Chris Frankland auditions this charmingly styled, seductive sounding Italian valve amplifier…
Synthesis
A50 Taurus Built-in Amplifier
£6,199 RRP
Synthesis is a newish identify to British shores, having simply been taken on by UK hi-fi distributor Henley Audio. This fascinating Italian producer has a variety of merchandise, lots of that are inside attain of British audiophiles. These embody inexpensive built-in valve amps, a valve preamp, an 80W mono energy amp, a CD participant, a DAC and phono stage – plus extra premium merchandise just like the A50 Taurus you see right here.
Based in 1992 by Luigi Lorenzon, Synthesis prides itself on aesthetics, technological analysis and what it calls, “an virtually maniacal consideration to element”. The whole lot is alleged to be fastidiously handmade in Italy, with specific consideration paid to the output transformers. The founder learnt to make these in his youth from his father, who arrange an organization known as Fasel in 1961 to design and manufacture transformers for valve amplifiers, energy transformers, chokes and inductors for musical devices. They even made them for the Vox AC30 and the pink Fasel inductor for Dunlop, used within the Cry Child wah-wah, no much less. When Lorenzon inherited his father’s enterprise, he determined to mix that technical experience together with his love for music and began Synthesis.
UP CLOSE
The A50 Taurus is a considerable piece of package. Weighing in at an eye-watering 35kg, I acquired a twinge in my again simply taking a look at it. Unpacking and putting in such a behemoth is all the time enjoyable. We poor reviewers must do all of this for ourselves, in fact, whereas you fortunate punters have the luxurious of your pleasant native supplier who will ship and set up it for you, placing their backs out so you do not have to!
The casework is powerful, and the slots lower within the entrance cowl permit the valves to be admired, however 4 small crosshead screws will see it eliminated very quickly flat ought to you need these glowing glass bottles on show in all their glory. Preserve it out of the attain of any young children although, as they do get extraordinarily sizzling, in fact.
The entrance panel has a big, central quantity management, whereas to the far left, there may be an on/off/standby button. Over on the proper are six push buttons to pick out the 4 line-level RCA inputs and the digital USB or S/PDIF inputs to the built-in DAC. All RCA inputs, together with the S/PDIF, are gold-plated, in addition to the loudspeaker binding posts. And for sofa potatoes, an infrared distant management can also be supplied. I’ve to say, I discovered it just a little unpredictable, so I tended to function the amp the old school method.
The A50 Taurus boasts a claimed 50W per channel into 6 ohms, courtesy of two KT88 tetrode valves per channel in push-pull configuration. The preamplifier stage makes use of ECC83 and ECC99s. All valves are claimed to be fastidiously chosen and computer-matched. Synthesis says that each one elements used all through the A50 Taurus are chosen for his or her prime quality and bear exhaustive listening checks previous to remaining choice.
This amp makes use of the corporate’s personal in-house output transformers which can be distinctive to this mannequin. They’re mentioned to make use of high-grade iron-silicon laminations for his or her core. Synthesis doesn’t go into nice element as to why they selected this materials for the laminations, besides to say that it gives “excellent frequency copy and width”. From what I can glean, the addition of silicon is alleged to extend {the electrical} resistivity of the iron, scale back eddy currents and slender the hysteresis loop of the fabric.
One useful added bonus with the A50 Taurus is the inclusion of a built-in DAC, for which each USB and S/PDIF inputs are supplied. The DAC is a 24-bit, 192kHz oversampling design utilizing two Wolfson WM8740s, an outdated however much-liked DAC chip again within the day. By means of the USB enter, nevertheless, solely 16-bit, 48kHz is feasible.
When the A50 Taurus arrived, it was strapped all the way down to a wood delivery crate. I used to be desperate to unwrap it and get it working and knew that the assessment pattern had already been run-in for me, so it was good to go. My assessment tools included an Audio Observe CDT-5 CD participant, which was fed into the Taurus’s built-in DAC in addition to by means of Audio Observe’s personal DAC 5 Particular. This was supplemented by some streaming from TIDAL utilizing the Professional-Ject Stream Field Extremely S2. Loudspeakers used included the Russell Ok Pink 120Se and Audio Observe’s AN-J LX Hemp.
