Almarro A205A single-ended integrated tube amplifier
- Thread starter BrianB
- Start date
Hi Patrick,
For Almarro's description of the A318A, click here.
And for a recent review of the A318A, click here.
Happy listening!
For Almarro's description of the A318A, click here.
And for a recent review of the A318A, click here.
Happy listening!
First thing first:
I just wanted to thank Brian for making the demo of this fine piece of equipment in my home with my speakers a possibility.
I'll skip over the packaging and craftsmanship of the amp. Other members have already nailed it to a T. The weight was already mentioned, but I gotta say it again. For such a small and unobtrusive amp, this sucker sure is heavy.
First rig:
This is MY room. It's pretty small (approx 10x10), carpeted, single chair, but has a bunch of boxes placed strategically for better acoustics or so I tell myself.
Radio Shack Gold interconnects
AMC CD8b CD Player
14 awg speaker wire
First speakers up were a pair of 12" Realistic full-range. These sounded real good. The best I have heard from these speakers. The tone was very smooth from top to bottom, but the degree of realism or presence seemed to increase. Seemed promising.
Next was a pair of JBL C54 Trimlines. This speaker uses an 8" Full-range paired with an 8" passive radiator in a sealed design. This amp was a perfect match for these speakers. I melted into my seat while listening to the likes of Coltrane, Sun Ra, Zappa, Miles Davis, Alan Parson's, etc. While the soundstage wasn't huge, the imaging was very precise and the tone was very pleasing and natural. I then added a Carver C-9 Sonic Holography generator into the mix. The imaging suffered a little, but the soundstage grew to a sound much larger than my small room could achieve otherwise. I was very happy with the results.
KLH 23s. To be honest I wouldn't have thought this amp would work well with these speakers. A higher wattage P-P maybe, but surely not this little spec of an amp. Oooopps! There I go making assumptions again. Sure my room is pretty small, but it drove these the best I've heard them with plenty to spare. Maybe this amp has a higher gain at the low end of the dial (some do), but I recall having to turn my MC-6100 integrated about this high (10:30-11:00) to get this full of sound. The music was wonderful. This speaker is pretty bass heavy on some stuff, not this. It was very well propotioned. They dug pretty low without boom.
2nd rig;
Toshiba 3950 - FULLY modded
Radio Shack Gold interconnects (trying to stay consistant)
14 AWG speaker wire
This was a much larger room inhabited by my much larger Altecs. They are in homemade vented cabs, but would be similar to Iconics or Valencias.
This is the demo I had been waiting for. A single-ended amp paired with my very efficient speakers. Match made in heaven?
First off was Pat Metheny - One Quiet Night. It was wonderful. I haven't had much time with this disc though since I had recently checked it out from the library, but I was juiced. Everything sounded smooth, natural and in place. Then I thought to myself: "Self, this is rig is used for either Dora and Blue's Clues, or rocking out. Since I don't feel the need for Dora or Blue, I guess I'll have to rock this motha out!" And that's exactly what I did.
In goes Bauhaus - Bella Legosi is Dead (Live). "Yeah this is what I'm talking about. Let me give her some juice." I didn't turn it past 10 o'clock and was grateful when it got loud. Throw in some Pink Floyd, then The White Stipes. Floyd went well, but I had been humming "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stipes earlier at work so I had to skip the full demo.
A few moments into the song there is some bombastic cymbal playing. The Almarro (with a Telefunken 12ax7 mind you) came to a SCREACHING hault. Sibilance to the point of shrill. I know Altec 811s have a tendency to ring like a bell, but this was almost painful. It was very high and instead of sounding like: tish,tish, tish, it was tish,iSH,iSH,iSH. I would like to believe this was largely in part of the T'funken, but never got around to swapping out for the EH (until I boxed it up for shipment).
Pros:
Man this thing sounded great on my FR's
Very sleek and simple to use
It doesn't get very hot
Cons:
Only one input. It could be used in conjuction with a pre, but that kinda negates the "integrated" aspect.
I didn't like the recessed back. Very difficult to connect speaker wires on the quick. I ended up using some banana plugs. I like bare wire.
There is only a small detent (black on black) for the volume knob. I like to be able to see this from 6ft away atleast.
Summary - If I were looking for an amp for my 2-ch mancave, this amp would be at the top of my list. It sounded so natural and wonderful and I'm sure I could get by the single inputs by using a preamp. I probably wouldn't consider this amp for the living room. While it ran much cooler (recessed gear position), the single input (and need for a preamp) makes it pretty low on the WAF, besides I'm happy with what I am currently using when I need to rock the joint.
Thanks again Brian!
I just wanted to thank Brian for making the demo of this fine piece of equipment in my home with my speakers a possibility.
I'll skip over the packaging and craftsmanship of the amp. Other members have already nailed it to a T. The weight was already mentioned, but I gotta say it again. For such a small and unobtrusive amp, this sucker sure is heavy.
