Audiophilepure

https://www.stereophile.com/content/arcam-radia-a25-integrated-amplifier

The original 1953 Columbia mono disc produced an exceptionally dense, life-like sound that intensified the effect of the Budapest String Quartet in delivering this soul-stirring performance. That old black disc is gone, but the hi-rez remastering (24/192 FLAC, Columbia/Qobuz), played through the Denafrips Terminator Plus DAC into the A25’s analog input, made exceedingly smooth, instantly engaging sound laced with tone that was more saturated and tempo-keeping that was more toe-tapping than expected. Playing Op.133, the ARCAM exceled at sorting all the sound molecules and not mucking them up. It felt good to hear a $1499 integrated amp make a piece of difficult music this affecting. Its natural ease invited me to lean forward and close my eyes.

Right now, my system is silent, but as I type these words, I can still hear Op.133 playing inside my head. I keep trying to imagine what was going on inside of Beethoven’s head as he composed these dark, quivering forms. Driving the Heretic speakers, the A25 presented the Maestro’s Grosse Fuge as a daring artistic invention performed by a brilliant quartet operating in peak form.

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