The Boulder 2060 might be the poster boy for heavy-metal power amplifiers. It can deliver as much as 2,400 watts, weighs 240 pounds, and sounds amazing. It's made in Boulder, Colo.
The Burmester 808 Mk 5 stereo preamplifier has a modular design and uses plug-in circuit boards. The original 808 was introduced in 1980. It's still made in Germany.
This HP-2 headphone was designed by Joe Grado, and hand-built by his nephew John Grado in the 1980s. John now owns the company and designs all of the current headphones and phono cartridges. Nearly all Grado products, with prices starting around $79, are made in Brooklyn, NY.
The Viola Labs Crescendo sounds as good as it looks. Japanese audiophiles are among the world's most demanding perfectionists, and they account for a healthy percentage of Viola's customers. The electronics are assembled in New Haven, Conn., and the machined metal chassis parts are sourced from a firm in Colorado.
The Devialet D-Premier integrated amplifier is fashioned from a single aluminum casting, polished to a high shine. It can be positioned horizontally on a shelf or mounted on a wall. The D-Premier is made in France.
