Mark Gusew auditions this versatile but reasonably priced streaming built-in amplifier…
Advance Paris
Playstream A7 Built-in Amplifier
AUD $2,699 / NZD $2,999 RRP
Advance Paris – initially generally known as Advance Acoustic till 2013 – has been making hi-fi elements since 1995, when it launched a spread of 5 loudspeakers for its home French market. Since 2005, it has been exporting worldwide and is now represented in over forty nations. All merchandise are designed on the Paris-based headquarters and manufactured in Asia. The corporate sells a variety of hi-fi merchandise throughout varied worth factors and efficiency ranges, with the Playstream A7 being the highest-specification mannequin in its vary.
Advance Paris calls the Playstream A7 a ‘Related Built-in Amplifier’, which describes it relatively nicely as its connectivity is excellent. It hooks as much as a house community by way of Wi-Fi or Ethernet cable to stream hi-res music companies, in addition to web radio and music recordsdata saved in your cellphone, laptop or NAS. The proprietary Advance Playstream app takes care of this, and the amp is DLNA and Airplay appropriate, permitting for third-party software program for use. It additionally connects to a TV with an HDMI ARC enter, turning into the spine of a house AV system.
5 RCA line inputs are included, plus a phono enter providing a alternative of shifting magnet or shifting coil with excessive or low acquire on the latter. There are three optical digital inputs and one coaxial, plus a 10-pin connector for the equipped exterior X-FTB01 Bluetooth module to plug into. Two USB A inputs are situated alongside, with one among them used as a devoted firmware replace port and the opposite appropriate to play the commonest audio recordsdata from a participant or USB storage. There isn’t any provision for a direct connection to a pc. Lastly, it additionally has a DAB/DAB+ digital tuner and an FM tuner built-in.
You additionally get a File Out stereo RCA output, providing mounted line stage out, plus Pre Out which supplies variable output for connection to an exterior energy amplifier. It additionally has the other connectivity with Amp In, letting you join an exterior preamplifier to make use of the A7 as a standalone energy amplifier. There are two Subwoofer outputs for connecting a pair of energetic subwoofers, though there isn’t a subwoofer administration onboard.
Advance Paris merchandise have a distinctively retro look, and the black brushed aluminium and glass fascia of the A7 stands out much more due to its two massive dimmable blue backlit VU meters (calibrated in dB and Watt peak) and a shiny multi-purpose quantity knob. An array of illuminated touch-sensitive enter selectors are below the meters, and are flanked by 3.5mm and 6.3mm headphone sockets. A small show sits between the meters, indicating, amongst different issues, the quantity and supply settings, plus musical monitor info when accessible. Total, this can be a classy-looking machine, one which seems dearer than it’s. A complete distant management is included.
The A7 affords a claimed 2x 115W RMS per channel into 8 ohms. It’s fascinating inasmuch because it usually works in Class AB, however there’s a swap on the again panel labelled Excessive Bias, which causes it to work in pure Class A as much as 1W, based on the corporate’s technical director, Cedric Leon. Which means the output transistors are switched on on a regular basis at decrease quantity ranges, in flip dramatically lowering switching distortion. However in order for you effectivity and energy, then switching Excessive Bias off is the way in which to go. Subjectively, the sonic variations between the 2 modes are delicate, however I did desire it switched on, particularly with quiet listening.
The producer doesn’t provide in depth technical particulars concerning the A7, however a peek contained in the case exhibits a big toroidal transformer and eight output transistors mounted to an inner heatsink. This will get relatively heat in regular operation, however nonetheless shouldn’t be an issue with satisfactory air flow – certainly, the hotter it grew to become, the higher the amp sounded. An Asai Kasei 4490EO DAC chip is fitted, which is proscribed inside the A7 to 24-bit, 192kHz.
The X-FTB01 Bluetooth receiver that’s equipped with the A7 merely plugs into the devoted port in the back of the amplifier, and there’s the choice of an X-FTB02 receiver which helps the excessive definition aptX HD codec. Connecting to Bluetooth the primary time was painless, because it took about fifteen seconds to pair with my smartphone and begin taking part in music from Spotify. The monitor identify and artist seem on the display in addition to the small print, comparable to ‘APTX 44.1kHz’ – which is a pleasant contact.
Setup is simple utilizing the multi-purpose quantity management that’s pressed in and held for a menu to seem on the display which units the community, tone, and extra. If a Wi-Fi connection is required, enter the community particulars whereas following the prompts on the display. When the antenna is related and both DAB or FM is chosen, it should robotically scan for accessible stations. With the Advance Playstream app loaded, you may enter the login particulars for Tidal, Qobuz, or no matter streaming service is subscribed. Spotify defers to the native Spotify app in your machine with the monitor particulars displayed on the display, and the distant management helps the app.
