When Michael Fremer reviewed the 710 amplifier from Swiss manufacturer Soulution last August, his praise for the sound was surpassed by mine for the measured performance. "The Soulution 710 is definitely one of the best-measuring amplifiers I have encountered, " I wrote, "Color me impressed."

Denver retailer Apex Audio, which is continuing in the tradition of the late John Barnes' Audio Unlimited store, was using the Soulution 700 monoblocks ($130,000/pair), which each offer 430W into ohms, 860W into 4 ohms, were being use to drive Focal's Stella Utopia EM speakers ($90,000/pair), with their electromagnet-powered woofers via Tara Labs cables.

This system handled delicate music, such as Shelby Lynne's version of Dusty Springfield's "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me," with aplomb, yet was able to effortlessly manage the huge climax of Respighi's Pines of Rome. The low frequencies had a seductive purring quality, and while the top octave was a little suppressed at my front-row seat—I was sitting off-axis for both tweeters—the high treble was better balanced farther back.