First rig:
This is MY room. It's pretty small (approx 10x10), carpeted, single chair, but has a bunch of boxes placed strategically for better acoustics or so I tell myself.
Radio Shack Gold interconnects
AMC CD8b CD Player
14 awg speaker wire
First speakers up were a pair of 12" Realistic full-range. These sounded real good. The best I have heard from these speakers. The tone was very smooth from top to bottom, but the degree of realism or presence seemed to increase. Seemed promising.
Next was a pair of JBL C54 Trimlines. This speaker uses an 8" Full-range paired with an 8" passive radiator in a sealed design. This amp was a perfect match for these speakers. I melted into my seat while listening to the likes of Coltrane, Sun Ra, Zappa, Miles Davis, Alan Parson's, etc. While the soundstage wasn't huge, the imaging was very precise and the tone was very pleasing and natural. I then added a Carver C-9 Sonic Holography generator into the mix. The imaging suffered a little, but the soundstage grew to a sound much larger than my small room could achieve otherwise. I was very happy with the results.
KLH 23s. To be honest I wouldn't have thought this amp would work well with these speakers. A higher wattage P-P maybe, but surely not this little spec of an amp. Oooopps! There I go making assumptions again. Sure my room is pretty small, but it drove these the best I've heard them with plenty to spare. Maybe this amp has a higher gain at the low end of the dial (some do), but I recall having to turn my MC-6100 integrated about this high (10:30-11:00) to get this full of sound. The music was wonderful. This speaker is pretty bass heavy on some stuff, not this. It was very well propotioned. They dug pretty low without boom.
2nd rig;
Toshiba 3950 - FULLY modded
Radio Shack Gold interconnects (trying to stay consistant)
14 AWG speaker wire
This was a much larger room inhabited by my much larger Altecs. They are in homemade vented cabs, but would be similar to Iconics or Valencias.
This is the demo I had been waiting for. A single-ended amp paired with my very efficient speakers. Match made in heaven?
First off was Pat Metheny - One Quiet Night. It was wonderful. I haven't had much time with this disc though since I had recently checked it out from the library, but I was juiced. Everything sounded smooth, natural and in place. Then I thought to myself: "Self, this is rig is used for either Dora and Blue's Clues, or rocking out. Since I don't feel the need for Dora or Blue, I guess I'll have to rock this motha out!" And that's exactly what I did.
In goes Bauhaus - Bella Legosi is Dead (Live). "Yeah this is what I'm talking about. Let me give her some juice." I didn't turn it past 10 o'clock and was grateful when it got loud. Throw in some Pink Floyd, then The White Stipes. Floyd went well, but I had been humming "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stipes earlier at work so I had to skip the full demo.
A few moments into the song there is some bombastic cymbal playing. The Almarro (with a Telefunken 12ax7 mind you) came to a SCREACHING hault. Sibilance to the point of shrill. I know Altec 811s have a tendency to ring like a bell, but this was almost painful. It was very high and instead of sounding like: tish,tish, tish, it was tish,iSH,iSH,iSH. I would like to believe this was largely in part of the T'funken, but never got around to swapping out for the EH (until I boxed it up for shipment).Pros:
Man this thing sounded great on my FR's
Very sleek and simple to use
It doesn't get very hot
Cons:
Only one input. It could be used in conjuction with a pre, but that kinda negates the "integrated" aspect.
I didn't like the recessed back. Very difficult to connect speaker wires on the quick. I ended up using some banana plugs. I like bare wire.
There is only a small detent (black on black) for the volume knob. I like to be able to see this from 6ft away atleast.
Summary - If I were looking for an amp for my 2-ch mancave, this amp would be at the top of my list. It sounded so natural and wonderful and I'm sure I could get by the single inputs by using a preamp. I probably wouldn't consider this amp for the living room. While it ran much cooler (recessed gear position), the single input (and need for a preamp) makes it pretty low on the WAF, besides I'm happy with what I am currently using when I need to rock the joint.
Thanks again Brian!
Hi Ski,
I've been meaning to respond to your wonderful write-up of the Almarro A205A, but things have been more than a little crazy around here, what with the new baby and all. But it looks like I've got a couple of minutes now (I've just fixed breakfast for our other two kids), so...
First off, it was great reading how well the little Almarro mated with the three pairs of loudspeakers in your smaller listening room. Even with moderately-efficient speakers, this little five-watter can put out a surprising amount of bass. Out of curiosity, what other amps have you used with these speakers in this room?
Secondly, it sounds like the amp didn't quite manage to rock out as well as expected in the larger room with the Altecs. Now, I myself have heard the Almarro give up the ghost in a similar fashion, but only once. At AK-Fest eariler this year, I was showing off the A205A with Almarro's own M33A loudspeakers, which are rated at 90dB and use a pair of 4" paper drivers. We had been playing a bunch of rock recordings (including the White Stripes album you mentioned) through this system with excellent results, and then someone wanted to see how the amp and speakers would perform when REALLY pushed. So, on goes some big orchestral music, up up up goes the volume (and the volume had already been set above normal listening levels), and BAM - the same kind of distortion that you reported.
