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The new release of Stravinsky conducting the Columbia Symphony Orchestra in his own Firebird ballet on DSD by High Definition Tape Transfer is obviously not a new or even recent recording. This latest DSD transfer is simply more resolved, dynamic and spacious than even the original vinyl pressing I own. Compared to its EL84TT sibling, everything suddenly scaled up with the 2A3i. The virtual stage widened, deepened, separation of instruments increased and dynamic contrasts sharpened. The tympani and drums suddenly had punch and weight which they lacked with the EL84TT. The scale of the work really changed. Now the orchestra filled the room instead of staying stuck between the speakers. I was really surprised by how well 3 watts could scale up compared to the twice-powered 6 watts of the EL84 push-pull. Clearly it wasn't about raw power ratings. The 2A3i seemingly liberated its power far faster and more completely than the vast majority of amplifiers in that category. In car terms we'd perhaps talk of higher torque.
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I highlighted the dynamic abilities of the 2A3i because they do stand out in the world of SET amps but the usual triode qualities didn't fall short in turn. What you won't get is excess distortion blurring the edges or creating unrealistically bloated images. Instrumental textures and voices remain outstanding whichever way you look at them. Cueing up Coltrane's Blue Train was a great example of having the musicians take their rightful place and size on a huge stage spread across our living room and expanding way behind the speakers. It also showcased Coltrane's tenor sax with all its glorious colours but also the bite you would expect but which is usually tamed down with the EL84TT. One rarely associates SET amplifiers with increased truthfulness of tone (rather than prettification of it) but the 2A3i seriously raised the bar of transparency without ever falling into stiffness, rigidity or coolness. It was even more impressive on Paul Chambers' straight bass. Although the Ocellia won't reach as deep or loud as the upright does live, when powered by the 2A3i it groaned and managed that gut feel for the energy the instrument puts out without the bloated effect one gets from most 300B amplifiers; and with far greater power and dynamic scale than the 45-powered Yamamoto A08s manages.
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I observed the same effect with an old favourite, Renaud Garcia-Fons' Oriental Bass. His enormous 5-string bass was not as deep as what I can get from the Zu Essence/FirstWatt F5 but had more texture and transients sounded almost as fast to be nearly on par. This was a feat the Ocellia never pulled off before. Moving to another stunning DSD release by High Definition Tape Transfer, Janet Baker's interpretation of Verdi's four sacred pieces, was as intense and gut wrenching as you'd expect from a SET, her beautiful tone blossoming into the room for all to hear. As much as I share Srajan's lack of interest in girl 'n' guitar audiophile fare, I am a sucker for magnificent soprano and mezzo voices. That's where a perfectly crafted widebander hanging off a triode has no competition in its ability to make the singer manifest bodily in the room. Sopranos can sound harsh at times perhaps because it was not their best day and they strained their voice more than usual; or because the acoustics where not ideal. The 2A3i will assist slightly in taming those harsh moments but far less so than most 300B amplifiers. Again, it is one of the most truthful triode amplifiers I have come across.
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Cueing up Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, a 24/88kHz download from Qobuz, did make the point that no matter how good the 2A3i is, it can't make the Ocellia sound good with heavy synthesized bass material loaded with intentional distortion. For that kind of fare, it really takes Zu's grouchy 10.3 incher and the F5's tight-fisted control. That's no revelation but still makes for the perfect argument to convince my wife to keep three different systems in the house.
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Before I wrap, I need to add a few comments to complete my portrait of this amplifier. One cannot completely work around the limitations of a low-power SET. Compared to the best of the solid-state kind, the 2A3i needs to be played a little louder to give up all of its bounty. That is a matter of signal-to-noise ratio. Even with a low-noise low-distortion triode design, you still have to manage the fact that no triode will ever be completely distortion free (not that'd you want it to be). Similarly, even though I gushed over its dynamic and bass prowess, we are not in Gryphon Diablo territory. We're simply amongst the very best triodes I have heard, easily matching the best Wavac and Audio Note. Finally, this is still only a 3-watt SET. There's no way around that fact. To experience what I am hearing, you need to pair this amplifier with speakers deliberately designed for its kind.
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All in all, the Triode Lab 2A3i redefined my expectations for what a 2A3 triode can sound like. It bumped up into the same class as the very best 211 designs I know if also with less power and therefore a slightly more restricted list of suitable partners. It also redefined what one can expect from a triode integrated selling for what is still a reasonable price. I long ago accepted the fact that one had to spend $20'000 or more to get this kind of exalted triode experience with all its archetypal beauty and elegance but also speed, transparency, bass and dynamics. This $5'000 triode integrated completely rewrote my expectation just like its entry-level brother had done three years ago. It shows what is possible when a very gifted design team decides to raise the bar without driving their customers bankrupt. If you own one of those rare compatible speakers, you really owe it to yourself to put the 2A3i on your audition list. It is that good. It walks away with an easy Blue Moon award for pushing the boundaries of SET amplification at non-insane price points.
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