How does Berning ZH270 compare to Cary Cad211 AE ?

Merlin told me the following:

The Berning like a very fine digital photo. Joule Electra amps are like a walk in a beautiful forest that you just don't want to leave. Me, personally, I like the EAR 890 sitting my listening room right now.

I concur with the accessments of the 811. It is a rather soft and seductive amp with a bit of a soft top and bottom end. However, the VSM-MX is a rather lean and transparent speaker and Merlin told me (it wasn't Bobbie but was another guy there who said this was "Our opinion") they respect and like the Berning but love the Joule. However, the cheapest Joule stereo is $10,000.00 to $12,000.00.

I seem to be rambling a little but you may want to consider an amp that would "meaty up" those speakers a bit.

I like the analogy. It's got me wondering how a Berning would sound with a Joule LA-100 MkIII preamp, or whether I should save up for the Joule amps. They come around used around $6k or so.

There are well respected members who love their MMs or MXs with the ZH-270 and others the Joules. IMO, having had both amps in my house at the same time, the assessment that Tomryan quoted from (probably) Bobby's partner is right on the money. I found the Berning a tad too lean and the Joule brought greater emotional impact. I would think that a lean cable would not be a good match to the Berning.

Are Cardas Golden Ref and Audience Au24 lean cables?

Nr9

The 2 cables you list are 2 I would highly recommend. I have owned the Au24 speaker cables and have a pair of GR ic's on hand. I am currently using all Stereovox, 600 sei ic's and Stereovox Studio speaker cables. The Studio's are all copper the 600 sei's use silver but have none of the characteristic artifacts that I have heard with other silver cables and the VSM. The highs are exquisite and highlight what the Merlin's are capable of doing.

The Joule is a gem of an amp but the Berning is as well. Having spent a good deal of time with both my assessment is I would love to have both! They do different things. The thing to remember about the Berning is that the term "lean" can be misleading. There are several things that can be done as Musicpre notes including swapping different tubes, wire and cap upgrades. I would never call the Berning lean but when compared to the Joule which is really luscious it might appear that way. Also Joule is quite a step above the Cary products since you get that palpable midrange along with great high frequency extension and air, really notable on massed voices. It is one seductive amp. The downside is that it runs very warm as do all OTL's.