Now, I'm a bit surprised that you heard this with the White Stripes recording through the Altecs, given how much more efficient they are than the Almarro speakers. And I have a hard time believing that the Telefunken would be to blame here. Say, just how loud WERE you playing that White Stripes track?
At any rate, thanks so much for such a thoughtful and thorough review!
Cheers,
Brian
I've been meaning to respond to your wonderful write-up of the Almarro A205A, but things have been more than a little crazy around here, what with the new baby and all.
But it looks like I've got a couple of minutes now (I've just fixed breakfast for our other two kids), so...First off, it was great reading how well the little Almarro mated with the three pairs of loudspeakers in your smaller listening room. Even with moderately-efficient speakers, this little five-watter can put out a surprising amount of bass. Out of curiosity, what other amps have you used with these speakers in this room?
Secondly, it sounds like the amp didn't quite manage to rock out as well as expected in the larger room with the Altecs. Now, I myself have heard the Almarro give up the ghost in a similar fashion, but only once. At AK-Fest eariler this year, I was showing off the A205A with Almarro's own M33A loudspeakers, which are rated at 90dB and use a pair of 4" paper drivers. We had been playing a bunch of rock recordings (including the White Stripes album you mentioned) through this system with excellent results, and then someone wanted to see how the amp and speakers would perform when REALLY pushed. So, on goes some big orchestral music, up up up goes the volume (and the volume had already been set above normal listening levels), and BAM - the same kind of distortion that you reported.
Now, I'm a bit surprised that you heard this with the White Stripes recording through the Altecs, given how much more efficient they are than the Almarro speakers. And I have a hard time believing that the Telefunken would be to blame here. Say, just how loud WERE you playing that White Stripes track?
At any rate, thanks so much for such a thoughtful and thorough review!
Cheers,
Brian
Out of curiosity, if I were able to convince Almarro to produce an "expanded" version of the A205A with three inputs rather than one for an additional $100 to $150, do you think that this would significantly increase the marketability of this little amp?
The additional inputs would be a real bonus.
I will admit that I was listening pretty loud, but never turned the volume past 12 o'clock. I'm pretty sure the diaphrams are original. Maybe the amp just revealed a problem that was already there.
I've used a couple different amps upstairs. MC-6100, ST-70 & AVA Super PAS4i, "the" SX-1010, AU-999. As far as which ones went onto which speakers at any given time is kinda hard to say.
I will admit that I was listening pretty loud, but never turned the volume past 12 o'clock. I'm pretty sure the diaphrams are original. Maybe the amp just revealed a problem that was already there.
I've used a couple different amps upstairs. MC-6100, ST-70 & AVA Super PAS4i, "the" SX-1010, AU-999. As far as which ones went onto which speakers at any given time is kinda hard to say.
gonzp
Klipschophile
I believe 2 imputs and a phono stage would perhaps be the best configuration to set up the little Almarro but than I think you would be asking for a price increase of over 100 to $$150. I am currently demo'ing the A205A and I am very impressed with it and will purchace an Almarro A318A (from Brian) just for the fact of the 3 imputs. Also Brian what phono stage would you recommend to mate with the larger Almarro?
Yes, adding a phono section would increase the price of the A205A significantly.
If you decide to go for the Almarro A318A, I would suggest the following MM/MC phono stage:
Blue Circle BC27
gonzp
Klipschophile
I guess my 2 weeks are up and I must post a review of the Almarro A205A, I have dreaded this because of the quality of the previous reviews submitted. 
First things first, BrianB thank you so very much for the opportunity you give this forum and its members to demo gear that we would otherwise have to buy. :yippy:Also Ski- thanks for sending the amp, the shipping nearly broke the bank. 
