 |
 |
|
|
Marcel van Overbeek: And again … I was stroke by Audia’s ability to translate musical events in a more than absolute convincing way … This time I used both my loudspeaker systems to listen to one of their "miracle" products.
It’s hard to come up with a new Audia story, because all circumstances were the same as during my last sessions at home with the Audia Flight 50: holidays and an ideal first week (yes rainy, rainy, rainy!) to have a good listen to the Audia Flight One Integrated amplifier.
I already knew how to unpack and set-up the amp while I’ve done that several times before during my work in the shop. This makes it a kind of "home match" to me! I started to upload the "name" of every input I was planning to use. This can be done very easily, even by remote control. The blue fluorescent display tells you exactly and very visible what you do and "where you are" in the menu. Every single input can be adjusted in gain (1db steps). In this way it’s very easy to make all your source components equal in gain. More important to me is the ability to compare two sources at the same time while both "levels" are exactly the same (like by measuring the outputs with a volt-meter). And even more convenient is the possibility to reverse polarity on every input individually. Talking about "user-friendliness" … There is some more set-up stuff, but that’s only important when you are about to use this amp in a 6 (or multi-) channel set-up. It’s possible to use it as a "master volume control" or throughput function in multi-channel combinations. However … my lp’s and cd’s only have 2 channels, so just stereo will be covered this time.
During my listening tests I used my Krell KSL2 as a phono pre-amp. I connected the tape output of the Krell to the first single-ended input of the Audia, using my own interconnects and also our new AH! AS direkt KB 8 Single Ended leads (with their marvelous Bullet RCA’s). On the second input I connected my Reference Tjoeb, with the same interconnects.
The listening sessions were done (with and without my dearly beloved Supertweeters) mainly on my "BIG" speaker system, which is the old timer Snell A-III from the roaring 80’s. Though I have to admit that I also had a swell time with my "baby" Sonus Faber Concertino’s.
I did not use the Flight One as a pre-amplifier to the Copland 504, but perhaps could still do that another time … Why? Because using the Flight One makes me wonder if the quality of my Krell KSL2, as a pre-amp, is as high as I always thought it was. How come? The Flight One, as one part, shows me way more information and "insight" as the previous reference KSL2/Flight 50 combo. Heck, the Flight One isn’t even switched in "class A" like the Flight 50, but as a whole it seems like it brings the Krell’s limitations to the surface! No doubts on the KPE (internal in KSL2) because that’s one of the reasons I bought it in the first place. Compared to many other pre-amplifiers, the KSL2, at that time, was very convincing and above all, very revealing. It also had an astonishing authority. So far so good, but perhaps "Father Time" gained a lot more than I expected! I selected some lp’s and cd’s to do the evaluation and what do you know … That brought many surprises to daylight.
The first lp I brought in was my new Classic Records Dido "No angel" 180gm. reissue, purchased at the Frankfurt High End show. Boy am I happy with this one! Although already very fond of this album on cd, the lp really sounds spectacular! I only had some comments on the treble (which had the same "glassy" sound as the cd, so I thought it was in the recording itself). Also the seemingly limited dynamic contrasts, (because I was expecting more from the lp version vs. cd version). Not so … when played back on the Audia Flight One! The sweetness of the treble, and extension on top and bottom octaves, were stunning. All dynamic contrasts were just as dynamic as one might aspect hearing this type of music. The presentation of her voice made this particular moment a magic event, hard to reproduce on whatever system, just so right and complete. There was nothing left to wish for … However careful here, while some euphoria was part of the game.
Next thing to listen to was my new Pink Floyd 30th anniversary Dark Side Of The Moon. I compared it to my much cherished MFSL Dark Side Of The Moon. The Flight One perhaps was too honest here. It told me the MFSL was way to "fat" compared to the 30th, which, in a funny way, sounds more British (spoken and song words also!). It showed a British band in 1973 in their early days as one of the worlds biggest symphonic rock acts. Where the MFSL gave more of the Rock, the EMI 30th Ann. gave more Psychedelics. Here is a good point: I personally love Floyd for their Psychedelics … "Hear the softly spoken magic spells …", the last sentence before last song of side one, A Great Gig in the sky, tells you exactly about the Flight One’s stronger points! Never cared much about Mason’s drumming (some think he’s the best rock drummer ever …), but with Flight One the tension and brilliance of this musician became obvious. The man "sings" with his drum kit … Believe me, when I tell you I have heard this album about a thousand times, but … So I went to my cd collection and grabbed both MFSL and 20th anniversary discs … Ha! Same here! I prefer the 20th Ann., and it "feels" the same as the 30th Ann. lp … but with typical cd limitations (even knowing the TjoUpsampler does a heck of job here!). Feeling the same "never heard before" emotions, and stayed with cd playback all night, because an unknown world opened up to me … again!
Ending the night with Dido on US import cd, I went to bed to have a good night- rest. I had to think about what happened this evening! Does my mind play tricks on me? Does my always available desire to change systems again make me wonder about the Krell/Copland combo like I didn’t before? Or is this 100 Watt solid state integrated really this good? Apparently … Because every single cd or lp I listened to, gave, in it’s own specific way, a previously unheard performance. It’s like up-sampling your amplifier. The Audia Flight One’s ability to translate the musical event, and retraction of nuance and detail, to me, is only known from other very expensive amplifier combo’s …
The Italians did a magnificent job, by throwing this tube lover in a heavy confused state of mind … If you had asked me four years ago about this, I had sworn to you that NO solid state amp EVER, could seduce me. Krell already did it, but in a different way. Audia however… boy oh boy. Can’t wait until the upcoming optional phono board arrives. I am afraid it will result in a long night discussion with Judith (my girlfriend and mother of my son Dave), to convince her, that I really need to buy this amp to make my music-life complete "again"! When you are in the market for a new integrated amplifier, I strongly advice you to have a listen to this "One". My guess is that it will beat all it’s USA brothers costing up to twice it’s price! It comes in silver and black, and both options cost € 4500,=, including, I forgot to mention, one of the most beautiful full metal remote controls around!
Ciao amigos!
Ps Klik hier voor de website van Audia.