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Dima's Zarathustra made it over to my house yesterday fitfully escorted by the Cat on a fine cloudy humid and damp New England day. Having heard the original Melquiades I was intrigued what the amp was capable of and looking forward to its arrival, especially after seeing its Bride of Frankenstein looks from pix Romy had forwarded before his visit-both beautiful and ugly at the same time. What was of particular interest to me was knowing that the little Kharmas really respond higher powered solid state amps as well as what most people are familiar with pairing and have heard them with, lower powered tubes, usually Lamms or Tenors as demoed at the various industry shows. I wondered seriously how any solid state amp even with similar topology would compare to the superlative Melquiades. To say I was pleasantly surprised is a major understatement. The Dima deserves serious accolades for a job very well done. The amp has the directness and clarity of world class sets, and through the Kharmas projected a very large stage with a smoothness up top accompanied by an ease one would not EVER associate with solid state amplification and certainly not achieve with lower powered tubes. This created a widened the dynamic envelope of instruments than I have heard through these speakers. Just now it occured to me also that it has a lot of the sound of the very specifically pushed solid state amp, the DartingEel without the peakiness, leading edge (with an emphasis on edge) and thinness witnessed from those. Very much like the effect of a very smooth and neutral 100 watt SET. Cheers, Dima and hope we didn't disturb your sleep too badly with our crazed phone calls! Perhaps Romy will find someone with a more challenging load to test the outer boundaries of its dynamic capabilities. I for one am very interested in hearing the results...

Rerurn to Romy the Cat's Site