<B>GEORGE JONES: <I>Cold Hard Truth</I></B><BR> Asylum 62368-2 (CD). 1999. Keith Stegall, prod.; John Kelton, eng.; Mark Nevers, Brady Barnett, Steven Crowder, John Stolpe, asst. engs. AAD? TT: 34:16<BR> Performance <B>****?</B><BR> Sonics <B>****?</B>

I've heard my share of Krells, Levinsons, Rowlands, and the like in other people's systems&mdash;expensive solid-state amplifiers are not my usual beat. With the exception of an inexpensive Adcom a few years back, for more than a decade I've owned and reviewed only tube amps. In fact, until the $7500 Ayre Acoustics V-1 showed up, I'd not had one in my system. Similarly, I'd had only tube <I>pre</I>amps until I reviewed the Ayre K-3, which so impressed me that I asked to hear the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/609/">more expensive K-1</A>&mdash;and ended up buying it.

I've heard my share of Krells, Levinsons, Rowlands, and the like in other people's systems&mdash;expensive solid-state amplifiers are not my usual beat. With the exception of an inexpensive Adcom a few years back, for more than a decade I've owned and reviewed only tube amps. In fact, until the $7500 Ayre Acoustics V-1 showed up, I'd not had one in my system. Similarly, I'd had only tube <I>pre</I>amps until I reviewed the Ayre K-3, which so impressed me that I asked to hear the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/609/">more expensive K-1</A>&mdash;and ended up buying it.

I've heard my share of Krells, Levinsons, Rowlands, and the like in other people's systems&mdash;expensive solid-state amplifiers are not my usual beat. With the exception of an inexpensive Adcom a few years back, for more than a decade I've owned and reviewed only tube amps. In fact, until the $7500 Ayre Acoustics V-1 showed up, I'd not had one in my system. Similarly, I'd had only tube <I>pre</I>amps until I reviewed the Ayre K-3, which so impressed me that I asked to hear the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/609/">more expensive K-1</A>&mdash;and ended up buying it.

I've heard my share of Krells, Levinsons, Rowlands, and the like in other people's systems&mdash;expensive solid-state amplifiers are not my usual beat. With the exception of an inexpensive Adcom a few years back, for more than a decade I've owned and reviewed only tube amps. In fact, until the $7500 Ayre Acoustics V-1 showed up, I'd not had one in my system. Similarly, I'd had only tube <I>pre</I>amps until I reviewed the Ayre K-3, which so impressed me that I asked to hear the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/609/">more expensive K-1</A>&mdash;and ended up buying it.

I've heard my share of Krells, Levinsons, Rowlands, and the like in other people's systems&mdash;expensive solid-state amplifiers are not my usual beat. With the exception of an inexpensive Adcom a few years back, for more than a decade I've owned and reviewed only tube amps. In fact, until the $7500 Ayre Acoustics V-1 showed up, I'd not had one in my system. Similarly, I'd had only tube <I>pre</I>amps until I reviewed the Ayre K-3, which so impressed me that I asked to hear the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/609/">more expensive K-1</A>&mdash;and ended up buying it.

I've heard my share of Krells, Levinsons, Rowlands, and the like in other people's systems&mdash;expensive solid-state amplifiers are not my usual beat. With the exception of an inexpensive Adcom a few years back, for more than a decade I've owned and reviewed only tube amps. In fact, until the $7500 Ayre Acoustics V-1 showed up, I'd not had one in my system. Similarly, I'd had only tube <I>pre</I>amps until I reviewed the Ayre K-3, which so impressed me that I asked to hear the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/609/">more expensive K-1</A>&mdash;and ended up buying it.

<I>"Gotta get my hands on these!"</I>

<I>"Gotta get my hands on these!"</I>

<I>"Gotta get my hands on these!"</I>