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Review 1 of 2
Price Paid:
$1000.00
from Hippo's Home Enterta Summary:
As I write this the A70 has been discontinued. I am writing because this amp is something really special and right now available for big discounts to make room for the new line. Thta's one of the caveats. The new amp that is replacing the A70 the A18 is rated at 50 watts into 8 ohms both channels and 70 watts into 4 ohms one channel driven and includes tone controls the A70 no tone controls. The A 70 is rated at 50 watts into 8 ohms and 100 watts into 4 ohms one channel driven. Both of these things indicate an amp that might not sound as good as the A70. The A70 is very powergul for an amp rated at 50 watts. I am using Dynaudio Audience 42s with Nordost Flatline cables. I am getting up early in the morningand listening to rock, jazz and blues at all sorts of volumes and loving it. My cd player is NAD C525 BEE hooked up with Analysis Oval interconnect. This is the first time since I got hooked on audio (1985) that I've had this kind of reaction. The soundstage and imaging are very good. The tone and detail are exemplary but not at all bright, no listener fatigue at all. I have had separates Audible Illusions, PSE, with some very expensive speaker cables and interconnect from Audioquest, OCOS, This system is flat out addictive. You must do a couple of things to get things just right though. I read an article on the internet about shorting inputs to ground, not outputs. You use a 470 ohm resistor soldering one end to the signal and one end to the ground on an rca plug. I am horrible with a soldering gun and know nothing about electronics and was able to do this no sweat. The other thing I did was buy a PS Audio Power Punch cord for the A70 and left the ground pin in place plugged everything into a monster power center the least expensive one with enough inputs 75.00 maybe. The Audience 42 has also been discontinued and is available at big discounts used. The issue you will have with this system is break in. Even if you buy used they might not be broken in, and may be why they are being sold. The Dynaudios especially sound closed in and boring untill they break in and wow then it's a large piece of heaven. They are detailed without being bright and sound so real it is scary. Driven by the Arcam with the unused shorted to ground and an up market cord they handily beat the separates I have owned. Finally, I auditioned the Rega Brio and Mira, the Naim Nait 5i-italized with Dynaudio speakers and the Arcam beat all three. It sounds both more real and more powerful. Just remember break in is very long but once achieved you won't be thinking about other equipment. Strengths:
Reality of tone, voice, soundstage and detail without any fatigue Weaknesses:
None. Similar Products Used:
Audible Ilusions, PSE, Rotel, Cambridge, Creek
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