The basic signature of the Balance is one speed and quiet, with great bass and a full, though slightly bleached, tonal palette. The channel separation figure for the Balance is a whopping 100dB, so stereo plays well, with wide soundstaging and excellent dynamic contrasts. A great thing is that this unit is so quiet you can play music at whisper levels and still hear all of the information. Background hash, texture, and hum are simply gone. This is without a doubt one of the two or three quietest phono stages that I have heard.

A review that includes a survey of the Van Alstine Fet Valve 550EX Hybrid Stereo Power Amplifier and Cary Audio's Rocket 88 Stereo Power Amplifier