The one factor I’d change concerning the Audia Flight FL Three S, if I may change something, is to have the amount knob stick out a bit extra. Apart from that, there’s nothing to criticize and all the things to love. If not love.
I reviewed Audi Flight’s prime of the road built-in amp, the FLS 10 (overview), again in February and had this to say:
The Audia Flight FLS 10 is among the many most partaking built-in amplifiers to have graced the Barn. Its efficiency is in some methods exceptional whereas being wholly partaking in each method.
The FL Three S is the corporate’s least costly built-in amp, coming in at $3999, and whereas it doesn’t carry out to the identical degree because the FLS 10, it does provide very compelling efficiency in its personal proper, so compelling you could surprise why you’d want extra.
I paired the FL Three S with three completely different, very completely different, pairs of audio system—the Barn resident DeVore Constancy O/96 (overview), the just lately reviewed YG Summit (overview), and the quickly to be reviewed Rockport Atria II (extra information). Whereas the Audia Flight spent most of its Barn time paired with the DeVores, you could be shocked to study that the FL Three S drove the heck out of the YG Summit, providing clear, clear, wealthy and full management of these speaker’s full vary efficiency.
With the Rockports, essentially the most revealing loudspeakers I’ve had the pleasure to stay with in Barn, I’d ask for a bit extra from the FL Three S, extra when it comes to management, drive, weight, and physique, all issues the FLS 10 delivers in hefty proportion. If we add all of those listening-based impressions up, you’ll discover me a fan, a giant fan, of Audia Flight and their built-in amplifiers. Shade me impressed.
The FL Three S, like its bigger sibling, is a twin mono design, using Audia Flight’s present suggestions circuitry design, and runs in Class A for the primary 1/2 Watt of output energy, switching to Class A/B above that, providing a claimed 100 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms and 160 Watts into 4. There are 5 inputs (4x RCA, 1x XLR), Data and Pre RCA outputs, a single pair of speaker binding posts, and IEC inlet. You can even see the slots for the optionally available MC/MM Phono Stage and DAC. Generally I like simply an built-in amp and that is a type of instances as a result of the FL Three S likes costly DACs just like the totaldac d1-unity, Mola Mola Tambaqui, and the Ideon EOS which all noticed play time.
I’ll hand off to Audia Flight for a run across the inside. From the corporate:
Contained in the Flight Three S’s subtle digital inside are a sequence of crucial options that make this built-in amplifier carry out effectively above different built-in amplifiers inside its class. A excessive efficiency ALPS Blue potentiometer supplies an correct quantity management in any respect settings. Eight energy provides are accountable for all amplification phases as much as the driving force transistor stage, with 13.200uF complete capacitance obtainable for the stabilized energy provides till the driving force transistor part. 4 high-current energy provides (72.000µF) are then devoted solely to the output driver phases. If that’s not sufficient, all inputs characteristic sealed relays in an inert environment and gold terminations! And, as following our philosophy for greatest sonic efficiency, the logic management part options its personal toroidal transformer and is hook up with the analog part through photo-couplers solely. Driving your audio system are two 100 Watt amplifiers with a big 576VA toroidal audio transformer.
Audia Flight merchandise are made on the firm’s facility in Civitavecchia, Italy and most sport that wave-shaped view into the recessed blue lit show carved into a pleasant fats slice of aluminum, which I can’t assist however see as a reassuring smile now that I do know the key. The management buttons are additionally properly inset into that slab, providing energy on/off, enter choice, speaker on/off (for headphone listening), SET for entry to superior capabilities like naming inputs, activate/deactivate inputs, and Direct Mode bypassing the unit’s preamp and quantity management, and Mute. A 1/4” jack supplies entry to the FL Three S’ discrete headphone amp, which is adjoining to the properly sized quantity management knob that I want caught out a bit extra. To my eyes and fingers, the FL Three S provides understated beauty and reassuring match, end, and really feel that appears exceptionally effectively performed contemplating the worth of admission. Pleasure of possession is included as is a chunky matching aluminum distant.
Marie Luise Hinrichs’ efficiency of 10 Piano Sonatas composed by Padre Antonio Soler stays a go-to secure haven once I’m in want of structured magnificence. When requested what “interpretation” means to her, Hinrich’s responded, “Interpretation means to me to determine with what the composer means—with the soul of the composition.” and there’s sufficient soul in these items to feed a nation. Paired with the DeVore O/96, the Barn resident Auralic ARIES G1.1 (overview) feeding the overview pattern Ideon EOS DAC (extra information), Hinrichs’ piano sang out on the Barn’s B-Facet with resounding vitality, her contact translated into becoming drive with supple dealing with of assault and decay into silence. Just like the FLS 10, the FL Three S provides excellent bass management, albeit not on the identical luxurious degree because the extra highly effective amp. That stated, I used to be not left wanting when it comes to low finish attain or management and the FL Three S’ excellent richness and rightness saved me fully in tune with Soler’s folk-inspired sonatas. Bravo!
