Jgottget, you must of just missed out, it seems Rudge ordered a pair a week before you. I did speak with Mike Sanders concerning the differences other than the input/driver tubes used. Bigger transformers and more power but a higher output impedance. One of the appeals to me about the 88s is that they can be used with a wider variety of speakers. So far as sound goes, my impressions are pretty much the same. What has me scratching my head is why some amplifiers that aren't NEARLY as musically engaging as these cost so much more. One thing about some of the older tube designs with a rich presentation was what I call the halo effect which was always a distraction. These are really modern sounding, rich, natural, neutral in character overall in that you hear what is on the recording. Another thing I have observed about some amps with wide bandwidth, my current amp included, is that there is often a peakiness at points in the upper frequencies that can cause distraction. This is heard with certain instruments including recorder, flute, piano and soprano voice. I have been going through some of my "problematic" recordings to see how the 88s handle these passages. They remind me much of the Joule Electra OTLs that I had in the system years back in that they maintain musical integrity of the instrument/voice without the peakiness with air, like you hear in live acoustic performances.
I certainly haven't listened to everything out there but I've heard enough to consider these amps exceptional in presenting music in a natural, detailed manner without any obvious irritants or amusical artifacts. Vocals and instruments are generally presented more realistic and engaging. I'm sure there must be better but going back a few months ago to a well over 100K plus system I listened to at a dealers. The thing that struck us all was trying to determine what was wrong with what we were hearing in a well designed acoustically treated room, good sound in some respects but distracting at the same time, hmmmm. It reinforces to me, I suppose, that the recipe is far more important than any of the individual parts. Maybe a pair of V4s would have changed the equation, who knows?
