Crown XLS1002 by
Shaun Haselden, on Flickr
An experiment in amplification:
Some of you will know that I have been largely valve powered since 1997 when I had built a World Audio Design 300B PP power amp which I used with a World Audio Design KLP-1 preamp. There have been a few changes since then but four years ago I settled on a PrimLuna Prologue 3 preamp and Dialogue Premium power amp. The power amp runs EL34's by JJ in the form of the II's and the preamp is all JJ. Up until two months ago I used a pair of Spendor S3/5R2's but happend upon a dealer who was quick to demo a pair of KEF R5's, a make I have a fondness for having used KEF Q500's for a number of years.
Some of you will also know that my choice of music is around 90% electronic. So what the hell am I doing with a 40 Watt valve amp..?
As an experiment I just happened to buy a Crown XLS1002 Class D power amp of around quite a lot of Wattage and high damping factor relative to the valve amp. I was convinced that a £320 tranny amp was going to be just a toy when compared to a £2.5k valve power amp but my mind was set slightly adrift by the sound of this thing. First impression..? Huge bass grip and slam. Big dramatic dynamics. Clear precise, finely etched sound. Crystal clear high frequencies.
I experimented again and bought another. Bridged and mono'd, once again the sound was extremely good only now I had this immense 3D stereo soundstage. I have never before heard a soundstage so massive since starting this journey in 1979. I have now tried CD's by Shpongle, Younger Brother, Underworld and Mr Scruff through to Tina Arena and Ezio. So how good is it all..? It is bloody good for an outlay of 640 quid..! Yeah, it has a few shortcomings. There is a classic lower treble/upper mid grain that tranny amps tend to produce so it does not have the liquid purity of valves but then of course, its not valve ! The sound is bold, brassy, clinical and forceful; everything it should be with electronic music. Does it suit everything I listen to..? No. It does not. So what about the valve power amp..? It is currently for sale on ebay. If it sells it sells, if it doesn't then I get to keep it. I win either way.
The valve amp suits jazz and female vocal more than anything else I listen to. In triode mode playing Cassandra Wilson's 'Strange Fruit' the sound out of the R5's is just bloody sublime but it lacks emotion and drive. It lacks that emotive anticipation that I now have. However things end up at the moment I have once again been bloody lucky to try this out. The difference has been amazing.