A few years ago I was visiting my HiFi dealer out in Phoenix Arizona when UPS stopped by and he turned around and said to me, “Nick, this is going to be your end-game amp right here and many years from now you will thank me despite hating me during the years it will take you to pay this off.” Well, it’s been 3 yrs going on 4 and i admit he did set me up w/ my reference amplifier that I use to judge all others against. It’s MY reference piece, I’m intimately familiar with it, I communicate w/ its creator/builder regularly when i have questions and yes, it does everything i could ask for, does it well, and I finally feel i know its character well enough to speak a few words about it based on my experiences developed over the years putting many many hours through it.
I would like to introduce you all to my now discontinued, Vinnie Rossi Model L2i-SE integrated amplifier. It is a class A/B mosfet powered amplifier w/ a variable DHT heater built into the pre-amplification stage capable of operating at different heater voltages (has a switch) allowing the use of various 4 pin DHT tubes. Vinnie was kind enough to add a jumper to the amplifier board which also allows for a 6db decrease in gain allowing for a lower noise floor so that i could better use it w/ high sensitivity speakers and HP’s when the desire arises in me. He specifically told me i was not the only customer to desire this small mod for the same exact purpose and then also informed me that a second trick the amplifier is capable of is powering Headphones directly off the XLR outputs should i choose to ever have a custom cable made for that specific use. 
. The amplifier also has the ability to take custom boards which add a very good, I am told, phono stage and a respectable DAC board which when installed make this unit a complete “system” for someone who may have space constraints or is simply happy w/ a “good enough” all in one. 
Being the equipment whore that I am i opted out of adding the additional boards, having a general preference for stand-alone pieces despite just purchasing an integrated amplifier. 
Build quality is excellent and commensurate to the overall cost of the piece, the amplifier weighs in at 50lbs and came with still-point ultra feet installed. Tactile feel of the volume knob is exquisite and the buttons require a good firm press to operate. All connections are of premium make and quality allowing for solid connections which have never given me cause for concern.
The A/B class power output is 170wpc at 4 ohm and 100 wpc at 8 ohm. I have disconnected the tube stage and played the amplifier for a few weeks using the solid state class A JFETS in the pre-amp to get a good feel for the amplifier. Low end Bass control is exquisite, midrange tone is very natural and the top end has not presented in any manner associated with fatigue or overly bright output. The addition of the Tube stage using various DHT models allows for some “flavor” to be added to the amplified character of the power output. It is not the same as a dedicated tube amplifier, rather a finer more nuanced application of character that requires an intimate familiarity w/ your equipment to genuinely appreciate. This is a finely engineered piece of equipment that provides sound character of an equally impressive nature. Better versed professionals have taken the time to describe the amplifiers capabilities:
Over the years I have experimented w/ a variety of speakers, HP’s and amplifiers using my L2i-SE and the amplifier seemingly will be a long time “keeper” for me w/ no current desire to sell and move on for the simple reason it does all i require well, very well and allows me to play with a variety of equipment and always go back to a standard I can use to judge the others by. 
This has been a blessing for me in that it allows me to satisfy cravings and urges yet always feel satiated at the end of the day knowing full well that if I don’t change a thing I have a piece capable of providing me all i require despite my “flip-floppy” personality.
I enjoyed the amplifier immensely when I had a chance to audition a pair of HiFiman Susvara HP’s, it drove them w/ a feel and sensation that no other amplifier in the house could compare to and this solidified my choice to really hold onto the amp long term. As a pre-amplifier it has provided me hundreds of hours of absolute joy and satisfaction. It offers me so many varieties of choice in adding a touch of flavor to whatever amplifier is connected at the other end that I simply never run out of choices guaranteeing that i WILL find a romantic combination of synergy no matter what.
I have thought about my decision to keep this amplifier long and hard, as long as Vinnie is in good health and will continue to service my needs and keep the amp operational I’m in it for the long haul. Should he some day, before I pass, close down his shop and discontinue his services I will put the amp up for sale or trade. It is that simple in my mind, I have a unit that functions exceptionally and provides quality performance that fully fits my wants, desires and needs. I wholeheartedly recommend the Vinnie Rossi L2i-SE for anyone whose application fits its abilities.
