Check out our written review and samples on: Dutch: www.alpha-audio.nl/review/video-multitest-de-beste-versterker-voor-2500-euro/ English: alpha-audio.net/review/video-multitest-de-beste-versterker-voor-2500-euro/
Hello. I have Yamaha A-S 1200 amplifier I`ve watched your video countless times and I need advice. Which floorstander speakers would you recommend for a 40m2 room size? All genres of music are listened to. I intend to give it a try to "Dali Opticon 8MK2" just after the new year. My budget is 2500-3000e. Thank you in advance.
3 years later and finally bought myself a second hand XS3. Great sound, very impressive power for its rating. All about the music, which is not just a marketing gig.
Applause for you guys at Alpha Audio 👏 These listening test comparisons are so extremely informative, honest and helpful. Nothing else like this on RUclips. Thank you!
This is so fun! I'm in the process of building a diy PASS system and being able to come to this channel and learn, as well as hear distinctions between gear is a great asset.
This is the best method to test audio in the present. It is the modern way of doing things. Would not give up written reviews, they are good when you have less time on hand, or when you are in bed before going to sleep and so on. But the video version is clearly more in depth, you get more out of it all. Great job, thanks!
For Me it was NAD/Primare I25/PrimaEVO100/NaimXS3. I could be happy with any of those choices. They were all very good, with just a little difference in Personalities. The rest I would not buy. Thanks for the Testing. The testing format was well done.
great review,i was amazed how good my system was able to let me hear the differences in the amplifiers sound. my system is leema elements integrated amp,asw cantius 412,schiit bifrost multibit,tara labs speaker cable and interlink and vdhul mainstream and isotek powercable. i liked primare most naim second and yamaha third.(in my system) thx a lot.
Thanks a lot guys, this is one of the best listening/demo sessions I have seen on RUclips so far and gives you much more information than written or spoken reviews. Keep up the good work, you disserve a much bigger audience. For me the Primare I25, hands down. It is so natural and clear sounding, without being dull/flat or too clinical. It has plenty of energy and dynamics, but without accentuating the mids/highs or lows or becoming too detailed or too smooth. It was the only one that gave me goose bumps. Class D has come really far :)! Did I mis the Hegel H120 (it is mentioned in the description)?
Daar zat ik ook op te wachten... wilde wel eens weten of ik mijn primare moet vervangen omdat de hegel veeeel beter zou klinken. Nou ja, misschien een volgende keer
How do you come to such a conclusion? It seems justified to point out relative differences between amps, but how can one make an *absolute* statement w/o hearing the kit with ones own ears?
@ Gio Ponti You have a point here, but I think you underestimate the quality of the recordings they make. Although RUclips streams are compressed it doesn’t hide the characteristics of the amplifiers in the test, they are very clear. All you need is a decent set of studio monitors, or neutral sounding (studio) headphones/IEMs in my opinion to be able to hear this. A point of reference for me is that the observations of the reviewers were in many cases similar to my own experience, as were the comments of the viewers. One of the reviewers was also tuning in from home, so had the same experience we had. These guys are very experienced and knowledgeable/trustworthy reviewers in NL. In essence, no test is perfect if the equipment is not placed in your own room with you own speakers any way. The Primare for me is the clear winner, because it sounds really balanced on all aspects for me (in this price range and compared to the others in the test). And it really does justice to the philosophy of the company. For me personally this also includes the value/price, small footprint, modular design, digital connectivity and the fact that they push the boundaries with class D. It is by all means a balanced and modern product. I also really liked the Naim, but that one is also more expensive and analogue only. The Yamaha came third for me. All in all it is just my personal opinion and experience. The reviewers are much more balanced in their observations, but also named those 3 specifically at the end.
@ Gio Ponti: We use a pair of Rode TF5 microphones (very flat, yet still musical), Grimm Audio microphone cables (yes: it does have a mayor impact, mostly in the bass / mid-bass), Grade M108 microphone pre-amp and a Benchmark ADC16 ad-converter for the audio-recordings you hear (That was a serious investment, but we love it). This feed goes in to our streaming server in 24/96. Our software then preps it for RUclips. This is - we think - a pretty serious set-up for live-streaming :-). But it is also needed to get some decent quality out there. The reason is simple: the better the signal / clean data you get to RUclips, the better the compression (way less artifacts). You get the best results on a decent pair of headphones or decent speakers. Although the room-acoustics in most cases will have an impact. With headphones that works better is our experience. My other author was listening from his studio on a pair of HEDD studio monitors. He knows our room and most of the amps. We talked afterwards to exchange experiences. They are similar. Of course it's not 100% comparible, but it really works... Honestly: when we had this idea, we didn't think it would work out this well. But you really need to invest in decent gear to get this quality. It's expensive.
