Everything. Sound quality, built quality, features and, of course, looks. What I dig most is that with the L-505f I listen to music again instead of listening to the sound of my setup.

It might reveal weaknesses of the rest of the system. And yes, tubes have a deeper soundstage.

This is a fantastic amp without any real weaknesses. It does everything just right so that you can forget about your equipment and dive into the music. I use Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor speakers and it's a great match. It controls the speakers effortlessly and produces a big soundstage where all instruments can be located precisely. Music is presented very accurate yet lively and musical. The L-505f may not be the king of resolution, but in a positive way that means it doesn't strip down the music in a technical way. It doesn't sweeten the sound either, it always stays neutral and gives you rich and natural sound.

This amp sounds great with any kind of music. Other amps I have owned or tested always had strengths and weaknesses depending on the kind of music I was listening to. Not so with the L-505f. It sounds wonderful with every kind of music.

I can't comment on the phono stage. I never used it.

Similar Products Used:

NAD, Acoustic Reality, Heed, Conrad Johnson, EAR, PrimaLuna, Electrocompaniet