Audiophilepure

https://www.theaudiobeat.com/equipment/ch_precision_l1_a15.htm

The L1 and A1.5 are expensive. They might be the entry point as far as CH Precision separates are concerned, but they are still genuinely aspirational components, ones that will likely require some effort and expense to hear in a showroom or system. But they are innately musical in a way that is incredibly hard to find elsewhere. Are they 10 Series beaters? Of course not. To carry the food analogy a step further, the M10 provides a world tour, embracing a seemingly endless procession of equally impressive culinary opportunities. However, the CH Precision A1.5 shares the M10’s DNA and shares its fundamental magic. While you can label the L1 and A1.5 as “entry level” in CH Precision terms, perhaps it’s more accurate to think of the pair as entry-level ultra-high-end audio, marking, as they do, a step up in musical expectation.

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https://www.hifinews.com/content/dartzeel-nhb-18nsnhb-468-prepower-amplifier

Not that this amplifier combination reserves its talents for simple recordings. With the lush production of Elton John’s latest release, The Lockdown Sessions [EMI/Rocket EMICD 2051], the darTZeel amps’ big, weighty presentation kicked off the album with its throwback references of ‘Cold Heart’, complete with Dua Lipa singing the ‘Rocket Man’ chorus, to grand effect. Then the opening of the cover of The Pet Shop Boys’ ‘It’s A Sin’ sees the amps conveying the delicate quality of Olly Alexander’s voice before Our Reg slams in with full retro-disco pomp, all arpeggio’ing synths, pounding bass and strings.

Meanwhile the duet with Stevie Wonder, ‘Finish Line’, finds those big monoblock amps unleashing their power on the gospel-tinged arrangement, while keeping the distinctive voices front and centre. The production here is decidedly magnificent – not for Elton a few tunes accompanied by solo piano, recorded in a back room – and it sounds fabulous via these flagship amps.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/accustic-arts-amp-v-power-amplifier

Can any single review of audio equipment be definitive, given the differences in listening rooms, equipment configurations, and human sensibility? Perhaps not. Nonetheless, a few things about the AMP V are incontrovertible. It’s not just a powerhouse; it’s a musical instrument that produces bright colors, huge images, and seat-shaking bass. Nor does it skimp on detail. While I didn’t journey into heavy metal during my time with the AMP V—Bromberg, Holst, and Shostakovich on steroids were as close as I got—the AMP V sailed through numerous ultradynamic tracks whose cumulative percussion and brass would leave many a rock fan diving for cover.

The AMP V is one of the finest and most musically satisfying amplifiers ever to enter my audio system. Anyone with a spare $50,000 (and who doesn’t require easy portability) would be foolish not to give it a serious audition.

As with the original Kenzie, the OG Rev 2 is for the audiophile who wants to wring the full potential out of their headphones and simply listen to the best-sounding music available. Listening to music on the Kenzie was so involving that it was difficult to concentrate on the job at hand and pick out the different characteristics of the sound, and even more difficult to stop and change headphones.

Lastly, being the entry-level product for ampsandsound the Kenzie is a fantastic value. If you have a budget of around $3,000 this is the amplifier to buy, if you are a music lover this is the amplifier to buy, if you are a solid-state fan and don’t get what tubes are all about, this is the amplifier to listen to, it will change your mind, just be ready to cough up $2,500 because you will not be satisfied with solid-state afterwards. Thanks, Justin for once again reaffirming my love of tube amps and justifying my love for ampsandsound!

Finally, Pink Floyd seems a fantastic way to cap off this listening session. Taking a hi-res listen to 1977’s Animals album, “Sheep” (24-bit/192kHz) I focus in. I may be at the very edge of the class A threshold as I ease the volume up a notch on my preamp and ease back in my chair. Instantly, this song becomes more engaging and percussive than I have ever heard it before. Waters’ bass guitar has more attack, Wright’s keyboard fills the room, and Gilmour’s guitar has a razor sharpness to it in the rhythm sections. In the center section (“The Lord is my shepherd…”) I can hear a vocal part that I’ve never quite heard before. There is simply a raised level of definition being produced by the Parasound JC 5.

Wrapping it Up

Many components come along that sit well in our systems and become an integral part of them, even increasing our joy in what we are hearing. However, on rare occasion, we unbox and plug in a piece that truly elevates our entire listening experience—this sums up my time with the Parasound JC 5. Yes, at $5999, it represents an investment that one might also consider elevated, though I find it to be worth every cent of that asking price. Considering the build quality, the design, the parts within, and most importantly, the sound of this power amplifier, $6k is a bargain for what you’re getting in the JC 5.

