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Sound. The CS2 sounded German. That indeed was my very first impression. It sounded clean, fast and detailed. This typically will impress you more with what it doesn’t do than what it does. This amplifier tended to slip away as an invisible part of the playback chain. The BMC will convince thanks to its linear and huge power reserves, its reliability and the fact that everything seems to be under complete control always. The CS2 had deep taut well-will be either too generous or dry. Negative feedback amplifiers tend to be too lean or brutal whilst the BMC was a model of pace and timing.

Another common pitfall the BMC avoided was damaging timbral quality from its massive power supply. In fact the CS2 sounded neither like a tube amp, class A transistor amp nor like a class D or T version. It seemed to avoid the signatures which can characterize each class of amplification by delivering such a level of neutrality as is commonly reserved for far more expensive gear. I used the CS to drive Triangle Magellan Duetto monitors and Vivid Audio K1 floorstanders. With the French boxes the BMC was a great match. The CS2 was a paragon of neutrality, speed and accuracy. The Triangle delivered truly stunning bass with amazing grip and depth. By comparison to my Rogue Audio/Orpheus Labs combo (4 times as expensive), the CS2 had a narrower soundstage but demonstrated very interesting features in terms of control, dynamics, depth and tonal neutrality.

With the K1 from South Africa the Orpheus Three M had the greater ability to push outward the sidewalls of my room. This is one of the most impressive feature of my Swiss monos in fact . The Rogue Audio Hera II preamp contributed its very pleasant euphonic yet transparent touch. The CS2 meanwhile had an extraordinary sense of timing and depth. I could not say which set I preferred in terms of tone. The Rogue/Orpheus combo was more about a carnal liquid luscious midrange whereas the BMC was more about clarity and a very subtle gradation of tones. Listening to the BMC I remembered my SPL Volume 2 preamp. The BMC had all the assets of the very affordable SPL but elevated them beyond the preamp's limitations. I think this machine could be used by either audiophiles or sound engineers. One common feature with the SPL volume controller was its stunning accuracy in reproducing small-scale dynamic shifts that preserve the emotional nature of voices and strings. The BMC was another example of this type of precision which preserves the involving nature of music.

This isn’t the kind of fast amplifier that sounds thin or ethereal. The BMC has a plain organic sound with a degree of detail that's clearly well above average. Its impressively black background helped a lot to reveal spatial and textural detail. It also helped to keep listening very comfortable, demonstrating once more that the less distorted the signal is, the less listening fatigue is induced.

On Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Requiem [ASIN B00000428O] the BMC demonstrated stunning precision to draw a spatially very coherent soundstage with accurate focus of each soloist. Despite less choral expansion than my personal combo, the voices of Placido Domingo and Sarah Brightman seemed to have a bit more clarity and outline precision. To achieve still better clarity in the "Requiem" and "Kyrie" required Steve McCormack's SMC-VRE 1 preamp for a further touch of refinement, albeit at a substantial increase of amplification budget. The string attacks at the beginning of the first track the CS2 reproduced in a very precise manner. The violence of the orchestra and Placido Domingo's forté were delivered with stunning control and complete absence of any compression. The spatial coherence of the Candeias integrated was close to perfection.


Changing moods with a happier repertoire, the Oscar Peterson Trio's We get requests [ASIN B004QEF7FY] portrayed great dynamics and detail. The usual pitfall with this audiophile recording  is the sensation of over-amped dynamics and a poor midrange. The attenuation of small-scale signals is mainly responsible since it tends to drown out all ambient data. The CS2 nevertheless delivered a fine tonal balance with a three-dimensional soundstage. All ambient details were fairly reproduced while proper weight and density on the bass, piano and drums were maintained for quite a mean balance.
 
Listening to The Guitar Trio of Paco de Lucia, Al Di Meola and John McLaughlin [ASIN B000004756], the three maestros were well focused and micro detail was clearly audible. The Latin Flamenco rhythms were firmly controlled, from fast and furious to slow and peaceful. It is not difficult to be impressed by this CD as the sensation of rhythm and variation of tone with the different types of guitars and very specific microphones are outstanding. But this energy often blends into a seamless palette of colors and harmonics that more highlights any limits in the playback chain than the true artistic fusion of the three guitar masters. The BMC amplifier kept things under control and put the right weight on the strings attacks all within a realistic 3D image.

 
On Mehldau’s solo album Live in Tokyo [ASIN B0002M5TCU], the black background of my Sino-German loaner highlighted every little shift of the inspired game of this American pianist. With my Rogue Audio/Orpheus Lab combo there is always a slight forward effect which is very pleasing but also a bit less precise and accurate that what the CS2 delivered on keyboard attacks and decays. The Rogue preamplifier gave a better sense that the piano was present in my listening room whereas the CS2 played it a bit more precise and analytical. The SMc preamplifier was closer to the BMC with an even darker background but its added value was more about precision in tones than transparency and detail. The comparison with these two famous North-American challengers did not indicate a clearly lower performance rating of my loaner as price discrepancy would have suggested.

 

Last but not least the Russian Album [ASIN B000IZK4YE] from the exquisite Anna Netrebko highlighted the beautiful midrange of team BMC/Vivid. The Candeias realization played the score with a perfect balance between voice and orchestra, demonstrating a flat response all across the bandwidth. All intentions of Gergiev conducting the Mariinsky Orchestra were almost as present as with my Rogue/Orpheus combo, admittedly with a bit less air between each instrument but instead more depth and a quieter background. And the CS2 didn't give the sensation that the Russian diva separated from the orchestra.



Conclusion. Summing up, the BMC CS2 is definitely an affordable gem. One could perhaps have hoped for a more involving nature, an airier sound or an even more organic rendering where BMC's integrated focuses on neutrality. I found with it a German touch of rigorous sobriety in addition to a Swiss shade of innovative circuitry and a complement of Japanese build quality all for less than €5.000. Nowadays such a price would seem quite entry-level for a true high-end amplifier. Sure 5K remains a lot of dosh but Carlos Candeias has loaded it with as much as he put inside. At the onset of this review it promised to be a match made in the audio heavens: tremendous specs for a still reasonable price. The CS2 then confirmed and even exceeded expectations. Despite not being the kind of hifi kit that impresses during the first five minutes, in the long run it definitely proved to be one of the most striking amplification device I have heard in its price range. The CS2 is probably closer to the bona fide high-fidelity concept than many more expensive contenders. Like most prestigious expensive names, BMC has fashioned a machine which delivers impressive resolution with a very quiet background whilst preserving a high level of dynamics within a hyper-realistic soundstage.


Now a question arose. Was it possible to issue a Realsization award for a machine costing €5.000? Despite my enthusiasm over its very real value, perhaps not. Such a distinction would distort a definition after all. Five grand is far from inconsiderable and possibly someone might reach their particular audio nirvana for less. But a glowing Blue Moon award would draw proper attention of those looking for a neutral seriously built powerful solid-state integrated at a still decent price. Highly recommended!
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