Since I risk making quantitative judgments in reviews, I would estimate the sonic advantage to be of the order of 20%. This was as it should be: the merging of a vestigial control section with a sensitive power amplifier should result in improved performance. In fact, it comfortably exceeded my past experience of the equivalent combination of PV10A/MV55 separates. But once I grew accustomed to the reduced intensity, I found that much of the musical detail was still present.Īs I became adjusted, it was clear that this was a damn fine amplifier. This darkening wasn't like smoke, obscuring information, but like a tint that reduced the level of aural illumination. At first I thought the CAV50 lacked detail and image depth, this impression engendered by a noticeable darkened quality, but I was wrong. It wasn't as obviously clear, crisp, and detailed as its august equivalent, C-J's Premier Eleven A, or such a high-end preamplifier as the Premier Fourteen. Excessive praise for the CAV50? Further proof of its appealing performance swiftly emerged as the listening tests unfolded.Įar appeal is a good way of beginning to characterize this C-J's sound. Remarkably, the C-J's innate character suited this costly horn speaker very well despite the price disparity, I regard it as a good working choice for the Duo. In the event, it was my ears that got the bashing, so loudly did this combination play! I also gave the horn-loaded Avantgarde Duos that I reviewed in the June Stereophile a bashing with the C-J before the Duos left for their home in Germany.
Avoiding Quad ESL-63 electrostatics in case of an acoustic bonfire (if the lab test is any indication), in the main I used Epos ES12, Spendor SP2-2, Sonus Faber Electa Amator II, and Wilson WITT Mk.II loudspeakers. This may not be a very expensive integrated amp, but it's a serious product and merited serious attention.
0 kommentar(er)
