Like Davis - i own the 700 monoblocks and the 721 (have separate phono linestage) and for me they are the right choice (wont go into value discussions as of course it is a ridiculous price). I think the comments are interesting on the internet with these amps (710 & 700s). i find some people say they are analytical and others comment that they don't have enough bloom. (i have heard some people say they are not transparent but that is so far off, i just ignore those comments). what you have to realize with both the 710 and the 700s is that they are completely neutral and transparent. may sound cliche by now, but they truly show everything up stream from them. if you get happy with your system (most importantly your cabling) then i think these are one of the best amps out there.
JV on AVGuide was going through his theory of 'Absolute Sound' vs. 'hear everything' vs. 'enjoying the music' - stating these are 'hear everything amps'. i found this funny as the word Absolute by definition is objective, so i would restate his list as musicality, absolute sound, enjoy the music - with these amps being the absolute sound category, anyway, these amps will let you hear everything exactly where the music is supposed to be as it was recorded (soundstaging, quality, etc). if you do get the set-up you like you'll love these amps (i have listened to the 710 extensively and would say it is even more neutral than the 700s). you will find yourselves listening over and over to your favorite recordings, wondering why you like this musician better than another one, because these amps will let you hear the difference. yes, there will be some favorites that were recorded so badly that you don't take them out as much as you used to, b/c the Soulutions will let you know just how bad they are. But that too is music and there is a lot of good recordings out there (Beatles new release in FLAC is amazing). To me, Vinyl is better than ever with the Soulutions. i understand those who state they want the bloom of a tube amp, but most of those people are listening to chamber music and some big orchestra - Soulutions play those well too, but they play everything across the board just like it was recorded (for better or worse).
i think one thing you should take into account when making your consideration that most negative comments on the forums are from people demoing the Soulutions in a dealers systems or hearing them at a show. for those that own the Soulutions or tested them in their own system (and got the right cabling, front-end, etc) i have never heard anything but gushing reviews. in fact, of the big reviews that have happened (in US and Europe) a big percent of the reviewers have kept them as their reference.
JV on AVGuide was going through his theory of 'Absolute Sound' vs. 'hear everything' vs. 'enjoying the music' - stating these are 'hear everything amps'. i found this funny as the word Absolute by definition is objective, so i would restate his list as musicality, absolute sound, enjoy the music - with these amps being the absolute sound category, anyway, these amps will let you hear everything exactly where the music is supposed to be as it was recorded (soundstaging, quality, etc). if you do get the set-up you like you'll love these amps (i have listened to the 710 extensively and would say it is even more neutral than the 700s). you will find yourselves listening over and over to your favorite recordings, wondering why you like this musician better than another one, because these amps will let you hear the difference. yes, there will be some favorites that were recorded so badly that you don't take them out as much as you used to, b/c the Soulutions will let you know just how bad they are. But that too is music and there is a lot of good recordings out there (Beatles new release in FLAC is amazing). To me, Vinyl is better than ever with the Soulutions. i understand those who state they want the bloom of a tube amp, but most of those people are listening to chamber music and some big orchestra - Soulutions play those well too, but they play everything across the board just like it was recorded (for better or worse).
i think one thing you should take into account when making your consideration that most negative comments on the forums are from people demoing the Soulutions in a dealers systems or hearing them at a show. for those that own the Soulutions or tested them in their own system (and got the right cabling, front-end, etc) i have never heard anything but gushing reviews. in fact, of the big reviews that have happened (in US and Europe) a big percent of the reviewers have kept them as their reference.