Ok here goes, this was the first time I experienced the wonderful world of tubes in my home as an adult. I currently have a solid state setup consisting of Marantz separates a 33 preamp a 15 power amp and a 2020 tuner and a Denon DCM-380 CD changer coupled to 1984 Klipsch Heresy’s. The main stereo room is approximately 30’x30’carpeted and my speakers are spaced at about 30’ I listen to a variety of music from, Jazz to hard alt music back down to bluegrass and blues and alt country. The Almarro A205A did not disappoint me no matter what genre of music I popped in. The soundstage was wide and airy and the speakers vanished. Never did I ever have to go past 10:00 on the volume dial to fill our living room and dining room full of warm sounds. The Klipsch really mated well with the Almarro and now I can attest that horn speakers were made for tube amplifiers!!! Cymbals were in the living room so clear that my wife noticed!!! Vocals were brought out with a clarity that I was not prepared for. Diana Krall has got a magical voice and it was highlighted exquisitely on the Almarro. The amp also was not short at all in the low end whether piano keys, a string bass, a kick drum or thumpin electric bass was played the amp effortlessly came through. Me’ Shell Ndegeocelo’s, peace beyond passion was awesome to hear. :hdphones: Listening to the radio was taken to another level as this amp took away the harshness that is radio. The Almarro as stated in most other reviews is a very plain amp with a very neutral look, features and color but that is where plain and ordinary end. All in all the little Almaro has convinced me to purchase a tube amplifier and after much thought I decided to go with the Almarro A318A :yippy:mainly due to the fact that it has 3 inputs and the 205 has only 1, also the wood based 318 is easier on my wife’s eyes.:yes: In speaking to BrianB no one else has signed up to audition the little amp that can,so I will be hanging on to it until I can ship her off…. Dr Evil has struck and an Almarro tube amplifier will be in my home soon. Thanks again Brian 
First things first, BrianB thank you so very much for the opportunity you give this forum and its members to demo gear that we would otherwise have to buy. :yippy:Also Ski- thanks for sending the amp, the shipping nearly broke the bank. Ok here goes, this was the first time I experienced the wonderful world of tubes in my home as an adult. I currently have a solid state setup consisting of Marantz separates a 33 preamp a 15 power amp and a 2020 tuner and a Denon DCM-380 CD changer coupled to 1984 Klipsch Heresy’s. The main stereo room is approximately 30’x30’carpeted and my speakers are spaced at about 30’ I listen to a variety of music from, Jazz to hard alt music back down to bluegrass and blues and alt country. The Almarro A205A did not disappoint me no matter what genre of music I popped in. The soundstage was wide and airy and the speakers vanished. Never did I ever have to go past 10:00 on the volume dial to fill our living room and dining room full of warm sounds. The Klipsch really mated well with the Almarro and now I can attest that horn speakers were made for tube amplifiers!!! Cymbals were in the living room so clear that my wife noticed!!! Vocals were brought out with a clarity that I was not prepared for. Diana Krall has got a magical voice and it was highlighted exquisitely on the Almarro. The amp also was not short at all in the low end whether piano keys, a string bass, a kick drum or thumpin electric bass was played the amp effortlessly came through. Me’ Shell Ndegeocelo’s, peace beyond passion was awesome to hear. :hdphones: Listening to the radio was taken to another level as this amp took away the harshness that is radio. The Almarro as stated in most other reviews is a very plain amp with a very neutral look, features and color but that is where plain and ordinary end. All in all the little Almaro has convinced me to purchase a tube amplifier and after much thought I decided to go with the Almarro A318A :yippy:mainly due to the fact that it has 3 inputs and the 205 has only 1, also the wood based 318 is easier on my wife’s eyes.:yes: In speaking to BrianB no one else has signed up to audition the little amp that can,so I will be hanging on to it until I can ship her off…. Dr Evil has struck and an Almarro tube amplifier will be in my home soon. Thanks again Brian
Hi Patrick,
I have yet to hear the Almarro A205A played through any Klipsch loudspeakers, but this combination is obviously a very good one, as your impressions of the amp seem to mirror my own when using any of Almarro's matching speakers. Thank you so much for your extremely thoughtful review!
Also, your new A318A has been sent out, and should arrive by week's end. I look forward to hearing what you think of this SET amplifier. And again, many thanks!
Cheers,
Brian
I have yet to hear the Almarro A205A played through any Klipsch loudspeakers, but this combination is obviously a very good one, as your impressions of the amp seem to mirror my own when using any of Almarro's matching speakers. Thank you so much for your extremely thoughtful review!
Also, your new A318A has been sent out, and should arrive by week's end. I look forward to hearing what you think of this SET amplifier. And again, many thanks!
Cheers,
Brian
reyneman
Requiescat in pace
Just a quick initial response, much more (and hopefully better) to come!
I need to separate my review of the Almarro A205 into sections. Besides initial impressions and how it drives several types of speakers, I really want to compare this little amp to a close competitor- the Consonance Cyber 10, another single ended amp with similar power and price. This may also gain me a bit of extra time with the amp.
How do you evaluate an amp? If I wanted to change the tonal qualities of my system I’d look at the speakers. If I wanted details and ambience I’d look at my source material and equipment. Is that problem I notice due to the amp, or is the source the culprit? Maybe it’s a speaker / amp mismatch.
Initial impressions
Received the amp in good shape, comes well boxed. Initial impression was early industrial- gray chassis, trannys a bit off colored, tubes hanging out for all to see. And those tubes- what’s with those skinny little things? Hah- the Cyber-10 starts off with a big psychoacoustic advantage! Little thing was heavy though…
I received the amp at work, and since I had a nice pair of Living Voice Avatars sitting right by the open box, thought I’d give it a quick operational test. When I turned the amp on I heard mechanical tranny noise, may be some of the screws got loose in all the shipping. At this time the noise is not loud enough to affect the sonics, but I will look to correct once BrianB gives me his OK. Enough! How’d they sound? Almost no output below 100Hz or so, but some fairly sweet highs. Oh well, this isn’t the amp for Avatars. It also isn’t the amp for Audio Note AN-Js (some of the worst sound I’ve heard from one of my favorite speakers) or ACI Jaguars (didn’t bother hooking it up to these power hungry things) so let’s move on to some speakers that better match the output power.
