Audiophilepure

Timbrally, too, the U-588 ranks among the most neutral amplifiers I’ve heard. Please don’t read that like it is devoid of color or saturation. It renders everything in the recording, whether wooden, metal, string, vocal, or otherwise, just as it is supposed to be. The pacing is also perfect, neither slow nor hurried, but precisely in between, and moving along with the music. Likewise, the U-588 is dynamically very capable, scaling precisely as needed by the music, neither undercutting nor bragging.

As I proceeded to listen to various tracks, I realized that the U-588 has a stealth-like musicality. By this, I mean that amplifiers that are usually found to be “musical” and engaging are typically warm or lush, or in some other way veering from purity or neutrality. With the Aavik, there is simply no added warmth, thickness, or coloration. Nevertheless, it does not devalue the emotion or reduce the warmth embedded in the recordings. In short, it is earthy and neutral, yet natural and musical.

A fundamental splendor emerges when music is reproduced properly, revealing the essential magic when everything sounds just right. This is expressed through several indicators, including stereo field realism, rich harmonic content, texture, dynamic contrast, and physical depth, contributing to a complete, upper-echelon level of resolution.

With limited review time annually, curiosity and enthusiasm must guide discovery, and I’m more than happy that I’ve taken a deep dive into Merrill Audio’s latest offering. Merrill Wettasinghe purveys something deeper and extraordinary, evident in every musical turn. The ELEMENT 110 monoblocks counteract amplifiers that induce listener disenchantment. These US-made amplifiers deliver profound musical gravitas rather than entry-level catharsis.

https://pt.audio/2025/07/20/burmester-111-musiccenter-review/

What’s immediately noticeable is how The Man from Waco leans into a slightly more refined sound than his previous work. The horns, organs, and lush string arrangements bring a sense of grandeur to some of the tracks, reflecting a more expansive and cinematic feel. Crockett’s vocals, ever raw and emotive, soar over these intricate arrangements, blending classic country with a touch of gospel and blues that creates a soulful warmth throughout. The standout title track sets the stage for the entire album. With a slow, hypnotic groove, it features one of Crockett’s best vocal performances to date. With the Burmester 111 Musiccenter, his voice sounds grittier, more seasoned, and carries the weight of the narrative. The 111 was able to flawlessly transport me to a dusty trail, working as a shotgun rider on the San Jacinto Line (email me if you get this reference, we can be friends.) I really loved hearing the intro standup piano on this track through the 111; it made me instantly feel like I was drinking sasparillas in a dusty bar somewhere near Tombstone Arizona. It’s hard to overstate how much this component elevates almost everything I listened to in the six months I had it, and this Charlie Crockett classic album is no exception.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/pathos-inpol-legacy-integrated-amplifier

I found it hard to ignore the partial dropouts—split-second reductions in gain—that accompanied every 0.5dB-step adjustment, as if the amp were stuttering. At the same time, a faint, percussive thwup emerges from the speakers with every stepped change. Harmonia’s Jesse Luna relayed my experience to Pathos HQ in Italy and got the following response: “The volume control is a laddered resistor network that uses premium Vishay Dale metal-film resistors and individual relays, so the signal goes through one resistor per channel and comes out 100% pure. Because they’re a mechanical device with a switching speed, there can be a very short delay between the devices responding.” For maximum sonic purity, Pathos’s engineers rejected the idea of inserting a mute circuit, transistors, or ICs into the signal path, at the expense of the tiny serial dropouts I mentioned. “These kinds of solutions would most definitely impact the overall sound quality in a negative way,” team Pathos asserted. I can easily live with that decision.What I couldn’t brook was the Legacy’s remote control. Even with a fresh battery, turning off the amplifier often required as many as a dozen power-button pushes. Curiously, that same button performed better—but still not reliably—when powering the Legacy on. The remote has gray icons printed on a mottled silver finish. Until you become familiar with the buttons and can operate them by feel, prepare to do a lot of squinting, if you are of a certain age. I eventually just kept the master volume at 60 and adjusted from there within the Roon app running on my MacBook A