David Berning Quadrature Z or Vitus SS-101

FYI, David Berning doesn’t do a lot of amp building these days but his amp designs can be purchased at Linear Tube Audio. He works closely with Mark Schneider to build these amps on a larger scale and more affordable.

I have owned David Berning’s ZH230 and now own several Linear Tube Audio amps (David Berning designed) and can say these are probably the most reliable OTL types ever made. I would suggest you try the LTA ZOTL40 to use with your Maggie’s. Get them as 80 watt mono blocks and you will be rewarded. I swear these amps were made electrostats. The synergy is amazing and then add in all of the possibilities with rolling EL34 tubes. I have a pair of Janszen’s and a ZOTL40 with NOS Mullard EL34s and I would add to use the MZ2 as a preamp for maximum synergy.

@nicknick , funny thing, I also own the Plinius SA103 and the ZOTL40 sounds better to my ears. The Berning Amps with its built in redundant protection circuitry is almost fool proof. Sure you still will need tube occasionally but not as often as other tube amps. A set of tubes could last up to 10 years of every day use. There is a lot of info on the ZOTL designs. It’s not your normal OTL circuit in fact many argue vigorously it’s not an OTL at all. It’s certainly not a space heater like my an OTL or my SA103 which I will put up for sale soon.

@nicknick , congrats on the purchase. I recently went to a friends home for a Saturday of listening and what do you know David Berning came over and brought the Quad Z monos with him. Wow! They sounded good. What sweet power and control. I don’t think they will ever run out of headroom. You made an excellent purchase.