We needed to set-up a remote feed for Yung. This was done last minute. Sorry for the (slight) echo.We learned a lot from this set-up. In future streams we will fix the echo if we need another remote feed.
Fantastic comparison. Most impressed with the Naim. I am starting to understand what an additional 500-1000 euros can get you. Also surprised pleasantly by the Primare, as I am strongly considering a D amp just for power economy. So thats my 2 cents from across the pond. This looks like a lot of hard work. Super appreciated. Thx so much Alpha Audio!
I can say Yamaha as2200 . Sounds as expected based on my as3200. Just that as3200 more weight on mids and space with better vocals. Sound quality of this streaming enough to differentiate. I had Nad 388 also . I agree all your impressions. It’s hell lot of good work. Thank you very much.👍
Great work,enjoyed this and other comparison videos Advance Paris was reversed cabled,so could not properly compare Yamaha,primare and naim were better The opera track is a male singer probably Tim Mead singing Vivaldi that has been dubbed over with electronic sounds Keep up the good work x stay safe
Thank you so much for the fantastic test! Excellent sound quality! I can really compare the amps and one is better than the other :) A little mistake: the right and left sides of Advance Paris are interchanged with the other amps. I just didn't know why it sounded different. Take many more similar tests! Excellent work!
Super genoten van de Multitest. Goede vergelijkingen. uit ervaring weet ik een andere buizenbezetting (wisselen van buizen o.a NOS) wil zeker helpen dat is dan een weer een voordeel. Zelf heb ik genoten van Yamaha en Naim. Hoop nog veel van jullie te kunnen genieten. Lange zit maar elke minuut waar. Prima presentatie. fijn weekend!
The price for the Yamaha A/S 2200 is now down to the A/S 1200 in this comparison which is great news. (2500€) Denon PMA is at 2000€. The new NAD is a comparative bargain: the S298: Purifi quality with first tier company support. Just a bit costlier than the excellent Austrian Apollon.
according to my hearing preferences through phones clearly wins Primare !!! Advance - catastrophic sound :/ Denon (marantz) - denon has a typical marantz sound = cloudy, tense, without air and lightness, in my opinion it is one of the worst characteristics of sound, but nevertheless sometimes they can charm Prima Luna - bass best result by the track from Jacques Loussier = this album is fantastic for lamp audio devices NAD & Yamaha - they weren't bad, but they didn't interest me Thank you for Test Guys!
Advance A 1:51:57 1:52:43 1:53:04 Advance AB 1:57:26 1:58:13. --- Yamaha. 39:2739:5540:17 Denon 1:17:33 1:18:19 1:18:41 Naim 2:19:38 2:20:24 2:20:46 Primare 57:0857:5558:16 Nad 24:5325:40. 26:01 Quality of dynamics / MicroTiming It is easy to find out - if the sound sample seems boring or strange to you after awhile it's bad. If you listen longer than intended / expected / if you get sucked in, even if this is not your type of music, then you know that this amp is really good. Tiny differences but 2 amps show the real drama of the performance and the rest of them kind of destroy the drama. It's all about immediacy and timing. And the best one does not excel in resolution or speed, but it masters the musical message. The tricky part is that many manage to do well in the midrange, but the timing of bass and highs is not as accurate as in the mids.
1 primare, 2 naim, 3 yamaha, but it is also a matter of taste. Also use a different speaker and you will get a different result. For live sessions of yours, I just use a not too expensive Sennheiser headphones, but still nice to hear the differences.
The noise floor on the Prima Luna was as black as the abyss, wow. That is a fantastic Amp! Do you guys have access to Unison Research, love to hear the Unico Primo hybrid integrated against the Hegel and Prima Luna. PS not a fan of the engineering on the opera song, sounded like the didacs and narpets were escaping out the sides and back of the stereo. Could have left that out and had a beautiful song.
Prima Luna sounds FAR better than it's got a right to (particularly if you read the specs). It's a truly GREAT amplifier. It digs into your soul on all three tracks. Perhaps it would need a "classic" speaker. Linton, Model Five, etc. I'm a tube skeptic, suddenly thrown back 40 years into my musical "home origin" :-) But what would I buy today? A Purifi based amp, such as NAD C 298
Agree with the "electronica" curlicues and dingbats being distracting instead of adding to the feel of the music. It sounded like a childish prank in the studio.
thanks guys for this great feature. Makes me think about my current primaluna pre, mono combination,.. and upgrade path... Btw...Funny, zero fidelity thinks the yamaha is a little aggresive, you think its very smooth,...
