David Berning is considered to be one of the world's most respected amplifier designers. 20 years ago, after 20 years of designing and manufacturing tube amplifiers, Berning turned tube amplifier technology on its ear: In 1996 Berning invented the the ZOTL (Zero hysteresis Transformer-Less) architecture. Radically different, it was and is still considered the most significant improvement to tube amplifier technology since the 60s.
Berning's ZOTL amplifiers consistently garner stellar reviews and recommendations from the world's top audio reviewers and magazines. In fact, his ZH-230 amplifier continues to receive the Absolute Sound Magazine "Editor's Choice Award" every year since 2011. The Berning Quadrature Z amplifier won HiFi+ magazine's "Product Of The Year" award for 2009. And last year, Berning developed the 211/845 amplifier which sells for many tens of thousands of dollars. It was introduced at the Munich High End Audio Show last year.
Berning's previous amps such as the ZH-270, EA-2101 many others are still highly sought after as timeless examples of Berning's tube amplifier genius.
"If there ever was a genius in home audio it would be David Berning. Fortunately I met David years ago and heard his original prototype power amplifiers. Some of my technical friends said it did not measure very well. To me it sounded better than any other amplifier on the market, and today's Berning amplifier is no exception. That is to say that it is exceptional, and unlike any other amplifier manufactured today or that has ever been manufactured! Do amplifiers really sound all that different. Yes, and the best ones sound significantly better than the competition..." - Audio Legends blog, July, 2015
Dick Olsher, The Abso!ute Sound: "The other attribute that set the Berning apart from the crowd was its immediacy -- a lack of veiling that created a strong sensation of being able to reach out and touch image outlines. This combination of speed, control, and immediacy resulted in a level of clarity only a handful of tube amps could match. It was able to generate a cohesive, spacious, fully 3-D soundstage with excellent transparency and fabulous image palpability."
