First Watt M2 by Nelson Pass

This is a sweet amplifier, with the characteristic Nelson Pass clarity and definition. Conservatively rated 8 because I am the second owner, but it really looks like a 9. Those marks in some of the pictures are dust flecks.  From the owner's manual: The First Watt M2 is a two channel audio power amplifier delivering 25 watts per channel. It uses JFET and MOSFET transistors operating in Class A mode without negative feedback so as to produce a more musically life-like sound.

Great attention has been paid to the linearity of the gain stages of the M2, resulting in a power amplifier whose performance is good enough to avoid negative feedback altogether. This is rarely achieved at a reasonable cost, and at this time the M2 serves as one of the best examples of the benefits of an amplifier with passive voltage amplification and no feedback.

The design is extremely reliable and will never need adjustment. It achieves a relaxed sound with a very organic character and dynamics well beyond the expectations of the power rating.

The simplicity and performance of the circuit allows a unique sonic experience that is likely to make you go through your entire record collection all over again.