I see zero fidelity reviewed as1200 . I listened one of you tube demo between all 3 models. As1200 , as2200 and as3200. As move up line Seems more mids and space, layers between instruments. Vocals feels more natural.
This is the one channel where I can listen to all the differences. Amazing job. Btw, was there any update or new conclusions to Evo 100 :) also wondering if it was broken in enough (seems like this one changes a lot as it brakes in) Thanks a lot, all fabulous Amps.
Tonight I listened to the whole thing, 2 hours and 41 minutes! I never would have thought that such a comparison was possible online, but hey - you did it. Nice work. I kind of expected the Naim to be my favourite and so it proved. I'd be interested to know how you think the Naim NAIT XS3 compares with the Marantz Model 30. My head says Naim, heart says Marantz. Oh and I'm sold on the Focal Sopra No.1 - what a superb speaker. I'm in the market for an integrated amplifier and can go to €4000 if necessary. Would love a McIntosh valve but outside budget. Anyway can the Marantz hold its own against the Naim?
Hi guys, very good work. Thanks a lot for this video. I am just looking for a new amp in this price range. You made a small mistake. The price of the Primare starts at € 2500, - without dac and streaming. The I25 prisma costs € 3500,- / in Germany
Advance Paris..love it and have one☺ together with phonar credo primus speaker...amazing. Best test video on YT. No bullshit talking. Echt een goede test video. Groetjes uit Duitsland
Very nice comparison... The 3th track opera is the real track that make evidence of differences Naim seems the best Yamaha follow Primara 3th place. Sad to didn't hear NAD in that coz yes was a bit colorate on a bass but is a characteristic of NAD I really would like hear in that track to understand if was on a similar level of first 2... All the others seems in a similar level having a good surprise by Advance ... Not on top but very nice sound too a bit flat in the 3th track otherwise the level was high like first 2.
Hi, I’d love it if you could do a group test with the Naim supernait 3 and Rega Aethos and other similarly priced analogue amps ? Fingers crossed 🤞 thanks
Hello. I have Yamaha A-S 1200 amplifier & I`ve watched your video countless times and I need advice. Which floorstander speakers would you recommend for a 40m2 room size? All genres of music are listened to. I intend to give it a try to "Dali Opticon 8MK2" just after the new year. My budget is 2500-3000e. Thank you in advance.
@TheAlphaAudio - Thanks for the great comparison videos. I am currently debating myself between Denon PMA-A110 (pre-owned) and Primare i25 (new) both coming to about the same price. What would be your recommendation based on your experience and taste of course? I previously had Denon pma-1700ne and liked the Denon sounding (that weighted/full/gutty sound). On the other hand, the Primare for me has really good sound but somewhat a bit too precise, although, when switched to vinyl and pro-ject phono pre-amp, then the sound became more settled and smoother. I will pairing those with DALI Opticon 2. Thank you in advance for your advise!
I know this is an old video but has anyone else noticed the fugue deep drum beat is in the left channel on Advance Paris but right channel on all other amps?
I hear it clearly, Yamaha beats them all - broadband correct, from the top treble to the bass, the grand piano sounds physically touch-sensitive as it has to be - outstanding timing and sense of rhythm as the recording suggests 🎹🎼🤩👂🏻👂🏻👂🏻👍🏻👍 👍🏻 - all the others sound out of fashion like 10 to 20 years ago, but 2. Primare: But it glosses over something - Naim, rhythm ok, but grand piano sounds like a piano, disappointing Advance Acoustique and Denon 🙁 ...
Naim, because the amplifier is not broadband enough in the rise times for the different frequency ranges, the clicks of the drums lag slightly behind the stops on the grand piano ... No trace of this effect on the Yamaha 😁
Another fantastic sound demo video. It would be great if you did a video on how you setup your mics and record. I see you have a stereo pair almost directly in-between the speakers, but I also see an overhead mic. Is that being used too?
DEFINITELY NUMBER 1 IS Prima Luna 100- the most organic and natural sound including those good harmonics we hear in real life. In comparison other amps here feel castrated of those harmonics and therefore sound artificial. If you cant hear that difference then ...try harder or see a Laryngologist for check up :)
Erg leuke en interessante multitest. Zou er zo een graag willen zien met versterkers tot 1000 euro voor de beginnende audio enthousiasteling waar ik mijzelf bijreken. Keep up the good work!
