Best Digital Amps

Stereo Times reviewed the EVO very recently too. They are going to regret using up so many superlatives on the other reviewed digitals.

I've hear all but the PS, and that is not in the same power league I need. IMO The eAR is hands down the very best amp ever produced.

I've run some of the best solid state amps, and tube amps too, and using the eAR improves on the sound in all categories. It's mids and highs sound like tubes, except with total clarity into the musician. The Bass is as powerful as with the biggest Krells, but natural at all frequencies. What's more, the eAR exudes power like you've never witnessed.

The ICE module has greater potential than the TacT and TRI Path modules. Only Rowland, and Acoustic Reality has produced home audio amps with ICE. The Rowland uses digital switching in its power supply, while the AR uses analogue. The difference is easily heard.

Muralman1, when you say Ear, are you talking about the Tube amps Tim Paravicini designed.
Which model number for the Ears.

I have not heard any other digital amp other than
Spectron, but have owned many great amps in the
past such as McCormack DNA-2 Deluxe JR Model 7
mono blocks, and many many others and I have gone
back to the Spectron twice, and believe it's the best
amp I have owned (and it's the older D-1).
If I ever go to another amp, it will be a new Spectron.

It makes my Green Mountain Europas sing!!

Little Milton, don't get too excited. Some here just like taking pot shots at the HCA-2.

I find it hilarious that many of the amps that are often compared to the HCA-2 are 2 to 3 times more expensive than the HCA-2. And if modding a product means the product wasn't "well-engineered" to begin with, then virtually every component ever discussed here has to be considered poorly engineered because they all get modded searching for better performance. Not to mention the manufacturer mods (upgrades) to their own products, i.e the Spectron I, II, and now III or the Bel Canto 2002.x or xx, xxx. I can't even keep up with all of the Bel Canto changes. I am shocked, in fact, that Spectron and Bel Canto had to come out with so many upgrades to their products since Nealhood annointed them as "well engineered". And the ironic thing is that the HCA-2 upgrades I did to the HCA-2 cost $75 vs. the Spectron and Bel Canto upgrades which cost several hundreds more!

I think you get my point.

Spend $75 in premium parts on a $1,700 amp and I suspect it will compete with any of the amps mentioned here. Oh, and BTW, in its stock form it kicks the crap out of the Bel Canto based on virtually every post I have read comparing the two.

Click on the Review section at AA and read the HCA-2 reviews and the follow-up threads. There is much good information there from posters who have actually done direct comparisons of the HCA-2 to other "well-engineered" amps. Either the balance of the opinions at AA are correct about the HCA-2 or the "drive-by" HCA-2 posters at the 'Gon are correct. Take your pick.

Muralman1 -"The ICE module has greater potential than the TacT and TRI Path modules" What potential?

And how do you compare the Tact which needs no premap or
dac to the eAR which needs both?