THE LISTENING
The Advance Paris Playstream A7 has an open, clear, and musically articulate sound that’s spectacular for the worth. It exhibits good timing and articulates the music’s rhythms nicely, making for an attractive listening expertise. It has a lovely tonality, too. For instance, Janelle Monae singing Givin’ Em What They Love was completely satisfying, with no shrillness regardless of the amplifier’s ever so barely ‘nicely lit’ steadiness. This makes for a crisp and outlined midrange, but treble is clean and prolonged.
The delicate deal with the midband tends to focus on guitars, synthesisers and vocals, and this aids articulation. Vocal harmonies have been nicely outlined and the guitar solo actually soared. Somewhat decrease down the frequency scale, there was a conspicuous lack of bass growth. The low finish didn’t sound thick or congested, which in flip helped to drive the track alongside. Some could take into account this amplifier to sound slightly skinny consequently, as if there may be much less meat on the bone, so to talk, however I consider this to be one among its strengths. It made my reference JBL HDI-3800 floorstanding loudspeakers sound tight and taut.
Energy plant’s Man Machine from the Minimal Most album was reproduced with all of the agility that you would be able to fairly anticipate from an amplifier of this worth. The A7 stored tempo with the monitor’s tightly syncopated, sinewy rhythms while sounding cohesive. Having seen the band dwell in live performance simply days earlier than penning this overview, it actually introduced again some recollections! Though no dwelling sound system is able to delivering dwell concert-level dynamics and actually visceral deep bass notes, this built-in did very nicely at capturing the spirit of the occasion. It didn’t simply carry the underside finish enthusiastically, however it additionally imparted the particular feeling of a big, open house stuffed with a cheering and excited viewers. This confirmed the amplifier’s skills at soundstaging, and the depth perspective was extremely convincing, too.
The A7’s built-in community streamer introduced no disagreeable surprises, giving a efficiency nearly akin to a line enter fed by my reference Holo Audio Spring 3 DAC – which prices twice the worth of the amplifier. Taking part in Spotify or Apple Music, the A7 has greater than satisfactory efficiency to fulfill most music lovers – and it does so agreeably, with spectacular midrange purity and clear however stable bass. Bluetooth streaming proved respectable too, higher than anticipated with a good quantity of air and house. It’s actually ok to be entertaining, and can be utilized repeatedly with out fatiguing harshness.
Radio lovers might be spoilt for alternative with FM, DAB/DAB+ and streaming web radio stations accessible on the contact of the distant. Surprisingly, AM is lacking, however this gained’t be a deal breaker for many prospects. Sound high quality is greater than acceptable, however this relies closely on the station and content material performed. The amplifier’s superb sound extends to its headphone outputs, with Midge Ure’s If I Was coming by means of loud and clear from my Sony WH-1000XM4 telephones. The monitor got here throughout cleanly, with the deal with the well-articulated bass and rhythms. Tonally clean, long-term headphone listening ought to show fatigue-free.
Though this isn’t essentially the most highly effective amplifier I’ve ever auditioned, it has loads of poke contemplating its modest worth. I discovered the A7 had no points driving quite a lot of loudspeakers that I needed to hand. The Encel Gelato compact bookshelf audio system proved to be an excellent pairing, with Spotify serving Smoke And Mirrors by Stated sounding pretty and open. The soundstage was pleasingly vast, the recording had a clean top-to-bottom tonal steadiness. On the similar time, percussion was confidently delivered with superb musical move.
If there may be one adverse facet to this amplifier, it’s the Advance Playstream app. The performance is relatively peculiar, and appears out of step with the quite a few connectivity choices of the A7. It’s a typical criticism that apps aren’t flush with performance, however fortunately, it’s secure, and the distant management is helpful and works with streaming apps to vary tracks, and so forth. The A7 can also be DLNA appropriate, so apps like Bubble UPnP and others with superior search services and entry to saved playlists can be used.
Photograph Credit score: stkg1 (Reddit)
THE VERDICT
The Advance Paris Playstream A7 is a flexible and helpful amplifier with extra connectivity than you’ll anticipate on the worth. It’s attractively positioned as a one-box platform for your entire AV wants that may develop over time. You simply want so as to add loudspeakers, and maybe an exterior supply. With an excellent characteristic set, superb sound and respectable construct high quality it has really vast attraction – so cost-conscious patrons ought to audition one if they’ll.