@@marcoschaap9270 dat snap ik. :-). We zijn nu een half jaartje hiermee bezig. Er komen maandelijks dit soort tests. Daarbij maandelijks een Q and A en een interview. Dus genoeg! :-).
Compliments for the effort you put, to let us have a really exceptional opportunity to compare all this fine amps. I do own a Primare I21 and it's a AB amp but I did recognized the sound signature and I do have for only a month a Yamaha AS1200, and I completely agree with your opinion for the amps own personality. For the price/performance in your test for me its No.1, in a same time Naim XS3 is very good amp also but I can's say its better that Yamaha, cause of the price/performance equation, which gave them shared No.1. I think that in other amps which do have digital stages and are similar in price with the only analog ones, they have less value in term of analog part if we exclude the digital stage, so who is into the pure analog they will not justify theirs value. I will gave a comment for Denon PMA 2500NE and Advance Paris and both are not that "audiophile" but if I can characterize them I would say that, Denon is visually big amp with big volume and its mounted DAC for the audiophile level is not considerable so for me is "Chunky amp for PC audio", and Advance Paris is more on the cosmetics rather than refinement with the A and A/B combo which in this amp have not much point but the "Plexiglass" facia with big VU meters are there for the attention in this case "Visual audio effect amp" but lack of the refinement. And some of the comments are "Yamaha AS-2200" which is not the tested one, that is a next one with very similar specs in amp section and few added features like XLR input, better headphone amp, and front switch tor phono MM/MC and some different internal wiring, nothing which is improving the sound. That all is just my personal opinion, and I do expect more comparison like this in the future.
The technics SU-G700M2E-K, the sudgen ,the pier audio ms880 se and the arcam sa30 have a good place in this test. One day I hope arcam, technics, Pier audio and sugden a21i signature if you can please.
I didn't mean to blame you, please don't get me wrong,about my improvement at the price of the Primare. How about doing a test in the next price range with Denon PMA A110, Yamaha AS 2200, Marantz, Atoll IN 300 or 400 and Primare i35 and NAD M32. The Purify Amp is said to be very good. In any case, I think your channel is very good, keep it up.
If you like the Yamaha AS-1200 try using the MAIN DIRECT with a TUBE PREAMP. I use my AS3000 with my Feliks Audio Euforia and you get the best of both worlds this way lean power from the AS1200 and the Impact and width of a tube amp like the Euforia.. Win win the only downside is no remote for the Euforia.
Its a great review but also so frustrating that the Hegel H120 was left out (listed?) a lot of people would of liked its inclusion given its one of the main competitors in that price range..?
I would love to see you guys do something with the Anthem STR Integrated stereo amp (from Canada). It has the latest version of ARC (Anthem Room Correction). $4,500 USD - 200/400/550 WPC (8, 4, & 2 ohm loads) - Home Theater Bypass - Dual sub outputs (combined mono or stereo) - etc.
Advance for me. I know, it's Chinese...but the dynamic range and the neutrality can only be beaten by some of the beasts. No silly Nads and Denons. Unfortunately an amp lighter than 35kgs rarely can deliver high end output. Well... Of course...
So, you are comparing 70 to 80W Amps with a 160W Advance one, this mean that to work properly at the same potential it has to be played with more powerfull loudspeakers to reach effective sound quality it was designed for !
Hello. In a quick comparison, it is possible that the verdict is wrong. Especially with Denon. The Denon must be allowed to "warm up" only then a harmony/emotion is created between the music and the listener. Your test should be called something else... the best combination with the speakers you have in the test, no matter what they are. Otherwise, it is possible to mislead the viewers. Thanks
@@TheAlphaAudio thank you ... i have the focal kanta 2, and at the moment i am looking for the new amp, and yamaha and naim seems to work nice with focal..
Please use English (I don't speak Spanish. Google translate helps). You are reacting under a video about amplifiers. I would like to keep the reaction-feed relevant. Please ask your question on www.alpha-audio.net.
Very interesting. Im listening thru headphones so they add their own sonic signature to the already low quality youtube reproduction...but i actually like the NAD. They were all good but the Naim was my least favorite...go figure. My pre bias would have been NAD worst and Naim top 2.
@@TheAlphaAudio On a side note: Taka, the lead singer of his band, they all started that band when they were friends in high school. They have already been on World tours including America. Taka is the son of Mori Masako a famous Japanese ENKA singer who also started out a a kid singing. I have been following Mori Masako for more than 10 years. That is how I eventually learned of her son and his band.