Quick impressions with various speakers
I will need a bit more time for detailed evaluations, and will save much of the comments for the comparison with the Consonance amp. On quick initial listens to find speakers that mate well with the Almarro:
Please note- I own all of these speakers and find enjoyment with each. Negative comments are only here as comparisons and not to dis what may be your favorite flavor. Also, this is MY review in MY room with MY preferences. May change tomorrow.
Axiom M3Ti- good match, plenty of power for these overachieving little bookshelves. The lower mid hump to make up for lack of bass is apparent with the Almarro, highs reveal budget price. Amp seems to get all you can expect from these. A rockin combo that fails if you’re into intimate jazz or large orchestra compositions. The hump does add a certain quality to vocals that I find pleasing, and this combo does well with less than well recorded CDs. Would recommend this combo.
JBL S38II- EXCEPTIONAL MATCH! I have NEVER heard these speakers sound this good. A good octave lower response than the Axioms, highs are extended and smooth giving great ambience, even response throughout. Will drive these speakers to uncomfortable levels even in my fairly large space. Very realistic vocals, great with acoustical instruments and jazz. Large orchestras get a bit muddled and this combo is ruthless on less than well recorded material.
Yamaha NS-A636- cheap speakers, and they sound like it. For some reason, the Almarro was unable to correct the uneven response, lumpy bass and muffled highs. I do have some poorly recorded CDs that actually become listenable with this combo.
Yamaha NS-10M- Great match. Although the bass is limited by the size, the overall response is so captivating that you may not notice. If you have a pair of these speakers I urge you to try a quality tube amp. A very musical combo and highly recommended.
Too many options make a valid comparison too difficult for me as I get easily confused. After the above quick listens I have limited my detailed listening sessions to the JBL S-38IIs and the Yamaha NS-10Ms. I will drive both sets of speakers with the Consonance and base all future comments on just one set of speakers.
I need to separate my review of the Almarro A205 into sections. Besides initial impressions and how it drives several types of speakers, I really want to compare this little amp to a close competitor- the Consonance Cyber 10, another single ended amp with similar power and price. This may also gain me a bit of extra time with the amp.
How do you evaluate an amp? If I wanted to change the tonal qualities of my system I’d look at the speakers. If I wanted details and ambience I’d look at my source material and equipment. Is that problem I notice due to the amp, or is the source the culprit? Maybe it’s a speaker / amp mismatch.
Initial impressions
Received the amp in good shape, comes well boxed. Initial impression was early industrial- gray chassis, trannys a bit off colored, tubes hanging out for all to see. And those tubes- what’s with those skinny little things? Hah- the Cyber-10 starts off with a big psychoacoustic advantage! Little thing was heavy though…
I received the amp at work, and since I had a nice pair of Living Voice Avatars sitting right by the open box, thought I’d give it a quick operational test. When I turned the amp on I heard mechanical tranny noise, may be some of the screws got loose in all the shipping. At this time the noise is not loud enough to affect the sonics, but I will look to correct once BrianB gives me his OK. Enough! How’d they sound? Almost no output below 100Hz or so, but some fairly sweet highs. Oh well, this isn’t the amp for Avatars. It also isn’t the amp for Audio Note AN-Js (some of the worst sound I’ve heard from one of my favorite speakers) or ACI Jaguars (didn’t bother hooking it up to these power hungry things) so let’s move on to some speakers that better match the output power.
Quick impressions with various speakers
I will need a bit more time for detailed evaluations, and will save much of the comments for the comparison with the Consonance amp. On quick initial listens to find speakers that mate well with the Almarro:
Please note- I own all of these speakers and find enjoyment with each. Negative comments are only here as comparisons and not to dis what may be your favorite flavor. Also, this is MY review in MY room with MY preferences. May change tomorrow.
Axiom M3Ti- good match, plenty of power for these overachieving little bookshelves. The lower mid hump to make up for lack of bass is apparent with the Almarro, highs reveal budget price. Amp seems to get all you can expect from these. A rockin combo that fails if you’re into intimate jazz or large orchestra compositions. The hump does add a certain quality to vocals that I find pleasing, and this combo does well with less than well recorded CDs. Would recommend this combo.
JBL S38II- EXCEPTIONAL MATCH! I have NEVER heard these speakers sound this good. A good octave lower response than the Axioms, highs are extended and smooth giving great ambience, even response throughout. Will drive these speakers to uncomfortable levels even in my fairly large space. Very realistic vocals, great with acoustical instruments and jazz. Large orchestras get a bit muddled and this combo is ruthless on less than well recorded material.
Yamaha NS-A636- cheap speakers, and they sound like it. For some reason, the Almarro was unable to correct the uneven response, lumpy bass and muffled highs. I do have some poorly recorded CDs that actually become listenable with this combo.
