STEREO AMPLIFIERS
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The hi-fi companies on the podium here are backed by decades of amplification know-how, and each of these products is a worthy winner
Image credit: Sony
Arcam A5 £749
Arcam’s new entry-level amplifier is a fresh and modern-looking product. We like its simple yet elegant exterior. The yellow highlights around the large control dials, vents and sides give a sleek appearance, while the front-panel control dials are nicely weighted and spin smoothly.
This amplifier is more than just a pretty face, though. The company has obviously thought long and hard about the features to include, and has come up with what is arguably the most comprehensively equipped stereo amplifier we have reviewed at this level. There are three line-level inputs and a moving-magnet phono stage, plus preamplifier outputs for those who feel the A5’s 50W per channel output won’t be enough. On the digital side is a pair of coaxial inputs and a single optical input that can handle streams of up to 24-bit/192kHz thanks to an ESS ES9018 DAC chip. Two-way Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX Adaptive is also on the menu.
An amplifier at this level has a difficult balancing act to perform. It is as likely to be partnered with budget kit as it is more premium offerings, so it has to be forgiving enough not to emphasise the shortcomings of more limited partnering equipment, yet still have the insight and transparency to make the most of more capable signals. The A5 manages this balancing act superbly. It has a sweet nature that while full-bodied and smooth never robs the life from the music.
We are big fans of the Arcam A5’s simple yet elegant exterior
Refined yet lively
Eminem’s Recovery is a thin, rather hard-sounding recording, and the Arcam treads the line between diplomacy and bluntness brilliantly. It has a refined yet lively presentation that conveys the building momentum of a track like No Love superbly, thanks to a confident and surefooted way with rhythms. The midrange is clear, articulate and fullbodied. Eminem comes through with venomous attitude intact and we have no trouble tracking his rapid-fire delivery.