Advance Paris has the most live the most transparent, icely clear sound. It sounds as if the speakers are shut off and you hear the musicians live in front of you. Not impressed with Yamaha. Primare was quite impressive.
Check out our written review and samples on:
Dutch: www.alpha-audio.nl/review/video-multitest-de-beste-versterker-voor-2500-euro/
English: alpha-audio.net/review/video-multitest-de-beste-versterker-voor-2500-euro/
Hello. I have Yamaha A-S 1200 amplifier I`ve watched your video countless times and I need advice. Which floorstander speakers would you recommend for a 40m2 room size? All genres of music are listened to. I intend to give it a try to "Dali Opticon 8MK2" just after the new year. My budget is 2500-3000e. Thank you in advance.
3 years later and finally bought myself a second hand XS3. Great sound, very impressive power for its rating. All about the music, which is not just a marketing gig.
Have fun!
Applause for you guys at Alpha Audio 👏 These listening test comparisons are so extremely informative, honest and helpful. Nothing else like this on RUclips. Thank you!
Thanks man!
Thanks for the effort guys! You made me switch from buying a pma-2500 to a Naim xs-3.
Which amp do you think is better?
I really like the Naim. So rhythmic and real.
The Nad came out on top for me, sounding extremely natural with voices
This is so fun! I'm in the process of building a diy PASS system and being able to come to this channel and learn, as well as hear distinctions between gear is a great asset.
Thanks! And have fun building. Alpehs are beautiful.
This is the best method to test audio in the present. It is the modern way of doing things. Would not give up written reviews, they are good when you have less time on hand, or when you are in bed before going to sleep and so on. But the video version is clearly more in depth, you get more out of it all.
Great job, thanks!
For Me it was NAD/Primare I25/PrimaEVO100/NaimXS3. I could be happy with any of those choices. They were all very good, with just a little difference in Personalities. The rest I would not buy. Thanks for the Testing. The testing format was well done.
great review,i was amazed how good my system was able to let me hear the differences in the amplifiers sound.
my system is leema elements integrated amp,asw cantius 412,schiit bifrost multibit,tara labs speaker cable and interlink and vdhul mainstream and isotek powercable.
i liked primare most naim second and yamaha third.(in my system)
thx a lot.
Same top 3 for me :)!
Thanks a lot guys, this is one of the best listening/demo sessions I have seen on RUclips so far and gives you much more information than written or spoken reviews. Keep up the good work, you disserve a much bigger audience. For me the Primare I25, hands down. It is so natural and clear sounding, without being dull/flat or too clinical. It has plenty of energy and dynamics, but without accentuating the mids/highs or lows or becoming too detailed or too smooth. It was the only one that gave me goose bumps. Class D has come really far :)! Did I mis the Hegel H120 (it is mentioned in the description)?
Daar zat ik ook op te wachten... wilde wel eens weten of ik mijn primare moet vervangen omdat de hegel veeeel beter zou klinken. Nou ja, misschien een volgende keer
How do you come to such a conclusion? It seems justified to point out relative differences between amps, but how can one make an *absolute* statement w/o hearing the kit with ones own ears?
The Hegel was planned, but it didn't come in... Unfortunately.
Thank you for the kind words!
@ Gio Ponti You have a point here, but I think you underestimate the quality of the recordings they make. Although RUclips streams are compressed it doesn’t hide the characteristics of the amplifiers in the test, they are very clear. All you need is a decent set of studio monitors, or neutral sounding (studio) headphones/IEMs in my opinion to be able to hear this. A point of reference for me is that the observations of the reviewers were in many cases similar to my own experience, as were the comments of the viewers. One of the reviewers was also tuning in from home, so had the same experience we had. These guys are very experienced and knowledgeable/trustworthy reviewers in NL. In essence, no test is perfect if the equipment is not placed in your own room with you own speakers any way. The Primare for me is the clear winner, because it sounds really balanced on all aspects for me (in this price range and compared to the others in the test). And it really does justice to the philosophy of the company. For me personally this also includes the value/price, small footprint, modular design, digital connectivity and the fact that they push the boundaries with class D. It is by all means a balanced and modern product. I also really liked the Naim, but that one is also more expensive and analogue only. The Yamaha came third for me. All in all it is just my personal opinion and experience. The reviewers are much more balanced in their observations, but also named those 3 specifically at the end.
@ Gio Ponti: We use a pair of Rode TF5 microphones (very flat, yet still musical), Grimm Audio microphone cables (yes: it does have a mayor impact, mostly in the bass / mid-bass), Grade M108 microphone pre-amp and a Benchmark ADC16 ad-converter for the audio-recordings you hear (That was a serious investment, but we love it). This feed goes in to our streaming server in 24/96. Our software then preps it for RUclips.
