This review is for the Donizetti Cento, I was looking for a true balanced power amp, I don't need a lot of power and from my experience the "big iron" 300 LB monster amps often lack the refinement and agility of smaller amps. My options settled on Marantz Reference SM11S1 and Donizetti Cento, in this price range, there are not many choices unless you go with class D, eventually I choose the Donizetti based on my positive experience with Puccini. Right out of the box, the Donizetti Cento had the "right" midrange that is crucial for us audiophiles, the vocal is liquid and emotional just like what you would expect from Audio Analogue. However, the upper midrange had a typical solid state emphasis on the "s" sound. I let the amp break in for >100 hours and magic happened, the harshness was gone and I heard smooth/coherent music. I found this amp to sound its best with adequate warm-up, if I power it off, the next time I have to wait at least 1 or 2 hours for it to reach its potential. Fortunately this is not a class A amp and you can leave it on all the time. Even though it's only rated 100 watt per channel, it managed to offer adequate bass depth and control, combined with an expressive midrange and extended treble, you have a very enjoyable amp. The Donizetti is also very revealing of upstream components, change a preamp, cable or source and you can notice the difference right away. To me, this is an overlooked affordable amp, a large step up from Audio Analogue's reputable Puccini/Puccini SE integrated. Highly recommended!

mid - very sweet and involving hi - open and neutral soundstage - very good ++ Build - excellent.

Not so good with 'hard' music i.e. metal etc. Surprisingly good with electronic music.

A very neutral balanced and non fatiguing pre-power set. You get the kind of sound usually heard from higher priced HiEnd gear. This set will keep you listening to music more & more, with no intention of stopping. Sound is warm, very open but not harsh highs,sweet mid, and not top boomy bass. Goes great with jazz ,and classical small ensambles. This set, to my believe is halfway to tube, without the headache tubes can give you - audition it !

Similar Products Used:

NAD's, Linn (majik,kollektor,5105,lk100,lk85), audiolab 8000, unison resaerch s6,myryad's, phase - this set outcame them all, to my ears, (even though much cheaper !)

Smooth, spacious and tonally rich sound.

Not a powerhouse.

This combination gives a very relaxed, easy to listen to sound that does not exibit the roughness and/or harshness that most solid state components share. Vocals are the best I have heard in a moderately price combo and even on up the scale to some expensive equipment. It has one overall trait-
refinement. It sounds expensive. It has the traits of the finest components and places the sound at the service of the music. The sound stage is neither forward nor laid back, it is just there. Soundstaging is superb. It extends wide(beyond the speakers),deep and has great height. When listening to voices, you will not hear a slurring that almost all solid state amps impart. Voices are rich and full. Very realistic. So are instruments. The combination is far superior to the sound of the Bryston, the Bryston leaving no doubt it's a transistor amp. Even the McCormack amps sounds forward but has a similiar tube like quality which gives it a certain smoothness. However, it does not deliver sound as easily as the Audio Analog combo.
One word of caution, this is not the combo for head-knockers and/or hard rock fans. It is much too refined for that. This is a amp/preamp combo for the "Sophisticated" music lover. Rock always sounds better with a forward sounding unit and who cares about the roughness,edge and so on. Loudness can mask most deficiences.
Also, break the unit in for a week or so and then make sure it's warmed up before listening(1hr or more). It makes a huge difference it what you hear!

Similar Products Used:

Creek 4330SE, McCormack DNA .5 deluxe & Audible Illusions Mod.3A, Bryston B-60, Krell 300i

Everything, Superb sound, superb build quality, super price

No remote control

Very neutral, soft, smooth, transparent sound. May be not suitable for metal or techno but with a good pair of speakers you can have superb HiEnd sound. After an hour sound becomes better.

Similar Products Used:

Linn, Luxman, NAD, Arcam etc.

open,natural and delicate sound;astronomical value for money;uncritical in use.

phonostage is only adequate;I haven't noticed anything else.

I have this combo in my system for 9 months,and have grown even more in love with it,than when I first encountered them.My not unsubstantial LP-collection has proliferated greatly thanks to the AA's,and I've listened to true music all this time instead of just to electronic sounds.
The quality of recordings is easily judged when passing through the hands of the Bellini/Donizetti-amplification.Voices,organs,piano and cembalo are but a few instruments the AA's get just right.Bass is,depending on the loudspeakers,frighteningly deep,though a bit on the slender side.Details of the recording come to life,and soundstaging is magnificent.The grainless,warmish character reminds me of tubes (but I'd never swap!).
These amps deserve high-quality interconnects,every upgrading in that area has proven nothing less than dramatic (they are entiteled to WBT's).The phono-stage is OK,but I strongly prefer my X-LP for the Ortofon Nr2(MC)via the aux.In fact,any upgrading in my system can be fully judged through these illustrous Italians.I really can't wait to connect some compatriot Sonus Fabers to them!

Everything about these amps exudes sheer class. Built like a pair of bomb-proof tanks, in Italy - they are refined, sophisticated, open, musical and gorgeous to look at. They come in either silver or black. I opted for the silver and I just can't stop staring at them as they fill my room with beautifully reproduced music. They don't push the music upfront in your face, on the contrary, they prefer to play it a little more subtle. They are rated at 60w per channel but sound much more powerful and they never lose steam, regardless of how complex and demanding the musical passage. I play a lot of soul and jazz, blues and reggae, some classical, some rock, and some big beat/electronica - and nothing phases them, they handle everything with the same natural, organic confidence - and really make listening to all types of music easy and throughly enjoyable. I cannot rate these amps high enough, they have completely taken my system to another level. I have them matched with the Copland 266 CD player and a pair of trusty old Epos ES11's, which I soon hope to upgrade to a pair of Sonus Faber Concertos. Bi amping is an easy option, as is bi-wiring your speakers. They have a fabulous phono stage wich accomodates MM/MC. I listened to the phono stage on the demo and it was spellbinding. I challenge anyone to find a two-box amp which sounds half as good, for the same money. I know it all depends on personal taste but I am extremely enthusiastic about the many attributes of the Bellini & Donizetti, and in my opinion, they should be sung from the highest steeple.

smooth, extremely refined and full sound

none whatsoever

I bought these after having an Audiolab 8000lx and after auditioning some expensive Tag Mclaren pre/power setups and I can safely say that these AA's blew them away. They gave a much smoother, natural, unfatiguing sound that really appealed to me, and worked well with my Rotel 991 cd player.
I foundthem even more amazing when they were warmed up and eventually burnt-in. They now sound really expensive and aren't going to be exchanged in a hurry. I also feel that they could except some pretty expensive speakers upgrades without falling short. I use B&W P4's but would love to get some Audio Physic Tempos, which would work perfectly with these.
These amps give off there very best with vocals, there are so natural and sweet. Try Tracy Chapmans albums and her voice is quite dark and full- i never heard this from Audiolab. Having said that they do work amazingly well with all recordings, perhaps not heavy dance or rock. They are also very well made.I would recommned these to all parties looking at spending between £1200 and £2000- they really are that good, and are an easy rival to all Musical Fidelity hardware.
By the way use them with fast and open sounding speakers and similar cables.
Excellent value Audio Analogue.

Similar Products Used:

Tag Mclaren