Yamaha NS-10M- Great match. Although the bass is limited by the size, the overall response is so captivating that you may not notice. If you have a pair of these speakers I urge you to try a quality tube amp. A very musical combo and highly recommended.
Too many options make a valid comparison too difficult for me as I get easily confused. After the above quick listens I have limited my detailed listening sessions to the JBL S-38IIs and the Yamaha NS-10Ms. I will drive both sets of speakers with the Consonance and base all future comments on just one set of speakers.
Last edited:
reyneman
Requiescat in pace
The Almarro A205, as received, used a pair of Sovtek EL84/6BQ5 output tubes with a 12AX7EH driver. If you’re buying audio jewelry take this amp off your list.
How do you evaluate an amp? By using well known associated equipment and your best source material. I settled on the JBL S38IIs for speakers, using a Philips DVD963A as a digital source. Analog source was my Rega P25 with Benz H2 and the Black Cube as a phono pre. The speakers were placed on 20” stands three feet from the front and side walls, five feet apart and five feet from my listening position.
From the first notes I knew I was in for a treat. The U-shaped soundstage was huge, extending well past the outside of the speakers with a depth that started at the plane of the speakers on the sides and seemed to go beyond the front wall. All instruments were located just where they should be, the image well centered and stable. With the best source material there was a three dimensional quality to the playback that was utterly captivating.
Doc Watson (Home Again, Cisco VSD-79239) was sitting across the room singing and strumming. The vocals were spot on, the guitar overtones were all accounted for, this simple music was as natural as I could hope for.
Small jazz ensembles were also extremely well presented, with nice layering of sound. Individual lines were easy to follow, but there was a wholeness to the presentation that just made listening a joy. I found myself enjoying music that in the past I may not have appreciated as much. This is my highest recommendation- I thoroughly enjoyed the listening experience when using my top source material.
My system ran into a few problems. There was a bit of harshness (or lack of refinement) in the upper mids and treble. This problem was caused by the speakers, but when driven a bit beyond its capabilities the amp exacerbated this. On complex passages (OK, I did use some large classical pieces, don’t hold my owning these against me) the presentation became a bit muddled, reducing the effect of the music. Female vocals were not as smooth as I’d like, and a bit of richness was missing in the mids. Again I believe that the speakers were more to blame than the amp but felt I needed to mention the problems.
This system could also rock! Don’t let that measly under five watts of music power throw you off. I will cover my findings on other source material in the head to head with the Consonance- this displayed the area that I thought was the system’s greatest weakness. In the head to head I will also (finally) try to give my overall opinion.
How do you evaluate an amp? By using well known associated equipment and your best source material. I settled on the JBL S38IIs for speakers, using a Philips DVD963A as a digital source. Analog source was my Rega P25 with Benz H2 and the Black Cube as a phono pre. The speakers were placed on 20” stands three feet from the front and side walls, five feet apart and five feet from my listening position.
From the first notes I knew I was in for a treat. The U-shaped soundstage was huge, extending well past the outside of the speakers with a depth that started at the plane of the speakers on the sides and seemed to go beyond the front wall. All instruments were located just where they should be, the image well centered and stable. With the best source material there was a three dimensional quality to the playback that was utterly captivating.
Doc Watson (Home Again, Cisco VSD-79239) was sitting across the room singing and strumming. The vocals were spot on, the guitar overtones were all accounted for, this simple music was as natural as I could hope for.
Small jazz ensembles were also extremely well presented, with nice layering of sound. Individual lines were easy to follow, but there was a wholeness to the presentation that just made listening a joy. I found myself enjoying music that in the past I may not have appreciated as much. This is my highest recommendation- I thoroughly enjoyed the listening experience when using my top source material.
My system ran into a few problems. There was a bit of harshness (or lack of refinement) in the upper mids and treble. This problem was caused by the speakers, but when driven a bit beyond its capabilities the amp exacerbated this. On complex passages (OK, I did use some large classical pieces, don’t hold my owning these against me) the presentation became a bit muddled, reducing the effect of the music. Female vocals were not as smooth as I’d like, and a bit of richness was missing in the mids. Again I believe that the speakers were more to blame than the amp but felt I needed to mention the problems.
This system could also rock! Don’t let that measly under five watts of music power throw you off. I will cover my findings on other source material in the head to head with the Consonance- this displayed the area that I thought was the system’s greatest weakness. In the head to head I will also (finally) try to give my overall opinion.
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reyneman
Requiescat in pace
Done at last!
Yeah I know, you were done with this drivel long ago :yes:
Sorry if I'm a bit disjointed or repetitious in my writing, but I've had to fit this writing in between other requirements and have failed to edit. On to the end...
Consonance Cyber-10 vs Almarro A205, a tale of divergent design priorities.
