The Opera is outstanding - it ended my amplifier merry-go-round of some 20 moderately-priced amps (mostly solid-state or digital) and sounds best with its stock tubes.
Extremely natural, warm but not syrupy, harmonically rich, textured bass, extended highs, and a big holographic multi-layered soundstage. A big step up from the Arpege Reference, which is also a very nice sounding amp, albeit a bit rolled off in the highs and less-defined bass.
As jbello is fond of saying... "trust your ears", and try to audition it in your system. Haven't heard the Recital though...
Extremely natural, warm but not syrupy, harmonically rich, textured bass, extended highs, and a big holographic multi-layered soundstage. A big step up from the Arpege Reference, which is also a very nice sounding amp, albeit a bit rolled off in the highs and less-defined bass.
As jbello is fond of saying... "trust your ears", and try to audition it in your system. Haven't heard the Recital though...