Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I was borrowed an Audiomat Arpege Reference to replace my small Kora Explorer 90SI hybrid amplifier in an "ambitious" system featuring a Meridian 507 CD player and Apertura Tanagra Signature speakers.

Opening the box of the Arpege, I was just incredibly impressed by the beautiful construction and finish of this amplifier: a real electronic art masterpiece! Just looking at it, it was something I trully wanted to own and... to soundas good as it could look.
The only problem is that while comparing its music to the one of the small Kora ($650 only), the Kora turned out to be more musical! My Apertura speakers are very expensive and confidential french speakers, highly musical and very revealing of the source and amp musicality. For sure, the Arpege could produce a wider bigger soudstage than the small Kora; but the Kora was just more musical with an infectious sense of rythm, life, that Arpege could not match. Moreover, the Kora tube-transistor hybrid design was able to reproduce very refined and dense timbres comparable to the Arpege ones. No; the Arpege was just less musically involving than the small Kora; in addition Arpege is very heavy, tuff to move and place and it runs very hot. Kora is just small, reasonably heavy and tiedous. No doubt, the Kora explorer 90 is a genious product beating several much pricer amps (including Meridian, Cayin and the Arpege). I had to give back the Arpege; with sadness because it is really an amp I wanted to fall in love for!

Strengths:
Fantastic build; you just want to admire it for hours.

Weaknesses:
Just not as good musically as it looks. Good tones and timbres but smoothes out too much of the sometimes sharp sounds of music; some rythmic information is gone. Too pricey for the music delivered in my opinion.

Similar Products Used:
Meridian 501+556 (too cold), Cayin TA35 (pretty good), Kora Explorer 150SB (too dull and colorless), Kora Explorer 90 SI (the big alltime winner; amazing musicality; look for one and do not get cheated by low price tag: the best of the solid state and tubes mut together in one amp).

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I was told that the Chicago Audiophile Society tested gave their highest mark to this integrated even when compared to cost-no-object units. The most amazing thing, and all true: You do hear MORE of what is on a cd. Sounds and musical details that were hidden with other amps came out of the dark with the Arpège. It is a magnificient work of glowing art, with it's fine precision-cut jacket of aluminium, plexiglass and stainless steel, or should I say steal as in absolute steal as the review says. I shake my heads at $ 1,000.00 Arpèges being sold on Audiogon - ok so they are not perfect - as a perfect one should fetch a good $ 1,500.00 Beleive me, this is the real deal, this is what audiophile dreams are made of. No need to spend more. Even the bigger ( and way more expensive) Audiomats only offer marginally more - and sometimes less, than the Arpège. This one is a keeper.

Strengths:
Superb midrange, real bass from EL 34's (how do they do it ?), exquisite, sexy looks and build.

Weaknesses:
No remote, nit picking only. At this price point ? No weaknesses for sure.

Similar Products Used:
Cary SEI integrated, Sim Audio Moon I-5 ( sorry but not even close), Electrocompaniet ( if you must go to solid state, this is the one to get...) Musical Fidelity A-300 ( bright) and the mighty sonic

Price Paid:  $1900.00

Summary:
I did a lot of research and listening and decided to go for the Arpege. No regrets. I guess the best way I can put it is that I'm listening to the music and not the amp. I know there is better out there, but for the price, and my listening preferences, I don't think I could have done better.

Strengths:
very musical, good detail, price

Weaknesses:
no remote

Similar Products Used:
Rogue, Arnov

Price Paid:  $1200.00 from ARTISANS DU SON

Summary:
The best amp i heard for this price, i have heard the solfège witch sound not better than this one. Connected to micrmega stage 6 and Leedh Psyché 2, every type of music and cd going through without problems. I sold it with the Leedh in order to upgrade my system to Spendor SP9/1 but i'm not shure that i will have a better result. Different sources used and always a good result wonderfull amp !!!!

Strengths:
proper bass, wonderfull mid, clean high, magnifique voices natural sounding,...

Weaknesses:
More power for difficult loads

Similar Products Used:
micromega tempo, sony es,

Price Paid:  $1900.00

Summary:
Over a year ago, I started searching for an integrated amp for around the $2,000 price range. I looked at YBA, Audio Refinement, Audio Analogue, Conrad Johnson, Sim Audio, Bryston, VAC, and others. In my humble opinion, none of these came close to the Arpege! I could write for hours about my enjoyment in listening to the Arpege but I won't waste your time. If you're looking for an integrated in the $2-3K range, you owe it to yourself to audition this product. I find myself sneaking into my listening room every chance I get to listen to my old CD collection. That's right, my old CD collection, because the Arpege presents instruments that I never knew existed on recordings that I've heard hundreds of times before.
One other note, my wife's response to my listening sessions is usually along the lines of "turn it down"! However, her first words after listening to the Arpege were, "This sounds beautiful"! Enough said, go audition the Arpege!

System:
Audiomat Arpege
Vecteur Club 60 (Dual Power Source) CD
Actinote MB interconnect
Analysis Plus Oval 12 speaker cables
Monitor Audio Studio 20 SEC Speakers
Custom Power Cord Model 11

Strengths:
Resolution, transparency, soundstage, price.

Weaknesses:
No remote, no pre-amp out, could use a bit more current.