This is - we think - a pretty serious set-up for live-streaming :-). But it is also needed to get some decent quality out there. The reason is simple: the better the signal / clean data you get to RUclips, the better the compression (way less artifacts).
You get the best results on a decent pair of headphones or decent speakers. Although the room-acoustics in most cases will have an impact. With headphones that works better is our experience.
My other author was listening from his studio on a pair of HEDD studio monitors. He knows our room and most of the amps. We talked afterwards to exchange experiences. They are similar. Of course it's not 100% comparible, but it really works...
Honestly: when we had this idea, we didn't think it would work out this well. But you really need to invest in decent gear to get this quality. It's expensive.
We needed to set-up a remote feed for Yung. This was done last minute. Sorry for the (slight) echo.We learned a lot from this set-up. In future streams we will fix the echo if we need another remote feed.
Fantastic comparison. Most impressed with the Naim. I am starting to understand what an additional 500-1000 euros can get you. Also surprised pleasantly by the Primare, as I am strongly considering a D amp just for power economy. So thats my 2 cents from across the pond. This looks like a lot of hard work. Super appreciated. Thx so much Alpha Audio!
Thanks
I can say Yamaha as2200 . Sounds as expected based on my as3200. Just that as3200 more weight on mids and space with better vocals. Sound quality of this streaming enough to differentiate. I had Nad 388 also . I agree all your impressions. It’s hell lot of good work. Thank you very much.👍
Thank you for the kind words.
@TheAlphaAudio :yes more importantly I really enjoyed both of your discussions after each track. Please increase discussion length on that area.
Great work,enjoyed this and other comparison videos
Advance Paris was reversed cabled,so could not properly compare
Yamaha,primare and naim were better
The opera track is a male singer probably Tim Mead singing Vivaldi that has been dubbed over with electronic sounds
Keep up the good work x stay safe
Thank you so much for the fantastic test!
Excellent sound quality!
I can really compare the amps and one is better than the other :)
A little mistake: the right and left sides of Advance Paris are interchanged with the other amps.
I just didn't know why it sounded different.
Take many more similar tests!
Excellent work!
Thanks! Just follow is for more tests. Some awesome ones are being planned.
Super genoten van de Multitest. Goede vergelijkingen. uit ervaring weet ik een andere buizenbezetting (wisselen van buizen o.a NOS) wil zeker helpen dat is dan een weer een voordeel. Zelf heb ik genoten van Yamaha en Naim. Hoop nog veel van jullie te kunnen genieten. Lange zit maar elke minuut waar. Prima presentatie. fijn weekend!
Dank je! :-)
Advance Paris!!!!!!!🤘👊🤘Advance Paris is also the most convincing for me!
Yamaha is clearly the best amp
Yes Yamaha!
With Bach piece for me Primare most enjoyable and made sense of the composition, other two tracks the Naim. (RIP Julian Vereker)
True, some amps handle the "chirp" properly. Others totally destroy the track.
The price for the Yamaha A/S 2200 is now down to the A/S 1200 in this comparison which is great news. (2500€) Denon PMA is at 2000€. The new NAD is a comparative bargain: the S298: Purifi quality with first tier company support. Just a bit costlier than the excellent Austrian Apollon.
Fugue:
24:16
38:36
56:35
1:17:00
1:32:41
1:51:23
2:19:06
Opera:
23:01
45:30
1:01:44
1:20:57
1:36:35
2:01:40
2:25:13
Appreciate the effort man. Thank you!
You swapped the cables on the second to last one. :) I liked the last one the best, also the third one. Cheers
@@marko.guitarko yes. Correct. Concentration issue ;-).
Great broadcast 🏆🚀 best consensus probably Primare 🎶🥰. Maybe you tested the budget kit IOTAVX SA3 + PA3 ?
according to my hearing preferences through phones clearly wins Primare !!!
Advance - catastrophic sound :/
Denon (marantz) - denon has a typical marantz sound = cloudy, tense, without air and lightness, in my opinion it is one of the worst characteristics of sound, but nevertheless sometimes they can charm
Prima Luna - bass best result by the track from Jacques Loussier = this album is fantastic for lamp audio devices
NAD & Yamaha - they weren't bad, but they didn't interest me
Thank you for Test Guys!
