Most hybrid amps have a valve input stage and solid state output. Roger Modjeski instead went with a bipolar input stage and valve driver and outputs stages in his Music Reference RM-200 amp. It’s a great amp (100w/ch, from only a pair of KT88 or 6550 tubes per!), residing in Stereophile’s Class A/Tube category for many years, where it is by a wide margin the lowest priced amp. Unique for a valve output-stage amp, it puts out more power at 4 ohms than at 8 (1, 2, 4, and 8 ohms taps provide. 1 and 2 ohms in a tube amp?!)) and has an unusually low output impedance for a valve amp, resulting in a more even frequency response than typical.
A well-kept secret (it’s not expensive or fashionable enough?), Music Reference having few dealers, doing no advertising, and infrequently reviewed (just like Eminent Technology products, designed by the great designer/engineer Bruce Thigpen). Modjeski (and Thigpen) has no interest in playing the frequent model-revision (one change to the amp in twenty years, now in Mk.2 guise), endless-update marketing game. His amps are keepers, rarely coming up for sale used. Buy one and concentrate on your music.
