Hi Manbir and others. FYI I have just received a pair of these generously on loan for demonstration to our local audio club (Hawkes Bay New Zealand). They displace a biamped pair of tube/mosfet hybrid amps that have proven quite excellent. They are driven from a Sony XA777ES via silver foil leads and a motorised Alps 10k pot, into N801's.
They sounded quite average out of the box without breakin - an hour later little different (I have no idea how much break in they already have - but the box had been opened at least and I suspect they have had a bit of use as demo amps). I swapped the standard power leads for some local power cables that have proven revelatory on all amps I have heard them with, and once again the change was night and day. I have not the h foggiest why power cables should have this effect, but I think I am now achieving a fair degree of the 201's capability. I would characterise them as neutral - certainly not warm. Compared to my existing set up (a few hours in so barely a fair comparison), they are not miles away - they are better in bass control (mine is a zero feedback system so no surprise there), perhaps not quite the slam or warmth of my old Plinius SA250, but not quite the air and detail of my hybrid amps but nevertheless very good. This only after a few hours - lets see what happens in a few days.
They sounded quite average out of the box without breakin - an hour later little different (I have no idea how much break in they already have - but the box had been opened at least and I suspect they have had a bit of use as demo amps). I swapped the standard power leads for some local power cables that have proven revelatory on all amps I have heard them with, and once again the change was night and day. I have not the h foggiest why power cables should have this effect, but I think I am now achieving a fair degree of the 201's capability. I would characterise them as neutral - certainly not warm. Compared to my existing set up (a few hours in so barely a fair comparison), they are not miles away - they are better in bass control (mine is a zero feedback system so no surprise there), perhaps not quite the slam or warmth of my old Plinius SA250, but not quite the air and detail of my hybrid amps but nevertheless very good. This only after a few hours - lets see what happens in a few days.