Whereas extra purist, single-ended (one energy valve per channel) valve amps have a tendency to supply restricted energy and are greatest used with high-efficiency audio system, you should have no such limitations with the A50 Taurus. Its claimed 50W proved greater than able to driving the Russell Ks with their 86dB effectivity ranking to wise ranges and with no indicators of ever stepping into hassle. This opens up the sector to a wider selection of loudspeaker for the tip consumer in comparison with many lower-powered valve amps.
THE LISTENING
This amplifier is a completely trendy and competent valve design – when you had been anticipating delicate, louche, heat, woolly and romantic, then you possibly can assume once more. It sounds surprisingly exact and managed, and provides actual perception into the recording. Bass is unexpectedly tight and tuneful, serving to the music to gel rhythmically and transfer alongside coherently. On the identical time you get the standard attributes of a extremely good valve design, which embody emotion, subtlety, poise, expressiveness and delicacy – it makes a really good noise!
By the use of instance, the nice Larry Carlton is considered one of my favorite jazz guitarists and it was A Place for Skipper from his Discovery album that was my first selection to listen to what the A50 Taurus needed to provide. The Synthesis conveyed Carlton’s guitar with nice precision, giving actual perception into how every observe was performed and formed. Nuances in his taking part in had been clear to listen to, as had been the twists, turns and syncopations of the drum and percussion strains. The tautness of the bass guitar meant that the underside finish did not dominate the proceedings, which, in flip, allowed the assorted layers of instrumentation to be loved whereas appreciating how their interplay made the monitor as tight and poised as it’s. The musicians on this recording are the crème de la crème, and the A50 Taurus confirmed why.
One other favorite jazzer of mine is pianist, singer, and songwriter Ben Sidran. On his Intoxicated with Love album, he does a superb cowl of the traditional On The Sunny Facet of the Avenue. I do know Sidran’s voice nicely and have even heard him dwell on the gorgeously intimate venue of Ronnie Scott’s in London. It was good to witness the A50 Taurus painting his vocals with such humanity, emotion and panache. Voices are one thing that severe valve amplifiers do very well, and so it proved right here.
The bass line was tight and managed, once more defying stereotypes of valve amplifier sound. This blended completely with the nuanced midband and subtly detailed treble. Delicate drum, cymbal and hi-hat element was nicely captured and with none splashiness or overemphasis, whereas the Yamaha DX7 synth had the crispness, sparkle and chunk that this distinctive nineteen-eighties instrument ought to. The monitor displayed actual swing, and swing is Sidran’s center identify – nicely truly, it is Hirsh, however you get the image!
The way in which {that a} good valve amplifier can convey the music’s emotion is sort of particular. Some appear to be ready convey an depth to a recording in a method that leaves most solid-state designs sounding standoffish by comparability. So Wonderful from Luther Vandross‘s Give Me The Cause was fairly a factor to listen to. This man is my favorite male vocalist of all time, and I’m happy to report that the A50 Taurus actually did his voice justice. On the identical time, Yogi Horton‘s masterful drumwork was additionally conveyed with delicacy and poise, as was the contribution from bass ace Marcus Miller.
I made a degree of trying out the built-in DAC on the A50 Taurus utilizing the Professional-Ject Stream Field Extremely S2. On stability, the efficiency was superb certainly. I make no bones about preferring CD or vinyl to streaming, however I bow to the latter’s comfort and the truth that it opens up a complete world of music. Taking part in numerous tracks from sax participant Dave Koz and some from Van Morrisonthe onboard DAC turned in a extremely musically competent efficiency. Okay, so it will not be the very best DAC you’ll ever use, however its sound proved very stable all the identical – completely in step with the remainder of this amplifier’s attributes, then.
THE VERDICT
The Synthesis A50 Taurus is a critically sturdy sonic performer that gives energy, dynamics, grip, tunefulness, subtlety and swing. As such it joins a rising variety of extremely competent trendy valve amps that I’ve heard just lately, such because the Leben CS300XS, Rogers E20a/ii, BAT VK80i and Audio Observe Cobra. On the worth, the Synthesis is very spectacular then, and a vital audition when you’re searching for a fantastic all spherical performer.
