Synthesis Magnum, commercial tube-chipamp hybrid...

[CJ900RR]

I'm sitting here reading the latest Highfidelity (nordic Hifi-magazine) and they have tested the Synthesis Magnum 100 with great results.

It's a tube-buffered LM3886-based integrated amplifier using apparently 2 LM3886 in parallel/channel, each buffered with a ECC88/6DJ8-tube.

Some comments by the author of the article:

Magnum 100 showed it's self directly to be a very musical amplifier with a rich and warm mid-register.

The bas is rapid and rhythmic...

Above all the orchestral depiction sounded homogeneous and realistic...

Contrabass and cello felt solid and present...

Realistic representation of the piano sound is always difficult, even this did Magnum 100 with bravura...

The continued listening was done with regular CDs and confirmed the picture of the Magnum 100 as a very balanced and musical amplifier with a rich, warm midrange, an unstrained treble reproduction and a solid, well-detailed bas.


And on and on...

Overall they are very happy about the amplifier and I think its great fun to see a Hifi-paper test a chipamp-based amplifier without once mention anything negative (or for that positive) about the fact that it's build with chip-amps.

Have anyone here listen to the Synthesis Magnum 100 (or the 50, a smaller version with only one LM3886/channel I guess) and if so, how was it?

[Nuuk]

I haven't heard (or even heard of) the Synthesis amp. But I've got my own VBIGC and like others who have built them, know how good they can sound. So I'm not surprised that the Magnum got a favourable review.

There's another commercial VBGC that is reviewed here!

[vincentcross]

Hi there,

Just got the Synthesis Magnum 50 you mentioned. Hooked it up to a pair of Dynaudio Focus 140's...Loved it!

They seem so well matched ! I did demo the focus 140's to Unico P ...I actually prefer the sound of the Synthesis Magnum

It's got just the right amount of warmth and detail, just enough bass - everything just seem so right .

but then again , am just a newbie

[Jaime]

This is Murano by Pastoral Audio, a winner.
http://www.pastoralaudio.com/files/murano_review_1.pdf

[carl88]

Originally Posted by vincentcross

Hi there,

Just got the Synthesis Magnum 50 you mentioned. Hooked it up to a pair of Dynaudio Focus 140's...Loved it!

Hi vincentcross,

Accompanying a friend who was looking for a solid state integrated amp, we auditioned the Synthesis Magnum 50 also hooked up to the Dyns Focus 140. It was the first time we heard both of them. Given the sound and the price of the demo unit with a hefty discount, my friend bought the integrated amp.

There was some concern whether the Synthesis could drive the Sonus Faber Concertino (prehome) given that the sensitivity is low at 86db. After an hour of listening to various music genre, that concern dissipated. As a matter of fact, it is apparent that both Italian products synergize quite well.

Enjoy the Synthesis. By the way, my friend also is a newbie and this is his first system.

[vincentcross]

Hi Carl88...glad you and your friend liked it too. By the way, I did audition SF concertinos too...very sweet sounding speakers ...and lovely to look at too! Enjoy ~

best regards

cross

[Gopher]

I get worried when I see supposed hi-end kit like this. What the manufacturer is doing with a valve buffer is to introduce 2nd harmonic distortion which sweetens the sound.

Is that what the goal of hi-fi is? Why not just have a 'niceness' control like a tone control?