what is the best amp you've ever heard


Period.
fruff1976
Karan. I have the I-180, the smallest one. I haven't been fortunate enough to hear the bigger ones.
Easy: VTL Siegfried Reference Monoblocks.

I have never, ever heard another amp do what those things did at an open house at my local High End shop. The next year I went to the same hi-fi show and heard the same turntable and disc player into the same speakers, but it was the Ayre preamp and amp instead. The Ayres are very nice, but they weren't even close.

Disclaimer: I've never heard the top line Halcro monoblocks.
Well so far, the best has been some Wavac model @ the 2007 CES show. (Ridiculously priced of course!)

Followed by the Lamm M2.2 and then the DarTZeel NHB 108.
Of all the amps I've had in my system, the AtmaSphere MA-1s have so far been the best. The JJ Electronics (the tube manufacturers) 828 is also very nice - not as dynamic, but sweeter. It's a shame this company doesn't get more attention. They were the shooting star for a while, but then other trends came along, but they make really good amps.