After reading several rave reviews of the Jeff Rowland Concerto Integrated and one also rave review of the Bel Canto REF1000 in respectable French audio magazines, I'd love to see a review of these amps in Stereophile. A comparative review would be especially worthwhile as these amps (as well as some smaller Bel Canto models) are built on B&O's ICEpower digital switching technology. It is striking that the JR Concerto has been described as "analog-like" or "tube-like" while being much more powerful than any tube amp. So that's pretty much the opposite of the cliches about "digital" anything.
I have a tube amp right now but, when dreaming of my future system, I look at all options with an open mind. Any chance to get a review of these beasts ?
BTW, I have also read rave reviews of a new digital amp by Flying Mole Corp in Japan. It is only 20W but a magazine reported that it could drive a pair of 17000-euro JBL Array monsters... and it costs just 670 euros. A 100W model seems to have been demonstrated recently at CES.
Is it just me, or is there some very disruptive potential in these digital switching amps ? If they indeed sound so great with no significant shortcomings, what is going to justify the existence of $20000+/pair monoblocks ?
Thanks
After reading several rave reviews of the Jeff Rowland Concerto Integrated and one also rave review of the Bel Canto REF1000 in respectable French audio magazines, I'd love to see a review of these amps in Stereophile. A comparative review would be especially worthwhile as these amps (as well as some smaller Bel Canto models) are built on B&O's ICEpower digital switching technology. It is striking that the JR Concerto has been described as "analog-like" or "tube-like" while being much more powerful than any tube amp. So that's pretty much the opposite of the cliches about "digital" anything.
I have a tube amp right now but, when dreaming of my future system, I look at all options with an open mind. Any chance to get a review of these beasts ?
BTW, I have also read rave reviews of a new digital amp by Flying Mole Corp in Japan. It is only 20W but a magazine reported that it could drive a pair of 17000-euro JBL Array monsters... and it costs just 670 euros. A 100W model seems to have been demonstrated recently at CES.
Is it just me, or is there some very disruptive potential in these digital switching amps ? If they indeed sound so great with no significant shortcomings, what is going to justify the existence of $20000+/pair monoblocks ?
Thanks