Audiophilepure

https://www.hifinews.com/content/devialet-astra-%E2%80%98op%C3%A9ra-de-paris%E2%80%99-streaming-amplifier

I’ve been on a Zimmer whirlwind recently, as his pieces are both a) masterfully constructed and b) great for auditioning audio gear. On this live Gladiator medley, the Astra found the power to track the expansion from quiet opening to full-on finale, strands of violin notes twisting in and out of view next to choral and brass swells. Again, the sensation was of musical detail laid bare, but here also with a hint of coarseness in the upper frequencies.

This sort of artifice can limit the suspension of disbelief that a great musical system should bring, but perhaps I’m being overly harsh on what is a svelte, powerful, streaming amp designed with an eye on living room acceptance. And the Astra still gets plenty right, excelling with a wide rendition of The Allman Brothers Band’s epic ‘Mountain Jam’ [Eat A Peach, MoFi; DSD64], where it gave brilliant focus to every snare, tom and cymbal during the lengthy ‘dual-drummer’ battle, and ensuring the piano on Anna Fedorova’s Intrigues Of The Darkness [Channel Classics; 192kHz/24-bit], appropriately enough, emerged from a deliciously dark background. When this amp is good, it’s as good as gold.

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1955-anthem-p2-stereo-amplifier

Considering inflation and industry changes, the P2’s current price—one penny under US$5000—is still very reasonable for what it offers. Were it priced higher, I’d expect better casework, which typically raises a product’s cost substantially without improving the sound. A longer warranty would be nice, but, frankly, five years is the standard and anything more is an exception. As it stands, then, the P2 delivers strong value, especially for those who prioritize performance over aesthetics.

My recent listening also confirms why this amp has endured. It sounded excellent at any output level—not just for the money, but in absolute terms, which means Anthem aced the original design. I think Anthem could keep selling the P2 unchanged for another 20 years and it would still hold up.

Volume control is independent for each input source, which can be useful in certain situations, for instance, to adjust for a source with a deviating output level. However, it can be inconvenient that this behavior cannot be changed. When switching between inputs to compare different sources, you have to adjust the volume for each source repeatedly. This can also lead to unexpected and unpleasant experiences if you leave a previously used input at a loud level, switch to another source, and then lower the volume. In this case, you might be caught off guard by the sudden loudness when you return to the first input.

The inputs for the Preamp and DAC can only be toggled through from the front panel, so only up/forward, not down/back.

The volume can be adjusted in 0.25 dB steps, which is a rare but very welcome feature. However, the volume adjustment operates at a single speed and does not increase when the volume dial is turned quickly or the remote control’s volume button is pressed for a longer duration. This means that more turns are needed to achieve the same level change as with the more common volume controls that use half-dB or whole-dB steps.