Audiophilepure

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0222/Aric_Audio_Custom_300BPSET_Amplifier_Review.htm

The rectifiers are two 6CG3 damper diodes that are quieter than regular tube rectifiers and can handle the extra current. The power supply is connected to the amplification unit via two Speakon connections, which I have to say, are the most intense power connectors I’ve seen in a home-use amplifier. The amplifier section of the Custom 300B PSET starts with 6SN7 input tubes in SRPP mode. Those are coupled using Audyn True Copper foil coupling capacitors to triode-strapped 6V6 driver tubes. The drivers are then coupled to the 300Bs using custom-made interstage transformers. This is where it gets really interesting and makes the Custom 300B PSET so unique.

You then have the choice of running the amp in either SET mode with one pair of 300Bs or PSET mode with four 300Bs. As you can imagine, in PSET mode you have twice the power. Plus those four 300Bs in quad formation look so cool. There are a lot more great features in this amp that I won’t go into detail about here. I must add, this is a beautiful amplifier. Both bases are constructed of alternating light and dark woods, and cool retro ammeters on the front of the amplifier unit.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/riviera-levante-integrated-amplifier

If I were to speculate, I would wager that the RAAL develops a third-harmonic–dominant distortion spectrum while the Levante reverses that equation. I say this because high third harmonic and low second harmonic produces a sense of clarity and beat-keeping, whereas the reverse emphasizes space and atmosphere.

Thinking about this reminded me of what Luca Chiomenti wrote in his email. “A great part of the distortion and ‘character’ of the (Levante’s) sound is due to this first stage circuit, which changes simply by changing the tube.” Because there is no feedback or degeneration on the 12AT7 totem pole, every tube change can, and likely will, make a noticeable, possibly measurable difference in the Levante’s sound character

It’s always interesting to try different speakers with any amp so I wrestled a pair of Bowers & Wilkins 802s into place. There’s an enthusiastic quote from an 802 owner on the Modwright website and it instantly became clear why this is the case; the sound they produce was nothing short of vivid in its transparency and three dimensionality. What’s more, a number of pieces created a soundstage that was so real and deep that it felt as if you could walk into it. The solid-state power amplifier serves to amplify the beguiling qualities of those two triode valves and produces results that are electrifying in their immediacy and atmosphere. The recording needs to be good to achieve this of course, but plenty of the tracks I tried did the trick including the distinctly lo-fi eponymous debut from Tortoise, the track ‘Night Air’ having a reach out and touch it presence that encouraged level and extended listening. In fact all the better sounding tunes encouraged me to push the volume, the 802 is a little reluctant in the midrange and this amp balances this perfectly so the end result is very pleasing.

Living with the Caruso Multi-Source System was a fascinating experience, as it brought into sharp focus the differences in the way audiophiles and the other 99.999% of the music-consuming world listen to music at home—and how a tension between these two perspectives can develop in a product from a manufacturer with the engineering chops to make the best. It’s a tug-of-war between aesthetic values that must be finessed. Does the Caruso pull it off? Does it succeed in offering a compact design certain to appeal to interior decorators and the impeccable engineering of a famously tech-savvy German manufacturer? That T+A is on to something may be reflected by who is buying Carusos: Jim Shannon told me that the company estimates that, historically, at least 30-40% of them have been sold to women.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/technics-su-r1000-integrated-amplifier

The Technics SU-R1000 Digital Integrated Amplifier provides nearly everything I could hope for in a contemporary integrated amplifier. It reproduces vinyl and digital files with high levels of transparency, dimensionality, spaciousness, and dynamics. Its various modern technologies actually, obviously work, allowing me to achieve the highest levels of realism I’ve heard in my circa-1865 listening space.

The Technics does not equal my reference Shindo amplification in the areas where they—the Shindo components—excel: tonal and timbral verisimilitude. Nothing else I’ve tried does; that’s why they’re still my reference. But the Technics was superior in every other way. The SU-R1000 is a technological breakthrough and a remarkable integrated amplifier.

The Rotel A14 MKII is a clean sounding amplifier that leans to the cooler side of neutral with a slight thinness from the upper midrange to the top end. It has very solid yet well balanced dynamics with an open and clean soundstage. The overall tone is neutral and accurate, and for the most part doesn’t lean in the extremes in any area. It easily reflects changes in sound quality when changing gear and sources. The more I listened to this amplifier the more I got accustomed to its sound, and the more I appreciated its convenience. I realize there are many integrated amplifiers in this category that compete with the A14 MKII in sound quality and ergonomics all with different sound signatures and build. Rotel even manufactures the Michi line, which is an upscale line of amplifiers. The Rotel A14 MKII is on the top of that list with its solid build, clean sound, versatility and built-in fun. I was glad to have a Rotel amp back in my system even if it was just for a while.