The just-released issue of Stereophile features a review by Herb Reichert of the Veros PWR+ amp by LKV Research.
Okay, point #1: I've never heard of LKV Research and I'll bet many of the posters here are in the same camp. The company is based out of North Conway, New Hampshire. In his review, Reichert extols the virtues of its "chief of everything" Bill Hutchins. Point #2, and more to the purpose of this thread: Reichert says he's never liked Class-D amplification... until this one. Point #3 and even more pertinent to this thread: the amplification is provided by Bruno Putzey's Purifi 1ET400A (love that number; I have no idea where it comes from or what it means). The same amp that will power the NAD Masters M33.
Reichert compares the LKV to both the Class-D Bel Canto mono amps (he liked the LKV better) and a Rogue push-pull tube amp, part of his reference set-up. In comparison to this reference, he felt the LKV delivered more weight and instrumental body.
Reichert concludes his review with: "Sound quality and music enjoyment-wise, the LKV Research Veros PWR+ amp sits on a higher mountain than any other Class-D amp I've encountered... Gleefully recommended."
Conclusion: I still love my Devialet Expert 220 Pro for any number of reasons. On the other hand, I am paying particular attention to the various implementations of Purifi amplification. As well, I am looking at such Roon-Ready integrated amps that might have other virtues, such as room correction and MQA end-to-end decoding. Just sayin'!
Okay, point #1: I've never heard of LKV Research and I'll bet many of the posters here are in the same camp. The company is based out of North Conway, New Hampshire. In his review, Reichert extols the virtues of its "chief of everything" Bill Hutchins. Point #2, and more to the purpose of this thread: Reichert says he's never liked Class-D amplification... until this one. Point #3 and even more pertinent to this thread: the amplification is provided by Bruno Putzey's Purifi 1ET400A (love that number; I have no idea where it comes from or what it means). The same amp that will power the NAD Masters M33.
Reichert compares the LKV to both the Class-D Bel Canto mono amps (he liked the LKV better) and a Rogue push-pull tube amp, part of his reference set-up. In comparison to this reference, he felt the LKV delivered more weight and instrumental body.
Reichert concludes his review with: "Sound quality and music enjoyment-wise, the LKV Research Veros PWR+ amp sits on a higher mountain than any other Class-D amp I've encountered... Gleefully recommended."
Conclusion: I still love my Devialet Expert 220 Pro for any number of reasons. On the other hand, I am paying particular attention to the various implementations of Purifi amplification. As well, I am looking at such Roon-Ready integrated amps that might have other virtues, such as room correction and MQA end-to-end decoding. Just sayin'!
Devialet Expert 220 Pro Kinki EX-M7 power amp tethered to a fiber-fed Lumin X1 streamer via Grimm XLRs, Vivid B1 Decade speakers in Rosso Barchetta red (only 200 produced in a limited edition), Roon Nucleus with a Samsung 860 EVO 2TB SSD, etherREGEN switch fed by a Sonore opticalModule (and Sonore-supplied transceivers and 1M optical cable) with a SOtM dCBL-Cat7 cable to my Nucleus and a DH Labs Reunion Cat8 to my Lumin T2 streamer, Keces P8 linear power supply feeding a (to come) NUC and EtherREGEN switch with an external AfterDark OCXO clock., and opticalModule (5V/1A), AudioQuest Niagara 1000 power conditioner, ASI LiveLine loom (purchased directly from Franck Tchang when I lived in France), Less Loss Firewall for Speakers and Roon lifetime license with Tidal streaming.
