SW1X Audio Design AMP V “Titan” Special directly-heated triode built-in amplifier Review

Audiophiles dig specs. Most audiophiles are usually not technically savvy and depend on the brilliance of the design engineers of corporations and their advertising departments to make buy selections, and what enjoyable that’s. Finding out how completely different designs make music in a single’s own residence makes for one of many noblest hobbies. Anyone generally is a music lover with out the audiophile ingredient and that makes for a duller life; and who can resist the enjoyment and pleasure of unboxing a brand new cartridge or DAC or amplifier? Spending cash on one thing that stays in your house and makes lovely music is about probably the most rational pastime there’s.

One of probably the most wonderful discoveries at CAS’ previous is SW1X Audio Design from Britain, based by Dr. Slawa Roschkow (See Interview). Comprising a workers of eight together with himself, Slawa’s firm gives full system options from the Valve Digital Transport to DACs, preamplifiers, built-in amplifiers, energy amplifiers and even audio system. Each product sort is obtainable in progressing ranges of components high quality. In the built-in amplifier class, the corporate gives 5 merchandise, every accessible in an additional 5 variations specifically Standard, Special, Classic and Signature, starting with AMP I “Genie”, a 2 watts per channel design utilizing two EL84 output tubes with solely two acquire phases. The PSE second model is a 4 watts per channel push-pull using 4 EL84 tubes.

AMP II and above turns into pure class A, single-ended designs. The first mannequin employs two 6V6 output tubes, producing 6 watts per channel. AMP III turns directly-heated in triode mode and makes use of two 45 tubes for two watts per channel. AMP IV advances with the 2A3 tube, one for every channel to provide 4 watts. AMP V, the “Titan” within the Special model is the topic of this evaluation, outputting 8 watts per channel. The $30,000 Classic model provides costlier, silver wound OPTs and extra unique components.

Equipped with two Linlai 300B tubes, two OTK 6H8C enter tubes and one Philips ECG Jan 5U4GB rectifier, the Titan Special is endowed with copper wound tremendous HiB DC Core output transformers. Note that the corporate could equip different 300B makes in its cargo. SW1X Chicagoland vendor Chris Moore of Mimic Audio despatched two extra classic GE 5692 enter tubes subsequently to me; these are those affectionately recognized to many because the “black plate”.

I need to say the 2A3 in AMP IV and 45 tubes in AMP III maintain extra attract to me than 300B, and the audio system to be reviewed with the AMP V, specifically the just lately reviewed PureAudioVenture Quintet15 Voxativ AC-X with 4 woofers per facet, will in all probability sound higher with eight 300B-watts than two 45-watts or 4 2A3-watts. This is critical enjoyable available.

The AMP V’s quantity management has 24 steps and options the DIRECT-IN RCA inputs that bypass the VOLUME and SELECTOR, turning the built-in right into a de facto energy amplifier. Using the DIRECT-IN, step one within the attenuator opens up the sign path utterly into full output mode whereas zero quantity equates mute.

The $16,000 Bricasti Design M21 DSD DAC took the lead in digital playback, sourcing from the $6,300 Aurender N200 Network Transport. A $7,999 PS Audio DirectStream DAC Mk II additionally assumed responsibility alternately. The intently spaced RCA jack on the SW1X necessitated use of skinny interconnects. The $5,000 pair of Audience frontROW RCA interconnects secured its place within the auditioning course of in opposition to these from a couple of different makes, and the $21,300 A.R.T. Sensor Haute Couture Mains powered the built-in amplifier.

Primary analog playback was through a Technics SP-10 Mk2A direct-drive turntable, one which I acquired model new with its electronics in prime situation. Cartridge was the $33,000 system of the Audio Note UK IO Ltd field-coil with the customized AN-1S six-wire tonearm. Technic’s unique obsidian plinth as augmented by the Millennium M-LP Mat carbon LP mat housed the SP-10 Mk2A. Additional help occurred within the type of a $27,000 Audio Note UK AN-9L stepped-up transformer along with a $25,000 M6 Phono preamplifier, feeding the DIRECT-IN RCA jacks on the AMP V’s rear panel.

Both the $55,000 Sound Lab Majestic 945PX electrostatic panels and the $21,000 PureAudioVenture Quintet15 Voxativ AC-X field-coil open-baffle speaker system had been paced by the evaluation course of, with the $70,000 Audio Reference Technology Sensor Haute Couture spade speaker cables because the reference. The $10,000 Technics SU-R1000 GaN-FET reference built-in amplifier partook within the audition course of.

When driving the 89 dB, 9 toes tall, three and a half toes vast Sound Lab Majestic 945PX in reproducing solo classical piano LPs, akin to The Last Recording by Vladimir Horowitz and numerous digital recordings of his taking part in by the Deutsche Grammophon label, the AMP V invariably flaunted its alluring and complex midrange with a tonal and textural directness in creating the piano sounds that was lush and lively. The huge panels’ applied sciences accorded completely pure tonal renditioning, thus positioning the AMP V in an eminent candy spot.

