Audiophilepure

https://www.hifichoice.com/content/rel-t9x-se

Switching to the sub’s high-level input, piggybacking the M1’s speaker terminals, very much proves that you should always go with what the manufacturer recommends first. It makes for much easier ear-base integration with Q-Acoustics’ 5040 standmount and immediately tightens up the room bloom. It sounds at its best in a corner and the whole bass spectrum gets a large shot of adrenaline speed and dynamics.

The well-recorded electronica of Hedegaard’s Ratchets thunders into the room with impressive scale. The T/9x SE gets into its stride with room-shaking power that allows the infectious beat to command the track. It pressurises our 24m2 room exceptionally well with a solid leading-edge punch to the bass notes.

The T/9x SE’s real sonic strengths lie in its seamless integration into the mix. We’ve tested numerous subs that can hit harder and sound stunning for four tracks before they get fatiguing. The REL, set up sweetly, increases the ambience and feel of the music from the bottom to the top of the spectrum.

https://www.hifinews.com/content/devialet-astra-%E2%80%98op%C3%A9ra-de-paris%E2%80%99-streaming-amplifier

I’ve been on a Zimmer whirlwind recently, as his pieces are both a) masterfully constructed and b) great for auditioning audio gear. On this live Gladiator medley, the Astra found the power to track the expansion from quiet opening to full-on finale, strands of violin notes twisting in and out of view next to choral and brass swells. Again, the sensation was of musical detail laid bare, but here also with a hint of coarseness in the upper frequencies.

This sort of artifice can limit the suspension of disbelief that a great musical system should bring, but perhaps I’m being overly harsh on what is a svelte, powerful, streaming amp designed with an eye on living room acceptance. And the Astra still gets plenty right, excelling with a wide rendition of The Allman Brothers Band’s epic ‘Mountain Jam’ [Eat A Peach, MoFi; DSD64], where it gave brilliant focus to every snare, tom and cymbal during the lengthy ‘dual-drummer’ battle, and ensuring the piano on Anna Fedorova’s Intrigues Of The Darkness [Channel Classics; 192kHz/24-bit], appropriately enough, emerged from a deliciously dark background. When this amp is good, it’s as good as gold.