I've listened to the Nelson Audio Image SE8 for a few hours, but I've always been busy and distracted while listening. So I can't say I've really given it a good test drive.Add to this the fact that I really fell in love with that Stoetkit so I'm not sure I'll be able to be objective. I don't have any particular reason to like one over the other, so it's not that. But I have taken a particular liking to the Stoetkit. That's why I'm eager to put the SE8 in front of some other people and see what they think.
In addition to having the SE8 at the next Great Plains Audio Club meeting, I'll be taking it to the Great Plains Audiofest. By that time, I'll have had time to use it in a variety of systems and find out what kind of source and speakers it works best with.
Nelson Audio Image SE8
There are a few things that struck me right away about the SE8. One is this amp weighs a lot, at 25 lbs. Another is that it is a very attractive amp. It has lots of gold trim, and that reflects the glow of the tubes. The power indicator is the red cursive "Image" logo, and the output tubes have a blue glow. It's a nice look.