Audiophilepure

https://www.hifinews.com/content/chord-ultima-integrated

Anyone wanting to dive into the repertoire of Carl Philipp Emanuel (aka C.P.E.) Bach, one of the sons of the more famous JS Bach, was gifted a fine opportunity this spring when Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin published Symphonies – From Berlin To Hamburg [Harmonia Mundi 3149020950463; 96kHz/24-bit], the last C.P.E. album in a series that began over two decades ago. Symphony for Strings and Continuo in G major parades the light-and-shade contrasts typical of these post-Baroque works, and Chord’s amp deftly supported the mood shifts, going from delicate motifs to rousing set-pieces in a blink of the eye. Beneath the Ultima Integrated’s flamboyant exterior is an amp of serious, down-to-earth talent!

https://www.hifinews.com/content/marantz-model-m1

In practice, subtle instrumental nuances, whether in the foreground or from supporting players in the background, would often ‘come to the front’ when the series was played through the M1. Additionally, the ability to switch from Direct or Stereo playback mode to a Virtual option via the HEOS app was a bit of a boon, ensuring excerpts from Gary Numan’s ‘Cars’ were laid more expansively in the room, albeit with an acceptable smudge of hotness added. It’s a nice extra on a dual-use amp like this, and while I know some will avoid this mode when listening to their classical or acoustic recordings, here it makes sense.