The brand-new MSB M204 mono amplifier ($38,950/pr.) was also introduced. Made in Santa Cruz, the 200W Class A amp has zero negative feedback—a rarity above 50W. Its unique vertical cylindrical design features two large toroidal transformers per side with only two gain stages, and ultra-short signal and power paths—none longer than one inch. A pair powered YG Acoustics Sonja 1.2 speakers ($74.8k) with an MSB Select 2 DAC and universal media transport ($119,990). Sure, I longed for analog, but this system really did elevate Red Book CDs with an impression of openness and dimensionality. Sonny Rollins’ smooth sax had good body and pretty detailed neutrality, but I still wanted some more bloom and richness. Apparently MQA compatibility will be forthcoming, which sounds like a promising development.