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1636-technics-reference-class-su-r1000-integrated-amplifier-dac

There was excellent delineation between the lead and backing vocals and synthesized instrumentation on the frenetic “Sledgehammer,” but it was the SU-R1000’s ability to make the voices appear holographically in space before me with arresting realism that made me really take notice. The vocals of Gabriel and Kate Bush on “Don’t Give Up” sounded smoother and more natural than I am used to hearing them on this track, even when compared to high-resolution digital files. Bush’s translucent vocals floated gracefully between the speakers, while Gabriel’s less melodic but emotive voice provided a more solid but equally affecting aural image. There was a richness and fluidity to Tony Levin’s unhurried bass line that infused the entire track with a melancholy, but perfectly timed, foundation. And while the SU-R1000 was able to deftly convey that measured but slightly muted character of Levin’s bass, it was also able to make the electronic keyboards on “That Voice Again” sparkle with remarkable clarity. Playing back DSD64 files of tracks from So provided better low-frequency control and slightly more precise imaging, but the smooth, more relaxed sound that the SU-R1000 wrought from vinyl was always beguiling and quite remarkable, considering the relatively modest Pro-Ject turntable and cartridge

https://www.theaudiobeat.com/equipment/ch_precision_l1_a15.htm

Where does all this fit into the overall scheme of things? If the CH Precision I1 integrated amplifier gave a hint of what the gear upstream in the CH Precision line sounds like, the L1 and A1.5 are like a full menu at Arpege in Paris (11 courses) or Atelier Crenn in San Francisco (14 courses). As with when dining at these restaurants, all you need is one experience and you are left with an impression, no matter what your level of experience or sophistication, that will remain with you for a lifetime. Like the L1 and A1.5, those meals are not for (or attainable by) everyone. Unless you skimp on the wine pairing, you will be looking to drop $1000 per person at either restaurant. The L1 and A1.5 are expensive. They might be the entry point as far as CH Precision separates are concerned, but they are still genuinely aspirational components, ones that will likely require some effort and expense to hear in a showroom or system. But they are innately musical in a way that is incredibly hard to find elsewhere. Are they 10 Series beaters? Of course not. To carry the food analogy a step further, the M10 provides a world tour, embracing a seemingly endless procession of equally impressive culinary opportunities. However, the CH Precision A1.5 shares the M10’s DNA and shares its fundamental magic. While you can label the L1 and A1.5 as “entry level” in CH Precision terms, perhaps it’s more accurate to think of the pair as entry-level ultra-high-end audio, marking, as they do, a step up in musical expectation

https://www.stereophile.com/content/accustic-arts-amp-v-power-amplifier

Can any single review of audio equipment be definitive, given the differences in listening rooms, equipment configurations, and human sensibility? Perhaps not. Nonetheless, a few things about the AMP V are incontrovertible. It’s not just a powerhouse; it’s a musical instrument that produces bright colors, huge images, and seat-shaking bass. Nor does it skimp on detail. While I didn’t journey into heavy metal during my time with the AMP V—Bromberg, Holst, and Shostakovich on steroids were as close as I got—the AMP V sailed through numerous ultradynamic tracks whose cumulative percussion and brass would leave many a rock fan diving for cover.

The AMP V is one of the finest and most musically satisfying amplifiers ever to enter my audio system. Anyone with a spare $50,000 (and who doesn’t require easy portability) would be foolish not to give it a serious audition.

Its enthusiasm for vinyl doesn’t actually extend to sitting underneath a turntable, however; that caused mine to hum so I dropped the amp down a few shelves and all was well. Then it was possible to enjoy the fulsome bass of Conjure’s Untitled II [Music For The Texts Of Ishmael Reed, American Clavé] where the dynamics of the saxophone are spot on (at sensible levels) and the tune proves to be utterly charming. Ornette Coleman’s ‘Ramblin’’ [Change of the Century, Atlantic] also offers up a joyousness through blasting but not aggressive horns and fat double bass, the result being close to what they might have heard in the control room back in 1960 when this sort of tube technology was at its peak. The track reinforced the notion that the Stingray II is not an amplifier to sit in front of and stroke your beard but one for moving your body, or at least clicking your fingers (man).

It occurred to me that most of the music I had played through the Stingray II was not exactly power hungry so I dropped a few weighty tunes including contributions from Kraftwerk and Beck. These lacked a little in the low-end power department and anyone with a taste for visceral impact would be advised to get more sensitive speakers for the purpose, that would go a long way to delivering the required power