Audiophilepure

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“As a desktop hub, the Vena II proved highly attractive as an all-day listening companion, playing everything from radio streams to random music thrown up by Roon radio in a mixture of file formats. It was also able to prove its abilities when used into headphones, driving the likes of the Focal Spirit Pro [HFN Dec ’15] and Bowers & Wilkins P9 Signature [HFN Mar ’17] to impressive effect, the new amp circuitry giving a sound both well-weighty and informative, and with excellent grip on the ‘phones in use.

It was only when I reached the final track of 2002’s The Symphonic Eric Coates [Chandos CHAN 9869] that I was tempted to move the amp back to the listening room and onto the big speakers again to give the music full rein. Yes, I’d given in to temptation, and magnificent the Vena II sounded too, powering out the BBC Philharmonic under Rumon Gamba playing ‘The Dam Busters March’ – it had to be done, really.”

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“I pulled out several of my favorite violin LPs to hear how they would fare with the I1’s phono stage. This last year or so has seen the release of a few newly polished Bach sonatas and partitas, like Julia Fisher’s PentaTone set, recently released on vinyl [PentaTone PTC 5186 664-67] and Giuliano Carmignola’s set of CDs [Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft 483 550]. But I turned to an old favorite, Johanna Martzy’s version from her The EMI Recordings box set [Coup d’ Archet 017-19]. The I1’s phono modules tightened up Martzy’s articulation from what I usually hear listening through a tube phono stage. There was less reverberation from the strings off of the body of the instrument than I heard with the CH Precision P1 or the Audio Research Reference Phono 3. The I1 phono modules exhibited a similar lean and slightly dry signature on older Chess recordings, the ones that usually almost drip with moisture. The Best of Muddy Waters [Chess LP 1427] almost made me wish I still had a Koetsu cartridge on hand to slow things down, just enough to see the sweat drip from Muddy’s face.

But perhaps the biggest surprise came when listening to McCartney [Apple PCS 7102]. One of my favorite LPs, I keep two UK first pressings on hand as a failsafe. John was my favorite Beatle, and when I play McCartney I sometimes worry that John is looking from George’s Cloud Nine ready to wreak retribution unless I give Plastic Ono Band or Imagine equal time. Yet, as many times as I’ve heard the LP, the I1 still made me sit up and listen anew. I thought I knew every tiny nuance on this record, but there it was — an entirely new (to me) bright clicking noise of wood claves that had gone unnoticed until excavated by the I1.”

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” I’d be engaging in a stretcher, as Huck Finn likes to put, if I didn’t confess to indulging in playing some CDs and LPs by the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd at what might be safely termed robust levels. Pushed to these volumes when driving the Wilson Audio WAMMs, the amp didn’t falter but I did pick up on a hint of fatigue. Driven to reasonable SPLs, I never experienced any sense of the Amp II faltering. Rather, it offered a wealth of tonal colors and detail that made it a delight to listen to for hours on end.

When time came to part with the amp, I did so not with a heavy heart—my far more expensive Ypsilon Hyperion monoblock amplifiers are superior, which is what you would expect—but with respect and admiration for a musical amplifier that is punching beyond its weight class. This Amp II is a classic example of what Germany has become the envy of the world for—its Mittelstand, or medium-sized industry, that produces reliable and high-quality products. For anyone seeking a reasonably priced, as the high-end goes, amplifier, the Accustic Arts offers an extremely enticing design.”

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“Auditioning the dCS via the XLR and Coax inputs with Nordost Heimall digital cables, it was tough to hear a clearcut difference between the two inputs, though we all felt the XLR input was just a touch more revealing. You’ll have to argue amongst yourselves on this, but suffice to say this aspect of the internal DAC is excellent. Should you be an occasional silver disc listener, Rega’s new Apollo player at $995 makes for an outstanding (and very compact) redbook transport that we really enjoyed.

Putting the internal DAC in context with stand-alone offerings from other manufacturers in the $5,000 – $10,000 range, this is the way to go. The combination of functionality and sound quality can’t be beat. Vitus approach to digital, combining the top ESS DAC chips with meticulous execution on all levels is fantastic.”

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“My reference Simaudio Moon Evolution W-7M monoblocks nicely split the difference between the Merrills and Macs, though overall their sound is more akin to the Element 118s’. With most music, the Sims consistently sounded a tad darker than the Merrills. Bibb’s voice appeared somewhat farther back on a slightly less expansive soundstage, and the W-7Ms lacked just a hint of the Element 118s’ inner detail and airiness. Through the Element 118s, the kick drum in “I’m on Fire” was slightly more prominent, and microlevel details were a wisp easier to hear. This, combined with the Merrills’ greater neutrality, made them the more enjoyable amps to listen through — until I pushed them past that 7/10s mark. At higher volumes, the playing field leveled dramatically. The thump of the kick drum in “I’m on Fire” was now virtually identical through the two pairs of amps, as were the decay of the wood blocks, the body and dimension of Springsteen’s voice, and the size and spaciousness of the soundstage. The primary difference now was in tonality: the Element 118s were more neutral. At ridiculous volume levels I appreciated the Merrills’ unwavering bass control, but always found the Simaudio Moon Evolution W-7Ms easier to listen through, though not quite as inviting as the McIntosh MC1.25KWs.”

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“The longer I indulge in investigating audio components, the broader my perspective grows. My tastes have evolved, and my biases have diminished. This goes for all aspects of a system, be it speakers, sources, and in this case, amplifiers. My final frontier is low powered SET amps, but that is another issue. That aside, I have largely become a fan of it all. And now, having finally lived with such an exalted tubed amplifier in the Audio Research 160Ms, I really, deep down in the monkey brain, get why folks love tube amps. Timbre, resolution, space, macro dynamics, and liveliness all come together with the Audio Research 160M. Also, Audio Research has been around for 50 years and are only growing, which is no small point. They must be doing as well as any one in the business based on their longevity alone. With that comes customer service and a dealer network that ensures a far more secure relationship with the amplifier and the company.”

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The A30 is a component the likes of which we haven’t seen from Aurender. Sure it’s a server, streamer, ripper, with a DAC, but the company has never released a digital/analog product at this level. This is Aurender’s flagship product with a built-in digital to analog converter as well as all the other goodies that make an Aurender and Aurender. This company cut its teeth on digital music servers and has now made a complete product with analog output at a very high level. Even old school curmudgeon, set in their ways audiophiles, who don’t believe a manufacturer can build more than one type of product, should give the A30 a solid listen. Sure the digital side is fully Aurender like everyone expects, but the DAC and analog output stage are in a class higher than all previous Aurender products.”