Advance A 1:51:57 1:52:43 1:53:04 Advance AB 1:57:26 1:58:13. ---
Yamaha. 39:27 39:55 40:17 Denon 1:17:33 1:18:19 1:18:41
Naim 2:19:38 2:20:24 2:20:46 Primare 57:08 57:55 58:16
Nad 24:53 25:40. 26:01
Quality of dynamics / MicroTiming
It is easy to find out - if the sound sample seems boring or strange to you after awhile it's bad. If you listen longer than intended / expected / if you get sucked in, even if this is not your type of music, then you know that this amp is really good. Tiny differences but 2 amps show the real drama of the performance and the rest of them kind of destroy the drama. It's all about immediacy and timing. And the best one does not excel in resolution or speed, but it masters the musical message. The tricky part is that many manage to do well in the midrange, but the timing of bass and highs is not as accurate as in the mids.
1 primare, 2 naim, 3 yamaha, but it is also a matter of taste.
Also use a different speaker and you will get a different result.
For live sessions of yours, I just use a not too expensive Sennheiser headphones, but still nice to hear the differences.
Thanks! Yes a different speaker Will sound different. But I think the differences will be the same...
@@TheAlphaAudio I agree.
Primare is extremely attractive, worth a closer look.
The noise floor on the Prima Luna was as black as the abyss, wow. That is a fantastic Amp! Do you guys have access to Unison Research, love to hear the Unico Primo hybrid integrated against the Hegel and Prima Luna. PS not a fan of the engineering on the opera song, sounded like the didacs and narpets were escaping out the sides and back of the stereo. Could have left that out and had a beautiful song.
Prima Luna sounds FAR better than it's got a right to (particularly if you read the specs). It's a truly GREAT amplifier. It digs into your soul on all three tracks.
Perhaps it would need a "classic" speaker. Linton, Model Five, etc. I'm a tube skeptic, suddenly thrown back 40 years into my musical "home origin" :-)
But what would I buy today? A Purifi based amp, such as NAD C 298
Agree with the "electronica" curlicues and dingbats being distracting instead of adding to the feel of the music. It sounded like a childish prank in the studio.
thanks guys for this great feature. Makes me think about my current primaluna pre, mono combination,.. and upgrade path...
Btw...Funny, zero fidelity thinks the yamaha is a little aggresive, you think its very smooth,...
Thanks for the comment! The Yamaha is not aggressive... ;-)
I see zero fidelity reviewed as1200 . I listened one of you tube demo between all 3 models. As1200 , as2200 and as3200. As move up line Seems more mids and space, layers between instruments. Vocals feels more natural.
@@kvrhifi i feel the same... more up the line, more resolution and control. But all are smooth and friendly. 'Even' on the Focal Sopra.
I have the nad c388. Its a nice amp. Im thinking about buying the bluos module soon.
Great amp... And great module!
...For me Denon is the best amplifier at this test...
great comparison, keep up the good work!
wish a Rega elicit-r was included.
Were they also invited to participate in this online comparison?
This is the one channel where I can listen to all the differences. Amazing job. Btw, was there any update or new conclusions to Evo 100 :) also wondering if it was broken in enough (seems like this one changes a lot as it brakes in) Thanks a lot, all fabulous Amps.
Thanks!
Tonight I listened to the whole thing, 2 hours and 41 minutes! I never would have thought that such a comparison was possible online, but hey - you did it. Nice work. I kind of expected the Naim to be my favourite and so it proved. I'd be interested to know how you think the Naim NAIT XS3 compares with the Marantz Model 30. My head says Naim, heart says Marantz. Oh and I'm sold on the Focal Sopra No.1 - what a superb speaker. I'm in the market for an integrated amplifier and can go to €4000 if necessary. Would love a McIntosh valve but outside budget. Anyway can the Marantz hold its own against the Naim?
Would be interested in knowing what Integrated you purchase. In a similar situation.
Whatever you do stay away from marantz new plastic+class d amplifier mode30, if you want to go with marantz choose Pm14s1 se or pm11s3 or pm11s2
I like 4 amplifiers so I need 4 systems. 🤣🤣🤣
Primare, Naim, Yamaha, Primaluna.
Hi guys, very good work. Thanks a lot for this video. I am just looking for a new amp in this price range. You made a small mistake. The price of the Primare starts at € 2500, - without dac and streaming.
The I25 prisma costs € 3500,- / in Germany
Thanks for the clarification!
I save money by listening to other people’s stereo systems on RUclips.
It is one way of saving indeed!
Why there is Denon 2500ne and not marantz Pm14s1 ?
