Pass x250.8 vs Hegel h4se vs Ayre VX-R

Great point.  Pass and Ayre are both US.  Definitely would hate to send something that heavy to EU for service.

See if you can find a used Jeff Rowland amp, once you hear these amps you will want one, very high end but very good.

I have a Pass Labs INT-250 their new integrated. A truly amazing
amp' Its connected to a Herron Phono amp. Best sound I have ever heard. EBM is correct, Pass amps are reliable and the service is excellent. Almost any foreign product has slower service. 

I would also recommend Pass. I have a pair of xa100.5's and they are truly excellent sounding amplifiers and a great company.

Chuck 

Owned the X250.8 and stumbled across an H4SE, so I bought it. I sold the Pass. Hegel was far more authoritative in my system, wider and deeper soundstage, more transparent and still maintained a slight warmth like the Pass. I thought the H4SE was better in almost all areas, hands down.

Hegel's big amps are the industry's best kept secret in my opinion.  They are usually found second-hand with deep discounts.  That may change if more people hear them, but I absolutely loved the H4SE.