There are many audio components that intentionally slow down transients to soften up the sound, causing a rounding of the edges. This is a type of coloration that can mask deficiencies in the equipment and recorded signal. We view it as a type of acoustic band-aid. It is recommended that the Transcendent OTL only be used with audio equipment that is equally as fast and has been designed to reveal all of the musical information and not cover anything up. Some audiophiles have expressed concern over the methods used to protect the loudspeaker in the event of a component failure.
Some designs use complicated protection circuits that are external to the core amplifier.
The Transcendent OTL employs none of these features. Instead, the protection is resident in the circuit itself. This ultra simple approach has created a fool proof layer of protection for both the amplifier and the speaker resulting in a perfect track record of zero speaker damage. The failure mode of an output tube must be explained before the protection scheme can be understood. Tubes don't malfunction like transistors.