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The title track stumbles and torques around with lazy nearly orchestral percussion, glimmering Hammond organ, a concert grand, sinister guitar and Nick Cave alternating his vocal delivery between crooning and saucy showboating. The cut isn't merely rhythmically fragile but also dynamically so. It teeter-totters between mighty and gentle and routinely flares up only to collapse again. Tracking this believably became a core strength of the Audreal.
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If tasked to isolate an outright weakness, I'd struggle. Really, one must consider its sticker and admit that what's on offer for the money is quite extreme. Behind the two Audiomat decks I mentioned in the intro demanding €3.000 and €4.500 respectively, the V30 won't have to hide in shame. Where the Frenchies would pull ahead is with greater dynamic linearity. The V30 treats the low bass dynamically different than the upper bass. Both Arpège and Aria apply themselves without prejudice from top to bottom. This conveys greater calm and musical flow.
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Relative to detail capture across the audible bandwidth the French decks too would have the edge. Particularly on treble elucidation memory suggests that cymbals and percussion were showcased in finer nuance. Juxtaposed against the more closely priced €1.700 Opera Audio Consonance M100+ I thought the Audreal superior in the bass. No doubt it had the greater power reserves and tauter control. On soundstaging meanwhile I'd favor the Opera Audio but that's admittedly a personal weakness. You see, I fancy a very wide and deep sonic canvas even if it sacrifices ultimate sorting precision.
With the Audreal any team work with loudspeakers proved perfectly non-critical. The amp harmonized well with my Neat Momentum 4i and a forthcoming review subject, a pair of Martin Logan EM-ESL stats. With 50wpc RMS power on tap and two impedance terminals, most living rooms and applications really should be on the safe side.
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Conclusion. Time for an overall statement. With just a single sentence, I'd pronounce a casually phrased but genuinely excited "a price/performance bomb!" Here anyone who is desirous of valves for a just modest investment but insists on good sound, proper construction, mature circuitry and sufficient power reserves can opt in without reservations. Audreal's V30 transcends the usual valve limits in the bass where it is both controlled and extended; and on soundstaging which avoids overblown cinerama-surround immersion to stay natural. The amp's considerable talents apply themselves equally to all musical styles and happily include those on the wilder side of the fence.
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Psych profile. The Audreal V30 is characterized by...
• First-rate bass power down into the lowest octaves, particularly so for a tube amp in this price class. The lower octaves are potent, clear and properly timed.
• The midband is cleanly resolved and colorful.
• The continuation into the treble gradually softens. Here magnification power is good but not brilliant.
• The soundstage is wider than deep, believable but not opulent. Image focus is good and in keeping with expectations for this sector.
• Microdynamics are excellent, the macro response is good for a valve amp if one disregards stepped-down suddenness on intense voltage swings.
• Classy construction well beyond the actual asking price.
Facts.
• Category: Valve integrated amplifier
• Weight and dimensions: 24kg, 442 x 219 x 356mm
• Trim: Silver and black
• Socketry: 3 x RCA inputs, 4/8Ω terminals
• Power consumption: 350 watts at idle
• Other: Remote control
• Warranty: 2 years |
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redaktion @ fairaudio.de
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