The signature Horowitz dynamics and Steinway tonal lushness had been on full show with the AMP V, and the meager eight watts seemingly attained inexplicable heights, notably the place the bloom of decrease registers of the piano was involved. Still, not all was rosy for an amplifier driving one of many largest electrostatic panels. For one, the 1984 Deutsche Grammophon recording of the Richard Strauss tone poem Also Sprach Zarathustra compressed dynamically and distorted all through its tympani rolls. Eight watts had been clearly not sufficient for the 89 dB Sound Lab to breed a full orchestra in my room; a smaller room or sixteen and even twenty-four watts may be the minimal wanted.

Changing audio system to the 96 dB, $21,000 PureAudioVenture Quintet15 Voxativ AC-X utterly remodeled the dynamic supply of the AMP V. For it induced the open-baffle audio system to breed the aforementioned tone poem at insane quantity with aplomb. The meager eight watts introduced out such radical dynamics it resembled the a whole bunch of watts generated by the Bricasti Design M28 pair of monoblocks when it was driving the large Sound Lab. The large brass part of the Berlin Philharmonic rose in super physique and definition as monopolized solely by one of the best in directly-heated triode amplifications. Even the tympani rolls attained such physique and dynamics as to be gratifyingly bewildering.

The Titan imparted class-leading differentiation of dynamics and tonalities between devices from the 4 woofers and the field-coil principal driver, and the consistency with which the built-in amplifier did so with completely different recordings highlighted an engineering feat so thorough in forging a sign path of the purest as to be fanatical.

The degree of tonal sophistication of the person differentiation of strings, woodwind and brass instrument inside the respective sections was on a degree even larger than that of the Technics SU-R1000, probably the most truthful and delicate sounding solid-state built-in amplifier to my ears, when it was driving the open-baffle audio system. It was unmistakably satisfying to listen to the Technics in motion with the audio system, however the SW1X introduced a complete new degree of sophistication to the artwork of music copy.

The attribute of the central Voxativ field-coil driver in its beautiful response to the built-in amplifier alone spoke volumes. Even when taking part in famously “dry” sounding digital recordings, the delicacy of the motive force as pushed by the SW1X unveiled textures of the strings and woodwinds to such levels as to be unprecedented. One may nearly surmise from experiencing the AMP V Titan Special that these dry recordings are purer sounding. Here, maybe even a mere 4 300B or 2A3 watts would’ve sufficed, and the standard of each watt popping out of the SW1X AMP V Titan Special can’t be overstated.

The Titan’s low output actually made it extra restricted than different solid-state amplifiers in speaker suitability, however with audio system such because the 96dB delicate PureAudioVenture Quintet15 w/Voxativ AC-X, the Titan exerted full management of the audio system and delivered some of the sweeping music-listening experiences I’ve ever recognized.

Few corporations poured their monetary and engineering would possibly into merchandise with the fervor of corporations like Audio Note UK and SW1X Audio Design, inserting predominantly heavy emphasis on the engineering and components and never the chassis, banking on and interesting to the mind of their prospects’. There is a robust case to be made concerning the ardour for the audio pastime for these corporations and their prospects.

The Titan sits on the prime amongst handcrafted extremely high-end, directly-heated triode amplification from the United Kingdom, particularly in its built-in functionalities. Per probability you might have $30,000 to spend, the even higher-grade Classic model beckons. For $21,500, the SW1X AMP V “Titan” Special directly-heated triode built-in amplifier with its definitive efficiency, fantastic thing about sound and performance choices stands aside within the discipline of probably the most exalted DHT amplifications. It is now my reference DHT amplification in auditioning high-efficiency speaker methods.

Review system:

Acoustic Sciences Corporation TubeTraps
Audience AV frontROW RCA cables
Audio Reference Technology Sensor Haute Couture spade speaker cables
Audio Reference Technology Analysts EVO RCA
Audio Reference Technology Analysts SE interconnects, energy cables
Audio Reference Technology Super SE interconnects, energy cables
Stage III Concepts Ckahron XLR interconnects

Audio Note IO Ltd field-coil cartridge system
Audio Note UK AN-1S six-wire tonearm for IO Ltd
Audio Note UK AN-9L stepped-up transformer
Audio Note M6 Phono preamplifier
Technics SP-10 MK2A turntable
Audio Desk Systeme Ultrasonic Vinyl Cleaner

Aurender N200 high-performance digital output community transport
Bricasti Design M21 DSD dual-mono DAC
PS Audio DirectStream DAC MkII

Bricasti Design M20 Preamplifier
PureAudioProect Quintet15 Voxativ AC-X open-baffle field-coil speaker system
First Watt SIT-1 monoblocks
First Watt SIT-2 stereo amplifier

Pass Laboratories Xs Phono
Pass Laboratories XA200.8 pure class A monoblocks
Bricasti Design M28 class A/AB monoblocks
Sound Lab Majestic 645 electrostatic panels

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May 24, 2024 at 08:35PM