At first glance the difference in design priorities is apparent. Both amps are single ended pentodes running in triode mode (with the Consonance using KT66 output tubes) with similar power and price. Both are single input integrated amps. The A205 is firmly in the minimalist camp, basic and simple rules the day. The Cyber-10 adds looks, with engraved wood and neat looking tubes. It also adds the ultra linear circuit designed by Hafler in his Dynaco days to get extra power from using KT66s in pentode mode. The finishing touch is the ability of the Cyber-10 to switch its output to a headphone jack, making it into a dedicated headphone amp. This amp has versatility and looks.
I chose the JBL S38IIs for this comparison, and I must admit that I have a new respect for them. They are ruthlessly revealing of your source and amp. I believe that the widely varying reviews these budget speakers get is due to their being used in matching budget systems. They get blamed for the harsh, shrill sounds being generated by the associated electronics. With a quality source and amp, they are remarkable! Way above their price point and rapidly becoming my speaker of choice to reveal faults or nuances when I’m evaluating different components. Easily driven by low power, but I have yet to reach the upper limit of their output. Not the most refined, but one of the most ruthless speakers I’ve owned. If you find a pair cheap, buy them. Be aware they DO require a break in period. With proper system matching, these speakers deserve their Stereophile rating.
Let’s get to the bottom line first. I own and enjoy the Cyber-10 and thought it sounded pretty good (and it does!). My main complaint was that, as a headphone amp it had too much noise to be my top choice. Compared to the Almarro, using my best source material, it was flat, lifeless and dull, with a limited soundstage width and depth. Is that plain enough for ya? Is there any hope for it? Read on brother!
The A205 just presents a clear picture to your source. There seems to be NO added filtering or emphasis between source and speaker. The Cyber-10 seems to veil some of the nuances we use to reconstruct the soundstage in our minds, reducing the soundstage and removing the sparkle that makes music seem alive. It also adds a bit of warmth to the mids, a plumpness that, while a coloration, is usually needed in an average system. Say what Reyneman? You WANT some artificially added warmth? Yes, if the system needs it! And in many cases the source or your ‘classic’ speakers need it.
That clear window the A205 has also lets you hear just how poorly most of your material is produced. So far I’ve talked about using my best materials, let’s look at the rest.
Herman's Hermits "Their Greatest Hits” (ABKCO AB 4227). I have a really clean recording of this. Soundstage has no depth, bass anemic through the A205. Bummer
Most any pop CD- compressed, no soundstage, poor localization.
Most any pop record- see above.
Columbia “Solid Gold Programming”- so much distortion I shut down the system and checked my turntable setup and speaker connection. No problem with the equipment, this new record just has distortion in the tracks.
Late 50s – early 60s recordings- what’s up with those microphones? Did they intentionally use mikes with limited dynamic range and frequency anomalies?
Do you see where I’m going with this? On most of my music I really don’t want to have a clear view into the depths of the recording- there is nothing there I want to see. The Cyber-10 does overlay the music with warmth and a slight veiling, and in most cases your material really needs this.
Which would I choose? The Almarro, of course. This really wasn’t much of a comparison, myself and everyone else who listened to the system with quality sources choosing immediately the Almarro for its great soundstage, clean output, and flat out musicality. Yes, the less than good sources REALLY suffered in comparison, but the good stuff sounded so good that I’d work around this.
The Cyber-10 does have its strengths. For casual listening to the majority of my material it has a presentation that I like. For rock and pop, I actually prefer it! These recordings are already compressed, and many I find too hot on top to be enjoyable. The lack of soundstage doesn’t matter if your source doesn’t contain one, and the veiling helps tame the highs. It also is more versatile, with the headphone circuit and the additional power available allowing it to drive a slightly larger range of speakers (in fact, it has little problem driving the AN-Js, a feat the Almarro was unable to accomplish).
But…the Almarro was capable of showing all the capabilities of every source I used and every speaker that had adequate sensitivity. I would place it in the true budget buster class, able to hold its own in a world of associated equipment in a much higher price class and seemingly able to get all that is available from affordable associated components. I give this amp my highest recommendation, only wishing for a bit of extra versatility, and believe that you should place it on your must try list if you’re in the market for an affordable SE amp. I only wish that I’d grabbed those Cain and Cain speakers BrianB had- I’d really like to hear this amp with those! Maybe next time.
I really enjoyed my time with this amp, and wish to thank BrianB for making it possible.
Yeah I know, you were done with this drivel long ago :yes:
Sorry if I'm a bit disjointed or repetitious in my writing, but I've had to fit this writing in between other requirements and have failed to edit. On to the end...
Consonance Cyber-10 vs Almarro A205, a tale of divergent design priorities.
At first glance the difference in design priorities is apparent. Both amps are single ended pentodes running in triode mode (with the Consonance using KT66 output tubes) with similar power and price. Both are single input integrated amps. The A205 is firmly in the minimalist camp, basic and simple rules the day. The Cyber-10 adds looks, with engraved wood and neat looking tubes. It also adds the ultra linear circuit designed by Hafler in his Dynaco days to get extra power from using KT66s in pentode mode. The finishing touch is the ability of the Cyber-10 to switch its output to a headphone jack, making it into a dedicated headphone amp. This amp has versatility and looks.
