So, I have been on a long journey to find the perfect stereo tube amplifier.
I thought I would start penning down down my past year's search for my "final" tube amplifier, one amp to rule them all perhaps for entertainment value for other FMs or perhaps it might help someone else who is going down the same rabbit hole.
I will try to post this in bit-chunks so that it's not too long. Here's the part one.
Part-1: Intro, NYC, test music, amp contenders
Intro
My speakers are Devore Orangutans O/96, and my preamp is the M12 with a built in DAC and a streamer. My room is 12 feet wide and 22 feet long. My speakers are very efficient (96dB and 14 ohm impedance) so anything from 8W onwards works. So I can take advantage of SET amps as well as PP amps.
I listen to everything except Western Classical.
My favourite music is Carnatic classical, Hindustani classical, Jazz, Middle Eastern music and African music
My test music
The songs that I played on every amplifier were these six, they test the criterions of sound that are important for me:
1. Mongolian Long Song / Legend of Herlev - Silk Road Ensemble
Played by Yo-yo-ma group, this song has an incredible dynamic range (60-115dB), bass, vocals.
This song tests: Dynamic range, power of the amp (does it lose steam), bass, high-pitched female vocals
2. Between the Heaven and Me - Kayhan Kalhor
This song tests: Strings, string decay, alive-ness, woodiness of the kaminacheh
3. When the Soul is settled - Rahim Al Haj
This song tests: Strings, string decay
4. Sophisticated Lady - Charles Mingus
This song tests: Upper bass
5. Pancham - Zakir Hussein/Masters of Percussion
This song tests: Bottom end, drums, tabla, bass energy
6. M’Bifa - Rokia Traore
This song tests: Female vocals, separation of music, space, sound stage
7. From Inspiration to Ecstasy - Vish-Namo (Shujat Hussein Khan/Lalgudi etc)
This song tests: Bass, violin, space and sound stage and instrument separation
NYC
All the brands I ever want to listen to are available in the high-end audio stores of NYC. It is an audiophile heaven, and the dealers seem very helpful and without too many airs.
So I planned my visit via email beforehand and set up appointments. I decided to listen the best brands out there. Based on my prior listening experience and things I have read and hear about I selected these top brands. Shindo Labs, Luxman, Air Tight, Kondo, Engstrom.
I had 5 days in NYC and for that five days, every day at 4pm I set up an appointment to listen to one amplifier.
The goal was to purchase an amplifier that I can live with at least the next ten years.
Only stereo or integrated amplifiers were considered (I am looking to downsize wrt # of pieces, so no monoblocks)
The particular stereo/integrated amplifier contenders were:
1. Engstrom & Engstrom Arne
2. Shindo Cortese 300b
3. Air Tight ATM-300R
4. Luxman MQ-300
5. Kondo Overture Mk1
To be continued .....
Coming up in part-2 : Day 1 - Engstrom Arne vs Shindo
I thought I would start penning down down my past year's search for my "final" tube amplifier, one amp to rule them all perhaps for entertainment value for other FMs or perhaps it might help someone else who is going down the same rabbit hole.
I will try to post this in bit-chunks so that it's not too long. Here's the part one.
Part-1: Intro, NYC, test music, amp contenders
Intro
My speakers are Devore Orangutans O/96, and my preamp is the M12 with a built in DAC and a streamer. My room is 12 feet wide and 22 feet long. My speakers are very efficient (96dB and 14 ohm impedance) so anything from 8W onwards works. So I can take advantage of SET amps as well as PP amps.
I listen to everything except Western Classical.
My favourite music is Carnatic classical, Hindustani classical, Jazz, Middle Eastern music and African music
My test music
The songs that I played on every amplifier were these six, they test the criterions of sound that are important for me:
1. Mongolian Long Song / Legend of Herlev - Silk Road Ensemble
Played by Yo-yo-ma group, this song has an incredible dynamic range (60-115dB), bass, vocals.
This song tests: Dynamic range, power of the amp (does it lose steam), bass, high-pitched female vocals
2. Between the Heaven and Me - Kayhan Kalhor
This song tests: Strings, string decay, alive-ness, woodiness of the kaminacheh
3. When the Soul is settled - Rahim Al Haj
This song tests: Strings, string decay
4. Sophisticated Lady - Charles Mingus
This song tests: Upper bass
5. Pancham - Zakir Hussein/Masters of Percussion
This song tests: Bottom end, drums, tabla, bass energy
6. M’Bifa - Rokia Traore
This song tests: Female vocals, separation of music, space, sound stage
7. From Inspiration to Ecstasy - Vish-Namo (Shujat Hussein Khan/Lalgudi etc)
This song tests: Bass, violin, space and sound stage and instrument separation
NYC
All the brands I ever want to listen to are available in the high-end audio stores of NYC. It is an audiophile heaven, and the dealers seem very helpful and without too many airs.
So I planned my visit via email beforehand and set up appointments. I decided to listen the best brands out there. Based on my prior listening experience and things I have read and hear about I selected these top brands. Shindo Labs, Luxman, Air Tight, Kondo, Engstrom.
I had 5 days in NYC and for that five days, every day at 4pm I set up an appointment to listen to one amplifier.
The goal was to purchase an amplifier that I can live with at least the next ten years.
Only stereo or integrated amplifiers were considered (I am looking to downsize wrt # of pieces, so no monoblocks)
The particular stereo/integrated amplifier contenders were:
1. Engstrom & Engstrom Arne
2. Shindo Cortese 300b
3. Air Tight ATM-300R
4. Luxman MQ-300
5. Kondo Overture Mk1
To be continued .....
Coming up in part-2 : Day 1 - Engstrom Arne vs Shindo
