WATTSON AUDIO headquatered at the picturesque shores of Lake Geneva, Préverenges, SWITZERLAND,
may not be everyone’s known High End Audio Brand.
However, they were not a ‘New Kid’ in the High End Audio World either,…but actually have started their business (for some years ago) as the ‘Design Consultants for some of the most prestigious and well-known brands in the audio world—
the kind of brands whose owners might spend more on a single component than the cost of a European Sports Sedan‘.
Being a “through and through” Swiss company, it came to no surprise that their inspired ethos was of Precision, Craftsmanship, and Harmony. Therefore, every product from WATTSON AUDIO was designed and refined with the exacting care and attention to detail that defined ‘Swiss Manufacturing‘,…
to deliver exceptional quality to Audiophiles Worldwide.
According to them, from that ethos lay a ‘desire to innovate: to develop products that were Practical and Efficient—in their use of Space, Energy, and Materials,…
thus offering authentic High-End Sound that audiophiles demanded, at an Attainable Price‘.
Still staying true to their ethos, the acquisition of WATTSON AUDIO by CH PRECISION, another innovative and well known Swiss Ultra End Audio company, was a strategic move that ‘strengthened WATTSON AUDIO’s ability to innovate, leveraging on CH PRECISION’s engineering prowess and resources to expand its reach of delivering exceptional sound quality at an accessible price point’.
FIRST EXPOSURE TO THE MADISON AMPLIFIER.
I remembered my first impression of the WATTSON AUDIO– Madison amplifiers (two [2] units in Mono configuration,…but could also supports Stereo and Bi-Amp configurations) driving the newly landed MAGICO S2 loudspeakers (at YY Sound Systems) was Positive and (sounded) familiar. At that time, Mr.Maurice Han of YY Sound Systems (MALAYSIA) Sdn Bhd and Reference Audio (SINGAPORE) (distributors for CH PRECISION and WATTSON AUDIO) was observant of my demeanor,…”you like what you are hearing?”, he whispered to me. I replied, “Yes,…small and compact as they were,…still they could drive the new (and not fully run in) MAGICO S2 loudspeakers with Ease, Control, Articulate and Definition,…the sound quality reminded me of CH PRECISION‘s!”.
DESIGN COLLABORATION.
Maurice explained that the Madison amplifier (retail at Ringgit Malaysia RM32,000 per unit) sounded so because it was ‘developed through direct engineering collaboration between WATTSON AUDIO and CH PRECISION,…where it matters most: Topology, Power Strategy, Device Selection, and overall Circuit Behavior‘,…
‘that resulted in compact amplifier built with Real Structural Seriousness‘.
He added that the Madison amplifier was of a low-feedback Class A/B linear circuit with a Robust, Regulated, and Highly Filtered Power Supply,…and a Fully Symmetrical Discrete Amplification Stage in a compact form.
THE SERIOUSNESS OF POWER SUPPLY.
I thought that the whole Madison amplifier was only the main Light Grey (also available at Dark Grey) chassis, and remarked (again) to Maurice that the amplifier was indeed compact (reminded me of the compactness of the LINN KLIMAX and the FM ACOUSTICS 108 amplifiers),…he pointed to me that each Madison amplifier came with its (separate) dedicated Balanced, Regulated, and Filtered External Switch-Mode power supply with High Current capacity of ‘Exacting Standard’ (not merely satisfying a specification) to…
sustain the Stability, Dynamic Authority and Composure of that amplifier’s Articulation across the Changing Loudspeaker Loads.
DISCRETE ARCHITECTURE.
Maurice continued that the Madison amplifier sounded familiar to me because their amplification stage was also built around Components derived from Reference-Grade designs developed with CH PRECISION,…
and at its core was the same Bipolar Output Devices used in the M10 Reference Amplifier, implemented within was One [1] Device Per Rail.
At WATTSON AUDIO, they believed that those devices would provide the Madison amplifier’s output stage a foundation proven at the Highest Level(!).
In addition to the above, the Madison amplifier employed ‘Ultra-High Quality of parts…
to ensure Predictable Electrical Behavior under temperature variations and dynamic demand,…Bias stability to reduce crossover distortion,…and Controlled Feedback to sustain linear gain while preserving harmonic nuance. Therefore, the resulted Stability in the Circuit would translate directly into Coherency in Musical Phrasing: Tonal Structures remained intact from Soft Passages through to Peak Dynamics, and Instrumental Texture would persist under Load’.
SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE: SCALABLE BY DESIGN.
As indicated above, the Madison amplifier has the options of configuration: Stereo, Mono and Bi-Amp (at the flip of the toggle switch, and without changing its underlying design). In Stereo configuration, the Madison amplifier functions as a compact two-channel amplifier. In Mono configuration, a single chassis is assigned to one channel, increasing available output power into lower impedances. In Bi-Amp configuration, both channels can be directed to separate driver sections of a compatible loudspeaker system. The flexibility gives the amplifier a longer useful life as the system evolves.
SWISS PRECISION, SUSTAINABLE DESIGN, TIMELESS PERFORMANCE.
