While it�s fresh in my mind, I got the C61R working with a linear power supply at the weekend, and eagerly hooked it up alongside the 861V4, using just the analogue outputs, and no DSP modes. I didn�t really expect to upset the apple-cart, but I was keen to see how much an LPS would improve another controller. I used a Power One supply with the high current output set to 5.0V, rather than 5.2V, and no current sensing.

It occurred to me what a fascinating exercise this was, as no-one was likely to have heard before what a G-series controller could do, unshackled by the SMPS (which turned out to be a lot). My impression was the C61 benefitted from the linear supply at least as much as the 861, and perhaps more. Having gotten used to the modified 861, I hadn�t been too impressed with the C61 beforehand. With the linear supply, it was greatly improved: big, bold, dynamic and transparent, without the slight muddiness and harshness of the stock unit.

Comparing the 861 & C61 was surprisingly difficult, and I spent longer than I expected trying to choose. Many times I felt like I was listening to the same amplifier, and might have been happy with either. After many (happy) hours it finally became clear that the 861 was more neutral and refined, while the C61 was punchy and dynamic. This was nothing like comparing the stock G68 and stock 861, or the 861 with switching and linear supplies, where the differences were clear as daylight.

It was only when digging really deep that I finally heard a clear advantage to the 861, which had better low-level resolution, darker backgrounds, and more subtle phrasing and musical interplay. On the other hand, the C61 was good with the skeleton of the music, and could hold on to a rhythm better, but was a bit more two-dimensional. The fact (to my mind) that the simple addition of an LPS to a G series controller not only brings it up to the level of the 861, but nearly to the level of the 861/LPS, is quite remarkable. That makes the functionality, form factor and feature-set of the C61/G61/G68 rather attractive, but having heard the 861/LPS, it�s hard to step back and I�ll probably be keeping it. Which is what I wanted to know.

Nick