I am always fascinated with tube electronics or any with it, whether be phono amplifier, preamplifier, amplifier, digital to analogue converter (dac), CD player, etc. Therefore I found myself owning some of them whether I needed them or not,…especially I did not have much use for flee power/ wattage tube amplifier since I did not own a high sensitivity loudspeaker (which maybe one day I would).
Ironically, I still found interest in 300B, 2A3, 211, 845, EL34, 6550 or any other tube type amplifier especially the flee power/ wattage. Maybe my interest was to know why there was such followings for them,…
and that I did not want to miss out the possible and elusive ‘Audiophile’s Grail‘.
Therefore I was ‘all ears‘ to listen and review the newly arrived Feliks Audio (Poland) Arioso 300B Tube Integrated Amplifier, which was already well reviewed elsewhere in the audio journals and well received among tube amplifier enthusiasts worldwide.
There were quite a few reasons for the above receptions;…’the Arioso 300B’s power and output transformers were not ‘off the shelf‘ units, but specially designed and manufactured in Poland by Edis Ogonowski,…Arioso 300B used “Caddock and carbon film resistors“,…that the part of the Arioso 300B’s “MAGIC” was from using rare Soviet-era PIO K75-10 capacitors (those oil and paper caps were cherished by the DIY crowd in Eastern Europe) in their power supply’,…in addition, they used Red Jantzen coupling capacitors,…Japanese-made Takamisawa small-signal relays,…motorized RK27 Blue Alps volume control,…and came included the unusual, palm-sized, paddle-shaped wood remote‘,…all at the asking price of EURO €8,199 (without tax and freight).
AV DESIGNS (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD sent the review unit to my audio den, and that I powered it from the Audioquest Niagara 7000 Power Conditioner/ Distribution with Patented Linear Noise-Dissipation & Non-Sacrificial Surge Protection, with the Shunyata power cord (the Arioso 300B did benefit a few days of use/ charge before serious listening!). The digital source used was the Marantz Ki Pearl Lite SA/CD player, and the speakers were the Falcon LS 3/5a Gold Badge.
ARIOSO…MUSIC AND AIR?
After just reviewing other components that provided ‘powerful aural presentation‘, I thought there would be some ‘serious mental and sight adjustment(s)‘ required to swift to an eight watt [8w] tube amplifier. To my pleasant surprise, it was not ‘entirely the case‘.
Now, I truly appreciated the 300B’s attributes to musicality, instrumentation and (more importantly) vocalisation in a given audio system well within its power output capability. (Yes, I did need to play around with the volume to achieve optimization in aural presentation and to avoid over-zealousness)
At track 4, the voiceation of Ms.Judas Law was presented with seductiveness, attractiveness, expressiveness and mannerism that spelled her artistry poured into the lyrics. Her singing was presented ‘without any hurriedness‘,…
but at a ‘PACE‘ of refinement and finese.
The guitaring by Mr.Tommy Ho was spaced and distinct from the vocalist,…with each string vibrated, paced, bloomed and ended at the intended note,…just ‘musical‘.
Listening to the Rock Singer, Mr.Lance Matthew‘s voiceation at the end title track, ‘Let’s Fly‘ reminded me the reason why I have liked that song. That the Arioso 300B presented the ‘Expression‘ of power, emotion, strength, affirmation and depth as required in the lyrics/ track.
The ‘EXPRESSION‘ by the artist was presented with the ‘Meaning of the Song‘.
From the first track, ‘Don’t Explain‘ to the last, I realised there was more ‘Dimensions‘ to the expressiveness, singing and artistry of the lead vocalist, Ms.Lyn Stanley. The Arioso 300B has the attribute to highlight the vocalist’s Rendition of the Lyrics,…whether be the ‘singing, pronounciation, expression, and vocalise the word (in the lyrics),…that difference(s) expressed the artistry and emotion employed’.
The Arioso 300B has the attribute to present the size, air and atmosphere of recording venue, which include the spacing among the instruments/ musicians, spotlighted their individuality and distinctiveness,…and the Very Depth of that said Venue.
Here, the Arioso 300B presented an ‘INTIMATE SENSATION/ KNOWLEDGE‘ of the Recording Session.
Here, at SKYE ‘Deep…Blue…深…藍‘, which was “a single microphone, one take recording, uncompressed, no mixing and direct cut to master,…Optimum sonic preservation” by Todd Garfinkle (MA Recording), and produced by Yin Tan and Sebastian Koh,…where the Arioso 300B through the Falcon LS 3/5a Gold Badge speakers presented the intended atmosphere and ambiance (/air) of the recording venue that covered the ‘entire front wall to wall‘ (which was impressive given the size of the LS 3/5a) of the audio den.
Of course, the main vocalist, Ms.Skye was imaged in tangibly, palpably and weighted,…and with ‘enough‘ details/ resolution in her voiceation to be…
seductive to the listener’s ‘audiophile heart‘.
Equally, it could be said the same for the accompanied instrument/ musician.
Here, the seductiveness of the stringeth instrument, violin, and played by the famed violinist herself, Ms.Anne-Sophie Mutter were presented in all their ‘intended glory‘, scale and height. What the Eight Watter [8w] could do also, was carried the backing orchestra conducted by the famed Mr.John Williams to enough…
detail/ resolution, power, delivery, volume, scale, stage and scape to satisfy most except the demanding quarter.
ALL MUSIC ARIOSO.
The Arioso 300B Tube Integrated Amplifier was not another tube amplifier but an audio component that represented,…
A Definition of Musicality and Meaning to the Music at Play,
and that well warrant any audiophile and music lover with the budget of its asking price, to investigate,…be pleasantly surprised,…and to BUY!
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
- Impedance: 100 K Ohm
- Frequency response: 15 Hz – 32 Khz +/- 3 dB
- Power output: 2x 8W
- Speaker output : 4 and 8 Ohm
- Input sensitivity : 1V RMS
- THD : 0,3% 1KHz at output power =1W i 2,5% 1KHz at output power =8W
- Speaker output : 4 and 8 Ohm
- Input selector : 3 RCA inputs to choose from panel or remote
- Full remote control (ON-OFF,selector, vol+ – vol- ,mute)
- Power consumption : 140VA
BOX CONTENT
- Beautifully hand-crafted Tube Amp
- Tubes set: 2x300B, 2x6N8S, 1x5C3S
- AC cord
- Remote controller (without CR2032 battery)
- User Manual
- Warranty Card
Additional information
| Weight | 25 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 41 × 38 × 21 cm |
| AC Voltage | 230V, 120V |