Had the fortunate opportunity of auditioning the KT88 version of the Audion Signature SET integrated amp, courtesy of the Rega guys.
Listened to it several times and here are my thoughts for the benefit of the group:
1) Might be just 18wpc, and technically will struggle with 86DB speakers like my Compact 7s, but this amp had enough balls to drive the Harbeths. Better than my former 12wpc Leben and my last tube amp, a push pull KT88 35wpc from Triode Japan. As such, this might be the SET amp for "normal" speakers which ordinary SET amps cannot drive.
2) This amp's improvement over my current Rega Elicit-R, is incremental, but the improvement is quite noticeable. I hear more details, or maybe the amp is able to allow the speakers to project the music better. Sound is a bit warmer (as expected of a tube) but is not flabby nor loose, so any bass in your music is just as tight similar to a solid state amp, but a bit fuller ("mas matabang tumunog") to my ears. Might be the amp to get me back to tubes, a journey I started with my first AMX KT88 amp some years back.
3) Amp is small but quire substantial, and controls seem to have quality touches. No cheap China parts here (or anywhere in the amp, according to the materials), so you do get what you pay for. Better quality than the higher end models of Cayin and Line Magnetic.
4) Wishlist I suppose is a remote volume control, which I believe is optional. And probably a stepped volume knob, lighted siguro so you can see the level. My normal listening volume in this amp was between 11 to 1 o'clock, so still not fully maxing it out. Also, am curious on the KT-120 model, with its 24wpc, which should also have enough power to drive less sensitive speakers as well.
5) Amp can play most genres I generally listen to, which is quite surprising since the conventional knowledge is that SET amps have limited applications such as voice and small chamber music. Not in this this amp.
Overall, it's an amp I will miss once the Rega guys want it back. It's worth an audition and serious consideration in anyone's system . . . :-)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
