Berning ZH-270 Replacement

Barry, No integrated I have heard competes with an upgraded ZH270. My suggestion would be to wait for a ZH270 to show up on the used market and grab it, as the 270 should mate perfectly with the Sonus Faber Guarnari Homage. Even a stock ZH270 with NOS tubes will be hard for most any integrated to compete it. The OTL sound is special and the advanced capabilities of a ZH270 are unique to Berning designs.

Hi Barry, Better options? Not likely at anywhere near the price point but different options, yes of course. If you want to check out something different for the fun of it you could try a one of the switching (digital) amps or maybe a Chip amp or pure Class A SS? What you won't find find is the sound an OTL amp gives you, in that sense you have been spoiled already....much less having a ZH270 and not having to deal with all the limitations of conventional OTL amps!

Peter_s, there are too many variables to consider before determining why the ZH270 you previously owned did not perform satisfactory in your system. Cables, Feedback settings, room, associated equipment, ect..... You get the point :) Sometimes, its just difficult for hobbyists to adjust when they first hear a Berning ZH. Typically this is because they have lived for so long with conventional tube and/or solid state amplifiers both possessing various colorations they are taken back by the clarity and revealing nature of a Berning ZOTL amp. But, for those interested in hearing the soul, emotion and drive of the instruments and musicians contained within the recording, I can think of no better product to tell the story.

In the end though, it boils down to what sounds best to you in your system and suites your own personal tastes.

Cheers,
Chris

AudioFeil International, Correction, "A True OTL" is precisely what a Berning ZH270 IS - OUTPUT TRANSFORMERLESS. A Futterman OTL based or derivative is what a Berning ZH IS NOT. There is a specific distinction to the cutting edge, modern OTL design topology executed within the Berning and the 50+ year old highly limited and unstable OTL technology used in the Atmasphere.

Ralph, A basic principal of Futterman tube amps is they use banks of tubes in a series, agreed? Atmasphere amps do likewise yet you claim the Atmasphere are not derived from Futterman. Tweaked and much improved, yes and kudos to you for that!

Not fully understanding the highly advanced Berning design is something that you cannot be blamed for. However, to call it a non OTL design is absolutely mistaken and incorrect. The ZH is DC coupled for crying out loud! The DC to DC converters are NOT transformers, their role is for matching impedance in accordance to load. But you should know this already, as this has been explained on the threads and elsewhere time and time again.