TAS review Berning 211/845 amplifier
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I respect the designer (and have heard them on Kaisers before), but I'm not sure why these go for $75k when Absolare, another super premium 845 brand, is half the price (with custom output transformers).
Ayon orthos xs 150 300w triode and 400 pentode is on top of my list to run apogee duetta and compare to a quality SS amp. Joel in his review preferred it to CAT JL 2 and 3 and liked it better than most SS amps like karan 2000 on Maggie 20.7 and vivid g1. Peter breuninger once wrote that he replaced his Jadis 200 with this. Suteetat has also compared it to quality amps like Jadis, lamm hybrid, etc, and said he had the best bass in his room with them
I should update this with my more recent listening experiences. Driving them with a balanced signal has made a profound improvement in bass propulsion and they now grip the speakers (Benesch ACT) like they own them.
A very interesting point. I wish the reviewer (I think Harley tested them both) could say something about this in the review. Not only in this case of course. Would imo make the reviews more informative. This is not to critizise TAS, I like the mag.
it sits on 4 x stillpoint 5's as standard issue footers.
that's $3k right there for starters.
that's $3k right there for starters.
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It is good.
I used to own one of the prototypes of the Zotl pre, which I incidentally now intend to sell, because.. I decided to go for the latest design of the Zotl Pre one, that has changed enough for me to buy it.
Together with my Q'z it is an outstanding pre, all along the lines of this review.
As an aside: I actually wonder, if Mr.Harley would not have preferred the Quadratures, as they have more of the power he seems to crave for (at least when you compare them to Soulution, which never moved me)
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..I unfortunately sold my Guarneri's before I stumbled over a ZH270, but then I was convinced to have found my kind of amp. I still own it after owning the ZH230, which is a bit more refined, and now the Quadrature Z's, which is the best amplifiyng device I have ever enountered. Speed is there but in a relaxed manner, so you really just hear colours and flow! The only thing missing now would be my original pair of the Guarneri's. But that is the fun of it, always something missing..
Zotl Pre One
Let me add about the Zotl Pre One:
My reference is the Audio Consulting Silver Rock - kind of the inspirator of all those cost no object passives. Serge Schmidlin goes to considerable length to describe the advantages about transformer vs. pots. Knowing him and his utmost dedication I believe him, when he says that he tried to build the worlds best volume pot, only to discover that transformers avoided the pitfalls alltogether. His Silver Rock is legendary.
The Berning Zotl Pre is the first active pre that can stand up to this, although only in battery mode, which is easily done, as it is prepared for this.
In grid mode, it is one of the fastest and most liquid sounding pre's I have heard. In Battery mode, peaceful would be the best description. and the phonostage is truly outstanding - one would pay considerably more if going to the japanese stepup solutions..
I am a violinist and don't care much for the static audiophile sound descriptions. I prefer to hear how to get from A to B, and that is where the Berning shines. And the Qz's drive most designs if not anything stupid.
Caveat: I wonder about price increase: I kind of understand the difference between the ZH230 and the Quadrature Z's, as they are more than double as good (I have not ever heard better amplifiers, maybe you have, who knows)
... but the 211/845 design seems like milking the idea. I don't go for that. I already deal with those kind of dealers in the violin business.
Let me add about the Zotl Pre One:
My reference is the Audio Consulting Silver Rock - kind of the inspirator of all those cost no object passives. Serge Schmidlin goes to considerable length to describe the advantages about transformer vs. pots. Knowing him and his utmost dedication I believe him, when he says that he tried to build the worlds best volume pot, only to discover that transformers avoided the pitfalls alltogether. His Silver Rock is legendary.
The Berning Zotl Pre is the first active pre that can stand up to this, although only in battery mode, which is easily done, as it is prepared for this.
In grid mode, it is one of the fastest and most liquid sounding pre's I have heard. In Battery mode, peaceful would be the best description. and the phonostage is truly outstanding - one would pay considerably more if going to the japanese stepup solutions..
I am a violinist and don't care much for the static audiophile sound descriptions. I prefer to hear how to get from A to B, and that is where the Berning shines. And the Qz's drive most designs if not anything stupid.
Caveat: I wonder about price increase: I kind of understand the difference between the ZH230 and the Quadrature Z's, as they are more than double as good (I have not ever heard better amplifiers, maybe you have, who knows)
... but the 211/845 design seems like milking the idea. I don't go for that. I already deal with those kind of dealers in the violin business.
Just by the way: On audio-markt.de is a guy selling his Quadrature Z amps for an absolute bargain price (not too bargain though, and that site is bona fide, as they require you to publish your identity.) I have no affiliation to the seller, but if anybody wanted to go for ultimate tube amplification, I would say, this is it!
(disclosure of bias: I use exactly the same ones (in silver), still absolutely stunned by them)
(disclosure of bias: I use exactly the same ones (in silver), still absolutely stunned by them)
I, like Audiocrack, am very intrigued by the reports on this amplifier.
I would be fascinated to compare the push-pull Berning 211/845 with a traditional SET with output transformer of similar output power, such as Absolare or NAT.
I would be fascinated to compare the push-pull Berning 211/845 with a traditional SET with output transformer of similar output power, such as Absolare or NAT.
Yes, that would be an interestin comparion. However, maybe throwing in another PP triode amp would make the comparison more complete? Afterall, the Berning is PP and not SET so it will have a different set of harmonic components inherent in the difference in the design.
Who could make that comparison? Another problem to solve...
That definitely would be a more complete comparison. But I am assuming that push-pull plus output transformer will give that amplifier a disadvantage versus the other two designs.
(And from the point of view of my parochial interest -- driving Pendragon ribbons -- I don't care how the amplifier handles the lowest frequencies or how well it controls the bass driver.)
(And from the point of view of my parochial interest -- driving Pendragon ribbons -- I don't care how the amplifier handles the lowest frequencies or how well it controls the bass driver.)
An interesting amp is the Modwright 845 DS, which has some great design choices within.
Beware that in audo-markt.de there are many scam sellers and frauds. There is no control at all of seller identity.
As always if it is too good to be true it is not true - except on when I sell my unwanted equipment there, it is really cheap and it is true!
Users of audio market sites must always do their homework before buying or accepting to sell. I have successfully bought and sold tens of items on this site - we can get great deals there - and the only time I had problems was mainly because I relaxed and did not check properly on the seller seriousness, as it was a low cost item.
Ron, there is a guy in Mexico city who owns the Absolare 845. You can get his and Berning over to yours to compare when your speakers arrive.
You might also want to check this out, expensive at 80k http://www.positive-feedback.com/Iss...lice_grail.htm
You might also want to check this out, expensive at 80k http://www.positive-feedback.com/Iss...lice_grail.htm
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