the Berning that made the sound flow so effortlessly. Funny, the Belles is rated at 250 WPC and the Berning at 70. The Berning just played louder and stronger and put out a major bottom end.
Even as a tube neophyte, I am intrigued about "rolling" the tubes with some after-market NOS upgrade like tube groover reprorted in the Tenor thread.
I also tried my CD player directly into the Berning. Too early to tell. (berning has a "passive" input with volume knob on amp.)Initially I would say there is a trade-off. Higher resolution with loss in soundstage.