I chose the JBL S38IIs for this comparison, and I must admit that I have a new respect for them. They are ruthlessly revealing of your source and amp. I believe that the widely varying reviews these budget speakers get is due to their being used in matching budget systems. They get blamed for the harsh, shrill sounds being generated by the associated electronics. With a quality source and amp, they are remarkable! Way above their price point and rapidly becoming my speaker of choice to reveal faults or nuances when I’m evaluating different components. Easily driven by low power, but I have yet to reach the upper limit of their output. Not the most refined, but one of the most ruthless speakers I’ve owned. If you find a pair cheap, buy them. Be aware they DO require a break in period. With proper system matching, these speakers deserve their Stereophile rating.
Let’s get to the bottom line first. I own and enjoy the Cyber-10 and thought it sounded pretty good (and it does!). My main complaint was that, as a headphone amp it had too much noise to be my top choice. Compared to the Almarro, using my best source material, it was flat, lifeless and dull, with a limited soundstage width and depth. Is that plain enough for ya? Is there any hope for it? Read on brother!
The A205 just presents a clear picture to your source. There seems to be NO added filtering or emphasis between source and speaker. The Cyber-10 seems to veil some of the nuances we use to reconstruct the soundstage in our minds, reducing the soundstage and removing the sparkle that makes music seem alive. It also adds a bit of warmth to the mids, a plumpness that, while a coloration, is usually needed in an average system. Say what Reyneman? You WANT some artificially added warmth? Yes, if the system needs it! And in many cases the source or your ‘classic’ speakers need it.
That clear window the A205 has also lets you hear just how poorly most of your material is produced. So far I’ve talked about using my best materials, let’s look at the rest.
Herman's Hermits "Their Greatest Hits” (ABKCO AB 4227). I have a really clean recording of this. Soundstage has no depth, bass anemic through the A205. Bummer
Most any pop CD- compressed, no soundstage, poor localization.
Most any pop record- see above.
Columbia “Solid Gold Programming”- so much distortion I shut down the system and checked my turntable setup and speaker connection. No problem with the equipment, this new record just has distortion in the tracks.
Late 50s – early 60s recordings- what’s up with those microphones? Did they intentionally use mikes with limited dynamic range and frequency anomalies?
Do you see where I’m going with this? On most of my music I really don’t want to have a clear view into the depths of the recording- there is nothing there I want to see. The Cyber-10 does overlay the music with warmth and a slight veiling, and in most cases your material really needs this.
Which would I choose? The Almarro, of course. This really wasn’t much of a comparison, myself and everyone else who listened to the system with quality sources choosing immediately the Almarro for its great soundstage, clean output, and flat out musicality. Yes, the less than good sources REALLY suffered in comparison, but the good stuff sounded so good that I’d work around this.
The Cyber-10 does have its strengths. For casual listening to the majority of my material it has a presentation that I like. For rock and pop, I actually prefer it! These recordings are already compressed, and many I find too hot on top to be enjoyable. The lack of soundstage doesn’t matter if your source doesn’t contain one, and the veiling helps tame the highs. It also is more versatile, with the headphone circuit and the additional power available allowing it to drive a slightly larger range of speakers (in fact, it has little problem driving the AN-Js, a feat the Almarro was unable to accomplish).
But…the Almarro was capable of showing all the capabilities of every source I used and every speaker that had adequate sensitivity. I would place it in the true budget buster class, able to hold its own in a world of associated equipment in a much higher price class and seemingly able to get all that is available from affordable associated components. I give this amp my highest recommendation, only wishing for a bit of extra versatility, and believe that you should place it on your must try list if you’re in the market for an affordable SE amp. I only wish that I’d grabbed those Cain and Cain speakers BrianB had- I’d really like to hear this amp with those! Maybe next time.
I really enjoyed my time with this amp, and wish to thank BrianB for making it possible.
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Hi Ray,
Thanks so much for writing up your audition of the Almarro A205A. As you and many other AKers know, I've long been searching for a relatively affordable (i.e., sub-$1K) single-ended tube amplifier that I could recommend without reservation. And while my quest naturally started with a number of inexpensive Chinese units (Antique Sound Labs, Consonance, etc.), I think that I've finally found what I'm looking for with this little Japanese integrated amp.
Cheers,
Brian
Venus Hi-Fi
Thanks so much for writing up your audition of the Almarro A205A. As you and many other AKers know, I've long been searching for a relatively affordable (i.e., sub-$1K) single-ended tube amplifier that I could recommend without reservation. And while my quest naturally started with a number of inexpensive Chinese units (Antique Sound Labs, Consonance, etc.), I think that I've finally found what I'm looking for with this little Japanese integrated amp.
Cheers,
Brian
Venus Hi-Fi
