Audiophilepure

https://www.dagogo.com/pure-audio-one-solid-state-integrated-amplifier-review/

“Moreover, unlike some amplifiers the Pure Audio One allows for future upgrading by serving as a power amp.  Fortunately, I was provided a Pure Audio Control 1 Preamplifier for testing purposes. The Control 1 preamplifier was subsequently followed by a new preamplifier called — you guessed it — the Control 2 Preamplifier. The Control 2 updates the power supply and uses a more standardized input selector similar to the One.

Regardless, the separate preamplifier makes some significant gains to the overall presentation concerning transparency and overall clarity without taking away the richness of the presentation. I was impressed with the gains made using the Pure Audio Control preamplifiers (although when I pushed the remote control volume, it operated both units at the same time).  Still, I felt the Control preamplifiers open up some of the sound creating more space, air, and articulation to vocals. Put simply, the presentation was more transparent.”

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1373-lab12-integre4-integrated-amplifier

“In an attempt to push the Integre4’s upper mids to their limit, I streamed several tracks from Spotify, itself a bright-sounding platform. With the somewhat mellow-balanced Living Voice Avatar speakers I also own, the voices and guitars in “Don’t Bother Calling,” from Moses Sumney’s Aromanticism (320kbps Ogg Vorbis, Jagjaguwar), sounded fairly well balanced through the mids and into the lower treble. So, too, did SZA’s voice in “Love Galore,” from her album Ctrl (320kbps Ogg Vorbis, RCA). But through the more neutral-balanced Klipsch Epic CF-2 speakers the Integre4 pushed the presence region forward, adding some shrillness and excess sibilance to SZA’s voice. “Birds of a Feather,” from Mocky’s Saskamodie (320kpbs Ogg Vorbis, Heavy Sheet Music), also had a bit of excess glare and brightness in the sounds of tambourines and whistling, sounding at times too harsh.”

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/cary-audio-sa-5001-es-monoblock-power-amplifie/

“Resolution of fine detail was well integrated with the amplifier’s tonal balance and rhythmic timing, and thus tended to a “greater whole” sort of presentation rather than one of crystalline clarity of minute details. I am not altogether sure if much higher overall resolution would necessarily fit with the 500.1’s mid-hall listening perspective or with its generally flowing, warm, and solid-foundation personality, for that matter. An attempt to increase its resolution could result in the amp’s sound becoming forced or unbalanced. For example, if there is an abundance of bow-on-string sounds (suggesting a relatively near listening position), but the general tone of those same instruments also have more rich, burnished qualities (indicative of a more distant listening position), the end result could be a mélange of inconsistent spatial cues. Massed orchestral string sections had enough information to suggest individual players but not to the extent I am used to with the other—admittedly more expensive— amplifiers I had on hand (covered below). Singers’ lip sounds were evident on closely miked recordings, but they were not out of proportion with the general presentation.’

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0120/Pass_Labs_INT25_Stereo_Integrated_Amplifier_Review.htm

“We started the listening test with a usual setup, minus the Exposure 3010s2 monos xm HP preamplifier. The system included the MG12 Magneplanars, the Chord 2Qute DAC, the Wireworld interconnects and the Xindak FS1 speaker cables, which left the scene immediately as the right channel of the INT-25 did not work with this cable. Replacing it with the VdH CS122 was a disappointment, just like every time when we connected any of the Pass’ amplifier with any of the speaker cables from VdH. Wireworld and Pass distributor came to the rescue by offering Wireworld Eclipse 7 speaker cables. Although it is almost impossible to reasonably handle these cables due to their stiffness, the sound combined with this amplifier proved to balance on the edge of magical, so we can easily overcome this shortcoming.”

https://www.stereophile.com/content/schiit-audio-ragnarok-2-integrated-amplifier

“I compared Ragnarok 2 to the Ragnarok using these XRCDs and the Tascam CD-200iL CD player connected with Triode Wire Labs Spirit II RCA interconnects. Only after switching out the amps four times did I start to understand what I was hearing. Instrument tone and impact were superior through the new amplifier. The orchestra’s soundstage was slightly wider. Brass and reeds, placed hard left and right, sounded farther back on the soundstage. On the piano/ acoustic bass introduction of the Montgomery Brothers’ “Bock to Bock (Back to Back),” there was more air around the higher piano notes. These were small differences, but the Rag 2 definitively improves on its sibling’s performance.”

“This latest Naim NAIT XS 3 represents a subtle but really worthwhile improvement on its XS 2 predecessor and puts it back at the top of its class in terms of value for money. It has a thorough and even-handed yet engaging and enjoyable presentation that’s hard not to love. It’s a long way from the fierce and feisty NAIT of the mid-nineteen eighties – being far more civilised and powerful – yet very much retains its fundamental love of music. Indeed, if anything, the XS 3 has actually got some of this insouciant quality back, sounding less workmanlike than its XS 2 predecessor.

The only stumbling block is also arguably its greatest strength – the lack of any digital connections. Sadly in electronics, you can’t have your cake and eat it – you either go for all-out sound as your priority, or convenience. With this amplifier, Naim has chosen the former yet hasn’t sacrificed too much of the latter. The design team deliberately omitted a DAC stage to provide the best possible sonic performance at the price. Overall then, if you’re in the market for a superb sounding, purist integrated amplifier in a neat and compact package, then look no further – just go and listen.”

https://novo.press/parasound-flagship-halo-jc-1-450-watt-monoblock-power-amplifier/

The Parasound Halo JC 1+ is remarkably quiet and is the first commercially built product to employ active high-frequency noise filtering with Bybee Music Rails, eliminating input stage noise that compromises sound quality. Curl’s newly-designed driver stage employs a cascode circuit with greater open-loop bandwidth and increased linearity. In another first for the JC 1+, the input and driver stages reside on FR-408 printed circuit board material. Until now FR408 was used in super-computer and aerospace applications. The input-stage power supply is totally independent from the main power supply. Its R-core transformer isolates sensitive circuitry from high-frequency power line noise. This input stage power supply employs quiet high speed/soft recovery diodes and 22,400 uF filter capacitance, to deliver +/- 112 VDC rail voltage, virtually eliminating distortion. Premium Wilson Audio REL capacitors use a proprietary design, which resists micro vibrations that typically degrade the sound quality of other caps. The addition of an XLR Loop Out as well as a 12V-trigger/delayed-turn-on improve the connectivity and utility when multiple JC 1+s are used in bi, tri, and quad amp configurations.