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Perhaps the currency this was paid for was some midrange resolution but the upshot was, it still sounded natural and clearly bypassed any risk of going on the nerves. With Fiona Apple's Tidal I became aware of how competing amps might have dug deeper on detail but routinely at the price of pushing the very close-up song into something betraying effort. The Dueundici remained loose and relaxed even though (or because) it didn't apply the same acoustic zoom. It simply felt real.
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This was assisted by the aforementioned plasticity as the sense of 3-dimensional embodiment of voices and instruments. Here the comparison to the Denon became interesting again.
Though the Denon cast individual images that were even bigger, they were also more compacted and less developed in the depth domain. Dipping into the full with grand orchestral or hard Rock/electronica, the Japanese transistors maintained better on-stage order and sorting during the densest of interludes. |
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On smaller-scale stuff however where the Mastersound was in its element—standard Pop, more intimate Jazz or singer/songwriter fare—it had the edge on staging. Not only did individual sounds become more tacit but the general overview of the stage (true in general but particularly in the depth direction) was less crammed as though the stage actors had more space to breathe between each other.
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Conclusion. Two times 11 watts go farther than you'd think if one adheres to certain preconditions. You'll own more sensitive speakers, your listening room won't double up as gymnasium and max level and macrodynamic fortitude won't feature on top of your wish list. The Mastersound Dueundici pleases with a warmish timbre, exceptional fluidity, a long-term non-fatiguing well resolved treble and a very embodied spatially involving presentation. If on top of it all you'll admire an attractive packaging without bling but flawless workmanship, you better plan an audition with your nearby Mastersound dealer.
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redaktion @ fairaudio.de
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Psych profile:
• Mastersound's Dueundici plays it tonally balanced with a hint of warmth. This mixture consists of a slightly fleshy upper bass/lower midband combined with minorly soft top registers.
• In the low bass this 11-watt valver relinquishes power and articulation. On quality the bass is semi-sec, hence the ideal loudspeaker won't have to rely on undue control. That accounted for, the small Italian particularly with acoustic instruments cuts a very believable figure.
• The treble isn't ultimately resolved to feel slightly mild. Even so the upper octaves are nicely elucidated and filled with detail which in this price class is often less accurately teased out.
• The sonorous midband exhibits a very attractive slightly silky quality and great fluidity which benefits less than perfect recordings. The Mastersound thus is somewhat of a charmer.
• Microdynamics are good, macrodynamics and achievable SPL are limited by design.
• Soundstaging has realistic scale and individual stage actors exhibit good body. Friends of beautiful voices have much to admire.
Facts:
• Concept: Tube integrated
• Dimensions and weight: 40.5 x 29.5 x 20cm WxDxH, 15kg
• Trim: Black chassis with Walnut cheeks, high-gloss option for the latter €150 extra
I• /o ports: 3 inputs, 4/8-ohm terminals
• Power consumption: ca. 77 watts at idle, no standby
• Warranty: 2 years
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