A Sound Foundation

The amplifier is the heart of any audio system, so choose carefully before you buy. Rod Easdown offers a few tips on what to look for.

Cool Runner

SHARP is not a name normally associated with esoteric two-channel amplifiers, so it was a surprise last year when the company released its $25,000 SM-SX100 amplifier. The company justified the price tag by saying the SM-SX100 was the first of a new breed of digital amplifiers that consumed little power and produced almost no heat.