Solid State Power Amp Reviews

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Or however you translate that Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr line.

The ML-2 was a direct descendent of the JC-3 power amplifier designed by John Curl. (Lots of stories behind that, I'm sure).

And, guess what? A surprising number of current amplifiers are also direct descendents, too. Many use that circuit topology today. Certainly, there are exceptions, but they are exceptions.

Of course, lots of implementation details have changed as better parts and techniques have come along. (And gone along, too.)

The JC-3 came out 44 years ago. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Anyway, the price of the custom order ML-2's referenced in this article would come to around $22K in 2020 inflated dollars. This also makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Nelson Pass copied Lincoln Walsh' patent for sliding class A, successfully embodied in Paul Klipsch's favorite amplifier, the Brook series of tube amps. The Japanese firms did the same and with considerable finesse in their premium versions.

Remember hearing it just as I was getting into hi-fi as a youngster at one of my favorite hi-fi stores; one of the employees had brought it in to the store to try with the big Maggies he was contemplating purchasing. He was a friend/acquaintance of Dave Reich, had Dave bridged two DR-3's for him. Classe was never the same company after Dave Reich was forced out of the company. Good memories.

Here's a direct link to JGH article

https://www.stereophile.com/content/mark-levinson-hqd-loudspeaker-system...

Good to know, nice to know they are back but still not the same without Reich.

reading these old reviews