Szczecin, Poland’s Dynasonic’s EP #2 opens with an earthy growl from Adam Sołtysik’s bass, a growl that startled with its drive, dimension, and weight pumping out of the DeVore’s like liquid vitality. There aren’t any monitor names or cowl artwork accompanying Dynasonic’s information and band member Łukasz Rychlicki explains, “We desire to go away as a lot as we will to the listener, to let folks submerge in our music. I’ve by no means actually been within the lyrics and I desire to grasp music when it comes to tales, footage or emotions. After I hear somebody telling me that Dynasonic’s music reminds her or him about some particular story, I really feel our intention is reached.” I heard loads of menace from these city-tracks, with beautiful readability, edge, and air portray as massive an image as my thoughts and creativeness may let in. Suppose large, highly effective, finely detailed and nuanced mountains of sound. I may even observe that this technique sounded as pure and highly effective off, and even method off, axis, an indication that the FL Three S was in full management of the O/96. And let’s not neglect concerning the entrance finish(s), however I’ll dig into the Ideon DAC’s loopy resolving goodness in that overview.
If you happen to learn my overview of the YG Summit, I gave Jaimie Department’s beautiful Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world conflict)) an excellent lengthy pay attention with the Audia Flight doing the driving. “…the Audio Flight is kicking the YG Summit’s ass (in a great way)” is what I shared in a non-public textual content message but it surely’s price sharing right here—typically I appear to neglect to say issues this plainly in a overview and I believe that wants fixing—the Audia Flight drove the wonder out of the YG Summits and into the Barn with wealthy, full aptitude leaving nothing to be desired. I can solely think about what the FLS 10 would do with the Summits, however my greatest guess is extra.
All the qualities I’ve highlighted with the Summits sang out loud and clear with the O/96 as effectively. That is beautiful, large-scale free jazz with Department’s trumpet backed and fronted by horns, percussion, keyboard, double bass and extra and the Audia Flight/DeVore/Auralic/Ideon system pulled out each distinctive voice in wealthy aid. I’ll say that I’ve heard different dearer amps do a greater job at giving music a dimensional high quality, a type of totally shaped 3D picture if you’ll, however I’m actually splitting hairs to seek out one thing aside from reward for the FL Three S.
The Meze Audio 109 Professional ‘telephones are pleasant in each method—consolation, match, really feel, and end and so they dig into music as in the event that they don’t have anything however love and respect in thoughts. Do no hurt. Plugged into the FL Three S they supplied as engrossing a music-inspired expertise as I may ask for, with the entire Audia Flight’s strengths on full show inside my head.
Windfall, Rhode Island’s The Pines of Rome are new to me, and The Unstruck Belllaunched on Strong Brass Data again in Might, is their first new report in 20 years (which helps clarify why they’re new to me, kinda). The band is John Kolodij on guitar, Matthew Derby on guitar and vocals, Rick Prior percussion, and Reggie Duncan on pedal metal for the monitor “Siren”. There’s some beautiful interaction occurring right here, with Kolodij and Derb’s guitars wrapping round each other, shifting from softer, country-tinged moments to straight forward anthemic drive and the Meze/Audia Flight/Auralic/Ideon system drove all of it residence in extremely resolved richly coloured and textured model. That is the type of sound I can get misplaced in for the length and that’s precisely what I did, pulling a giant comfortable chair up shut so I may totally sink into The Unstruck Bell for its 33-minute length.
Whereas right here in headphone-ville, I figured why not shake issues up with yeule’s newest softscars for a rougher experience. I actually take pleasure in an excellent sonic assault from time to time, particularly when it’s blended and mingled with softer moments, one thing yeule does in addition to anybody. This method, with the FL Three S driving (the crap out of) the Meze 109 Professional, delivered these emotional opposites and all the things in between—onerous crushing digital storms, acoustic guitar and dreamy vocals—in wealthy, full element for a really immersive expertise.
I continued with softscars by means of the DeVores and the Audia Flight as soon as once more proved as much as the duty of filling the Barn with well-controlled and tightly centered mayhem. Even right here, amid the squall, tone colours had been richly portrayed with loads of texture and dimension making for an all-consuming sound. Simply the best way I prefer it.
Throughout the FL Three S’ almost two month Barn keep it bought the complete exercise with music of all shapes, sizes, and genres. From the acquainted to the model new and by no means as soon as did I discover myself wandering away from what was in play. The Audia Flight provides a seamless sound, richly textured and vividly coloured with tons of management and earth-shaking bass when referred to as for. As I used to be ending up this overview I took a have a look at my listing of Favourite Amplifiers and didn’t see something close to the FL Three S’ value that provides as full a package deal. If you happen to respect the standard of how one thing is made together with efficiency that’s tough to fault, you’ll need to expertise the Audia Flight FL Three S or FLS 10 for your self. Did I point out there’s an FLS 9 that sits in between?
Audia Flight FL Three S Built-in Amplifier
Worth: $3999, w/DAC $4548, w/Phono $4498, w/DAC and Phono $5047
Firm Web site: Audia Flight
US Importer Web site: Constancy Imports
Specs
Output energy (Watts RMS) @ 8/4 ohm: 100/160W
Amplifier stage achieve: 26dB
Frequency response (@1 Watt RMS; -3db): 1Hz – 450kHz
Slew Price (@ 8 Ohm): >80V/µS
THD: <0,05%
S/N ratio>: 95dB
Unbalanced enter impedance: 51kOhm, 150pF
Balanced enter impedance: 30kOhm
Stand-by energy consumption: lower than 1W
Most energy consumption: 400W
Dimensions and weight: 450 x 110 x 430mm (W x H x D), 16,5 kg
Transport dimensions and weight: 550 x 250 x 580mm (W x H x D), 18,5kg
