julesd68
02-10-2012, 10:34
There's a newcomer on my rack - a Consonance R150 hybrid amplifier, and very interesting it is too!
It has a 6H30 valve pre-amp stage which feeds a 120W solid state power amp. Build quality is typical Consonance. I really like the curved slats of wood which form the amp's cover. The front brushed-aluminium fascia is nice and minimalist; the input selector and volume control have a great quality feel about them. Very handy is the remote control which has the feature of being able to control my Consonance cdp, on the rare occasion that I listen to it.
So, onto sound quality. What struck me immediately is the improvement in bass. There's much more of it than with my 405-2, and it's also much better defined, making music more rhythmic and engaging. Stereo imaging is significantly improved, and not surprisingly, it's more open and dynamic sounding than the 405-2. This is good and bad. The Quad has a definite "midband magic", and I have noticed a little hardness and grain to the R150 midband, but this is improving all the time. The amp, being an ex-review model, hasn't many hours on it at all, and definitely needs longer for the valve and electronics to burn in. I feel there is great potential here. One thing I have done is to order a upgrade valve to replace the stock Sovtek 6H30 - there's a gold pin EH 6H30Pi on the way which has a very good reputation, and am hoping this will help in sweetening up the midband.
The amp is certainly much more demanding of source material than the 405-2, which tends to sugar coat all recordings with a warm glow and make them sound good. Using the R150, I have found much more variation in the quality of my classical lp's. Also, it works superbly with my Quad tuner for long, relaxing listening sessions …
Another thing I like about this amp is that long term it offers a great upgrade path. When funds allow, I'm going to bi-amp. The power amp on the R150 will take care of the bass duties, whilst higher frequencies will be handled by a 2A3/300B/211 amplifier. I'd like this to be a Consonance model ideally, but might well have to start with something a little more modest. Can't wait to try this out!
It's also a big thumbs up for Ian at AA Acoustics :thumbsup: (formerly Alium Audio). Firstly, for giving me an excellent deal on this amp and secondly, he has answered all of my (many) questions promptly and helpfully. Highly recommended.
It has a 6H30 valve pre-amp stage which feeds a 120W solid state power amp. Build quality is typical Consonance. I really like the curved slats of wood which form the amp's cover. The front brushed-aluminium fascia is nice and minimalist; the input selector and volume control have a great quality feel about them. Very handy is the remote control which has the feature of being able to control my Consonance cdp, on the rare occasion that I listen to it.
So, onto sound quality. What struck me immediately is the improvement in bass. There's much more of it than with my 405-2, and it's also much better defined, making music more rhythmic and engaging. Stereo imaging is significantly improved, and not surprisingly, it's more open and dynamic sounding than the 405-2. This is good and bad. The Quad has a definite "midband magic", and I have noticed a little hardness and grain to the R150 midband, but this is improving all the time. The amp, being an ex-review model, hasn't many hours on it at all, and definitely needs longer for the valve and electronics to burn in. I feel there is great potential here. One thing I have done is to order a upgrade valve to replace the stock Sovtek 6H30 - there's a gold pin EH 6H30Pi on the way which has a very good reputation, and am hoping this will help in sweetening up the midband.
The amp is certainly much more demanding of source material than the 405-2, which tends to sugar coat all recordings with a warm glow and make them sound good. Using the R150, I have found much more variation in the quality of my classical lp's. Also, it works superbly with my Quad tuner for long, relaxing listening sessions …
Another thing I like about this amp is that long term it offers a great upgrade path. When funds allow, I'm going to bi-amp. The power amp on the R150 will take care of the bass duties, whilst higher frequencies will be handled by a 2A3/300B/211 amplifier. I'd like this to be a Consonance model ideally, but might well have to start with something a little more modest. Can't wait to try this out!
It's also a big thumbs up for Ian at AA Acoustics :thumbsup: (formerly Alium Audio). Firstly, for giving me an excellent deal on this amp and secondly, he has answered all of my (many) questions promptly and helpfully. Highly recommended.