Ditto the new Element of Crime. "I always think of you in the end" is raw, melancholy but never teary or muddy. Good diction and drive were wedded to proper and even higher SPLs. How about etheric numbers? The enormously spacious but dynamic "Desire" from Talk Talk’s epic Spirit of Eden testament quickly determines whether an amp properly resolves the full dynamic bandwidth from tender to brutal.


Here results were mixed. During the subdued intro of the first minute which is made up almost exclusively of strings, organ pedals and faded guitars I lacked the usual "room info" and subtlety which makes the tune. An A/B comparison with Yarland’s FV34CIII valve machine off the analog outs of the Squeeze demonstrated clearly how the Sumoh grasps for breath when it comes to airness, fluffiness and aroma. On the other hand, one has to admit unexpected power and juice when the sudden percussion explosion at 04’34" hits full throttle.


How ‘bout classical to be comprehensive? I immediately went for the big guns, Shostakovitch’s Piano Concerto N°.2 Op. 102, "Andante". If the first note doesn’t inflict tears, your heart is made of stone and the Sumoh certainly offered a hankie made of paper alas. It played precise, clear and clear but somewhat coolly. Let’s put it this way. If you major on Rock, Pop, Indie and Jazz and need a clever add-on for the Squeeze, the Sumoh will serve you well. Its output power for the living room is plenty. Hardcore ‘philes chasing the outer limits of the soundstage better look elsewhere however.


Conclusion: Music over the local area network can be clean fun. Today’s kit is easy to install and operate even for beginners. Given its price, the Sumoh amp is a clever adjunct for the Squeezebox and other variable digital sources.


Sound and output power are in order for the money, both machines are styled to work together and the internalized DC feed off the Sumoh minimizes cable spaghetti to turn this proposition into a nicely purist solution which also looks tidy.