Audiophilepure

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It’s difficult to fault, even at this price. Arguably its only downside is that it lacks balanced operation. Some purists won’t like this, but others won’t be in the least bit bothered. In absolute sonic terms it lacks just a touch of transparency and there’s a subtle softening of dynamic peaks. Yet its delicate, atmospheric treble more than makes up for this. Indeed its sheer breadth of ability shines through with a London Philharmonic Orchestra reading of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ A London Symphony. It’s an exhilarating listen that’s tremendously musically articulate.

Last but not least is the moving-magnet phono stage. Some people will not buy the Downton for this, but it’s great to know you’ve got it. A Technics SL-1200G/Ortofon Concorde Music Bronze spinning The Stone Roses’ Fools Gold shows its intrinsic quality; there’s a lovely, lilting groove from the percussion and rhythm guitar that transports you right to the heart of the music. It’s infectiously fluid – dreamy, even – and a reminder of just how special well-designed valve phono stages can sound.

https://www.hifichoice.com/content/english-acoustics-downton

It’s difficult to fault, even at this price. Arguably its only downside is that it lacks balanced operation. Some purists won’t like this, but others won’t be in the least bit bothered. In absolute sonic terms it lacks just a touch of transparency and there’s a subtle softening of dynamic peaks. Yet its delicate, atmospheric treble more than makes up for this. Indeed its sheer breadth of ability shines through with a London Philharmonic Orchestra reading of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ A London Symphony. It’s an exhilarating listen that’s tremendously musically articulate.

Last but not least is the moving-magnet phono stage. Some people will not buy the Downton for this, but it’s great to know you’ve got it. A Technics SL-1200G/Ortofon Concorde Music Bronze spinning The Stone Roses’ Fools Gold shows its intrinsic quality; there’s a lovely, lilting groove from the percussion and rhythm guitar that transports you right to the heart of the music. It’s infectiously fluid – dreamy, even – and a reminder of just how special well-designed valve phono stages can sound.

I have spent a considerable amount of time with the Matrix Audio MP-1/MA-1 pre and power amplifiers. Arthur at Power Holdings Inc and Mr. Cao at Matrix Audio should be commended for their patience with me while I asked questions regarding the manufacturing process of these components. These two pieces stayed in my system for a number of months and I became intimately familiar with them. What I have experienced reflects the vision and goals that Mr. Yang Jing has for Matrix Audio, and provides insights into what the future may hold for high performance audio in East Asia. The circuit design of these components are based on solid engineering principles, and have been implemented with precision manufacturing processes. The innovative H frame that is the heart of these two components provides a robust foundation for the power supply, audio boards, and output devices to be anchored to. Parts are either machined in company owned facilities, or sourced from the finest suppliers such as WBT, Mundorf, or ONSEMI. The machined aluminum panels are works of art with impeccable fit and finish. The controls and operation of the MP-1 preamplifier are as smooth and refined as a courtier to the royal family. The MA-1 amplifier is reminiscent of a finely tuned sports car where power and control are the calling cards of the day. I suspect the power output rating of 250 WPC is a conservative one, as this amplifier has no difficulty controlling the woofers in my JBL 4367 monitor speakers, and the volume levels I achieved were spectacular.

Vitus Audio’s RI-101 MK2 integrated amplifier is a showstopper, with technical prowess skillfully woven into the product in the absence of sporadic design decisions. Beyond the symbolic meaning, and the reproducing of the authentic spirit of the music, the RI-101 MK2  permeates the market in a completely different way.

And this is put into practice at once with listening. So many amplifiers come with a fast and slow charm that fades with time. With the Vitus Audio RI-101 MK2, the honeymoon period simply doesn’t stop and it brings a seismic shift when it comes to the realms of integrated amplifiers, with both clarity and natural warmth that leaves many peers behind.

The Vitus Audio RI-101 MK2 is not only a fully-fledged state-of-the-art integrated amplifier but also a quiet, everyday partner destined to serve audiophiles, high-end audio aficionados, and music lovers. It follows the philosophy: when there is nothing more to add, but also nothing more to take away the circuits are endowed with pure Danish, Nordic minimalism with zen-like balance and a vibrancy that is bursting with contrasts. 

When it comes to the upper echelon high-end audio reproduction, either the music sounds right or it’s a sonic red herring.

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/1023/Art_Audio_Opus4_Carissa_Vacuum_Tube_Amplifier_Review.htm

Art Audio’s Opus 4 monoblocks managed to convey an impression to me of nearly as much depth of overall musicality as the 275 Watts of ultra-linear power of my other reference system amp, the CJ Premier 8A. I ultimately decided to keep the Carissa amplifier as part of my system to use with the Quad 57s and as an alternative for the 63s when they are not connected to the big CJ amps. The power, control, and sound along with the lavish and lovely looks of this latest revised Art Audio 18 Watt SET amp as designed by Tom Willis is highly recommended to be seen and heard.

Art Audio’s Carissa vacuum tube stereo amplifier has character, a distinctive beauty, and elegance that it continues to be part of my reference system. If you are looking for an elegant-looking design and musically refined, and lovely sounding amp in a more powerful rating range, then seek out an audition of the Art Audio Opus 4 monoblocks that have a diminutive look and weight yet produce a prodigious, powerful, and excellent quality output. Bravo to both Tom and Scott for their excellence in design, musical listening, and customer support throughout this evaluation period.

https://pt.audio/2025/11/14/audio-note-uk-meishu-phono-tonmeister-integrated-amp-review/

At the conclusion of the review, I had another concern. As much as in enjoyed my time with this amazing integrated amplifier, as much as I want to give it a 10 out of 10, the Konzertmeister and Kapellmeister out yonder on the horizon constantly remind me that it can get even better. That’s always the case with high-end audio reviewing, that it’s foolish to call something the best since you’ll probably find something else you like better in a couple of years. For example, you might conclude that the Meishu has distilled my love and admiration for the Allnic Audio T-1500 Mk. II integrated I’ve been yammering about for the last couple of years. The answer there is simple this: the Allnic costs less than half as much as the Tonmeister, and that’s an important consideration. By the same token, the Konzertmeister and the Kapellmeister, from my limited exposure at this point in time, surpass the performance of the Tonmeister but at a substantial cost. I’m sure there’s some 300B amplifier out there that retails for some ungodly amount and destroys all other amps in its path, but that’s just audiophilia nervosa rearing its ugly little head. If you can’t be with the one you love, in other words.