I spent a good portion of 2019 in the company of Vinnie Rossi’s superb L2 Signature Preamplifier ($16,995). My review was in three parts—the Line Stage proper, the added DAC module and finally the Phonostage module. The two modules ($3495/each) increased the price just shy of a not inconsiderable 24K. However, fewer large boxes clogging up your rack and a superior, lifetime component.

Jump to September 2019 and the introduction at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest of the new Vinnie Rossi L2i-SE ‘Signature Edition’ Integrated Amplifier ($18,995), the subject of this review. The ‘SE’ improves upon his L2i Integrated Amplifier ($13,995) by adding matched Elrog 300B DHT tubes and other changes. The DAC and Phono modules are available for both the standard L2i and SE versions. This review is of the SE integrated amplifier without modules. My unit was in silver. Rossi builds every SE by hand. The fit & finish is exemplary, commensurate with such an expensive, boutique component.

It’s been a bumper few years at Audiophilia on the integrated amplifier front. There have always been outstanding examples mating a preamplifier and power amplifier in one chassis and playing nicely together, but more and more high end companies are designing and manufacturing expensive integrated boxes with varying topologies.

In fact, my reference power/pre is the Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated Amplifier ($10,000) which has served me spectacularly well—it’s a Capri II preamp ($5,500) on top of a 400W Class D power section. It is not only much improved Class D—as seen and heard over the past decade—but Class D as sanctified by Jeff Rowland. Which means it’s a gorgeously transparent, sweet, very powerful solid state component.