Each Madison amplifier chassis was ‘machined from Solid Billet Aluminum (WATTSON AUDIO adopted ‘Sustainable Practices’—including the reuse of aluminum off‑cuts) that contributed to…
Electromagnetic Shielding, Mechanical Rigidity, and Thermal Stability,…
also served as both a structural frame and a heat management system to maintain operating consistency through controlled dissipation’.
It was noteworthy that ‘each Madison amplifier has both Balanced (XLR) and Single-Ended (RCA) inputs to allow it to integrate easily into a wide range of systems.
From the input stage onward, the circuit remained Fully Symmetrical and Fully Discrete,
thus preserved the its structural consistency whether the incoming signal was Balanced or Unbalanced’.
I’M ALL EARS.
Before the end of the conversation/ presentation of the Madison amplifier by Maurice, I told him, “enough said,…I want to bring the Madison amplifiers back already!” He happily obliged with a suggestion that I use the amplifiers to drive the MAGICO M2 loudspeakers at my Audio Den. That I did, and other loudspeakers (JBL L100 LE, AUDIOVECTOR R 10 Arreté, GRYPHON AUDIO DESIGNS KODO, etc) in my possession.
In addition, the convenient digital source used was the HiFi Rose RS150B Server/ Streamer (Tidal) through either the FM ACOUSTICS 268C or the PILIUM AUDIO DIVINE ARES preamplifier, and cabled by SKOGRAND CABLES, TiGLON, STEIN MUSIC and SHUNYATA, throughout the review.
Here, the Madison amplifiers were able to capture and present the Pace, Rhythm and Timing at ‘You Haven’t Done Nothin’‘, as I found my body reacted (tapping to the tunes) to that PRaT. In other words, the loudspeakers (MAGICO M2) were driven sufficiently and optimally to…
present that track’s ‘Musical Groove, Drive and Timing Coherence‘.
Moreover, each instrument was presented with the intended resolution of Texture, Layers, Dimensions, Presence and Weight. Even, each note was clearly Differentiated, Delineated, Bloomed and Decayed.
I started to dig out more exciting, engaging and enveloping tracks, and found Gregory Porter‘s ‘Liquid Spirit‘ qualified to fit into that bill,…and that Madison amplifiers easily sailed through it with all the aboves,…
coupled with the native resolution of his Vocalisation, Presence and Weight.
What more caught my attention there was the presentation of ‘Clapping of Hands‘ that strengthed the rhythm of the music,…
that sounded so ‘Direct, Flesh to Flesh and Energetic(!)’
There was plenty of delivery of Power, Energy, Control, Speed and Authority from the MAGICO M2 loudspeakers,…a testament to the Madison amplifiers’ power reserve.
Here, at Tony Furtado Band‘s ‘Raleigh and Spencer‘, I found each instrumentation was presented at its specified Space, Delineation and was given the free expression of its Intended Frequencies Bandwidth. I could enjoy each instrumentation within the band,…
therefore the musical presentation ‘Sounded in Symphony‘.
I found the main vocalist, Mr.Kelly Joe Phelps was given the Center Stage to shine,…Segregated, Delineated and Spaced (surrounded by air) from the other equally engaging musicians,…
within the Spacious Soundscape and Air-Filled Soundstage.
Here, at the demanding and bass heavy track, ‘Imagine the Fire‘ from the soundtrack/ movie, ‘Batman- The Dark Knight Rises‘, I was surprised that the Madison amplifiers powered the MAGICO M2 loudspeakers were able to…
produce the Most Articulated Bass Notes that I have heard from them thus far!
However, in term of ‘Bass Quantum‘, the Madison amplifiers were no match to the bigger amplifiers in my possession,…
however they managed to continuously deliver bass note after bass notes Without any Hint of Exhaustion or Distortion.
AN AUDIO GEM!
It was obvious to me that the WATTSON AUDIO– Madison amplifier delivered its intended High End Performance/ Sound Quality, with Swiss Design/ Made Quality and at Real World Pricing,…
Definitely an Audio Gem of the Decade and an Easy Recommendation for any Discerning Audiophile and/ or serious Music Lover!
SPECIFICATIONS.
General
- Type: 2-channel power amplifier
- Modes: Stereo, Monaural, Bi-Amp
- Color Options: Light Grey or Dark Grey
- Dimensions (W x D x H): 216 x 300 x 87 mm
- Weight: 6.0 kg
- Power Supply: External 36V DC, 350 W, universal input
- Power Consumption: < 0.5 W standby, 20 W idle, 450 W max
User interface
- Mode, Impedance, and Gain: Toggle switches on the rear side
- Input, Mute, Standby / ON: Push button on the front side
- Firmware update: Via Ethernet connection
Analog input
- Type: Balanced XLR, single-ended RCA
- Impedance: 100 kΩ
- Nominal level: 2.0 V RMS
Analog Output
- Type: Spade / Banana sockets
- Bandwidth: 1 Hz to 400 kHz (-3 dB)
- Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: < 0.05 %
- Signal-to-noise ratio (A-weighted): > 120 dB
- Voltage gain: +20 dB, +26 dB (switchable)
Output Power
- Stereo / Bi-Amp:
- 8 Ω : 2 x 50 W
- 4 Ω : 2 x 75 W
- 2 Ω : 2 x 100 W
- Mono:
- 8 Ω : 1 x 50 W
- 4 Ω : 1 x 100 W
- 2 Ω : 1 x 150 W