Audiophilepure

The front panel of the Antileon Evo is mostly acrylic and has six buttons. The far left button is an ON/STANDBY button that, when pressed, activates the amp and reveals a red display behind clear acrylic. This also initiates a self-check that takes approximately 15 seconds and lets you know if there are issues with the amp. The CHECK button at the far right allows you to run the self-check while in full operation. There is also a MUTE button that does exactly that — mutes the sound — which is handy when you want to change out some cables without turning the amp off. However, the remaining three buttons are the most interesting to the dedicated audiophile.

The remaining three front-panel buttons allow you to choose between three bias settings: Bias L (low), M (medium) and H (high). Bias L provides 25 wpc of class A power. This setting is fine for listening at low levels or when simply playing background music, and to my ears sounds better than the vast majority of A/B amps. I mostly used this setting to keep the Evo warm during the day so that it would be ready to play in Bias M or Bias H mode at a moment’s notice in the evening. Bias M and H were the settings I used for serious listening. Bias M delivers 50 wpc of class A power, which I use when blasting certain rock or other highly in-your-face music. Bias H delivers a sumptuous 150 wpc of class A power. I used this for most really serious listening sessions, even most rock, but especially when the music is vocal, orchestral, moody or sophisticated (I’ll expand on this below).

I also asked Naim about this. They say the pre-amp outputs can be used for a subwoofer, and while true, the output is not labeled such on the back panel and there is no mention of how to hook up a sub in the included documentation. Naim says they will update the documentation as well. All in all, Naim is to be praised for seeing these issues when pointed out and taking proactive steps to correct them. Many companies would just ignore the criticisms.

Once your speakers are ready to go, plug in a network cable or put the unit on your local Wi-Fi network. If you are streaming high-resolution files, a direct network connection is your best bet.

Using the app, you can set up Tidal or whatever streaming service you have. The app allows more control than the included remote, so I found it was best to keep my iPhone handy.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/vac-sigma-170i-iq-integrated-amplifier

The VAC Sigma 170i iQ did well across criteria typically associated with tube amps, and more: sweet treble, excellent midrange, musicality, bloom. Timbres were more natural than warm. Bass was substantial, with good definition. The VAC amp seemed more powerful than its rating suggests, and often delivered solid attacks. It’s not inexpensive, but it is luxurious, and all its details are well-considered. It was a pleasure to set up and to use. It’s built by hand and meant to last at least one lifetime. There is value here.

https://www.hifichoice.com/content/luxman-sq-n150

No less importantly, provided that the speaker it’s matched with is suitably sensitive, the performance manages to deliver heavier and larger scale music without sounding strained or lost. The live studio edit of Bring Your Lovin’ Back Here by Gomez captures the heavyweight swagger of the band and the punch and drive of the music is central to the experience. Although certainly not a recording for the ages, the SQ-N150 takes the experience further with a level of refinement and airiness in the midrange that ensures any limitations of the music are avoided.