"In toto, the KR Audio Antares is not only aptly named but cosmetically honest about its virtues and ideals. Outside its binding posts, it's a first-class performer without flaws or even a distinct sound, pointing at that no-man's land between tubes and transistors which many modern designers are aiming for these days. The lines between them camps are blurring, soldiers from either side nocturnally defecting to the other while meeting furtive cross traffic, occasionally hankering down for some note sharing before checking in with the new commander. If the absence of tube glow, literally and harmonically, led you to question why one should even bother with an 80+ lbs design that could accomplish its objective without $570/pr hot-running glass bottles, I'd counter that certain vital components of said objective and concomitant performance do seem to require these very vacuum devices. I stand by said conviction based on experience and at least until KR Audio delivers one of their solid-state amps to my door that equaled the Antares in the dynamic and transient fields. Until then? Asking me?"

You do need tubes. What the VA320 proves is that this doesn't have to equate polite, laid-back, lush, slow, make-everything-sound-the-same. Just don't visit the Scorpion King if your ideas of truth included idealizing alterations - you wouldn't fancy its stinger for an answer then. Otherwise, highly recommended and, one formidable value that merely requires a strong back -- or four hands -- to park facing your sweet spot. In the wake of that Stereophile review which completely humiliated whatever KR Enterprise amp model was on the test bench at the time, to likely skew not only my personal notions about the firm's wisdom and ability to enter the electronics market? Color me deeply impressed. The Antares VA320 is a physically rock-like component, dead quiet" - Srajan, Six Moons