Why I can't find anywhere compare this two models
Advance Paris..love it and have one☺ together with phonar credo primus speaker...amazing. Best test video on YT. No bullshit talking. Echt een goede test video. Groetjes uit Duitsland
Thanks man! Enjoy the Paris! Nice amp!
Advance Paris: truly excellent.
Very nice comparison... The 3th track opera is the real track that make evidence of differences Naim seems the best Yamaha follow Primara 3th place. Sad to didn't hear NAD in that coz yes was a bit colorate on a bass but is a characteristic of NAD I really would like hear in that track to understand if was on a similar level of first 2... All the others seems in a similar level having a good surprise by Advance ... Not on top but very nice sound too a bit flat in the 3th track otherwise the level was high like first 2.
What power cables and interconnects where used, I have one the the amps on the test and the sopra, and I am curious.
Great video.
Thanks.
We used Grimm TPM interlinks, Driade speaker cable and mostly AQ NRG1000.
I really enjoyed Naim sound
Hi, I’d love it if you could do a group test with the Naim supernait 3 and Rega Aethos and other similarly priced analogue amps ? Fingers crossed 🤞 thanks
Hello. I have Yamaha A-S 1200 amplifier & I`ve watched your video countless times and I need advice. Which floorstander speakers would you recommend for a 40m2 room size? All genres of music are listened to. I intend to give it a try to "Dali Opticon 8MK2" just after the new year. My budget is 2500-3000e. Thank you in advance.
Naim! Incredible musicaliy
@TheAlphaAudio - Thanks for the great comparison videos. I am currently debating myself between Denon PMA-A110 (pre-owned) and Primare i25 (new) both coming to about the same price.
What would be your recommendation based on your experience and taste of course? I previously had Denon pma-1700ne and liked the Denon sounding (that weighted/full/gutty sound). On the other hand, the Primare for me has really good sound but somewhat a bit too precise, although, when switched to vinyl and pro-ject phono pre-amp, then the sound became more settled and smoother.
I will pairing those with DALI Opticon 2.
Thank you in advance for your advise!
I cannot give you any advice, except: try both at home with your speakers an acoustical environment.
Yamaha and Naim are amazing here.
Νaim xs3 just sounds everything right
I know this is an old video but has anyone else noticed the fugue deep drum beat is in the left channel on Advance Paris but right channel on all other amps?
@@mrkitewine7700 yes. We swapped them accidentally.
I hear it clearly, Yamaha beats them all - broadband correct, from the top treble to the bass, the grand piano sounds physically touch-sensitive as it has to be - outstanding timing and sense of rhythm as the recording suggests 🎹🎼🤩👂🏻👂🏻👂🏻👍🏻👍 👍🏻 - all the others sound out of fashion like 10 to 20 years ago, but 2. Primare: But it glosses over something - Naim, rhythm ok, but grand piano sounds like a piano, disappointing Advance Acoustique and Denon 🙁 ...
Yes yamaha !
Yamaha & NAD sounds close to the original. And man! The Sopra 1 is so good that this recording sounds very close.
Naim, because the amplifier is not broadband enough in the rise times for the different frequency ranges, the clicks of the drums lag slightly behind the stops on the grand piano ... No trace of this effect on the Yamaha 😁
Another fantastic sound demo video. It would be great if you did a video on how you setup your mics and record. I see you have a stereo pair almost directly in-between the speakers, but I also see an overhead mic. Is that being used too?
with HD600:
1, Naim
2, Yamaha, Primare i25
...
I liked the Primare best here.
Wow!
DEFINITELY NUMBER 1 IS Prima Luna 100- the most organic and natural sound including those good harmonics we hear in real life. In comparison other amps here feel castrated of those harmonics and therefore sound artificial. If you cant hear that difference then ...try harder or see a Laryngologist for check up :)
53:48 primare
1:10:52 denon
1:28:49 prima
1:45:48 advance paris
2:14:31 naim
Thanks! We will post a complete index tomorrow. We are also working on lossless samples to put in the review.
The Naim is nearly twice as expensive as the Denon in North America.
Erg leuke en interessante multitest.
Zou er zo een graag willen zien met versterkers tot 1000 euro voor de beginnende audio enthousiasteling waar ik mijzelf bijreken.
Keep up the good work!
Dag Marco. Op Alpha Audio staat een multitest met versterkers in die klasse. Dus check de website... :-)
@@TheAlphaAudio
Ah thanks! Maar zelf luisteren is toch net een tikkeltje anders🙂
@@marcoschaap9270 dat snap ik. :-). We zijn nu een half jaartje hiermee bezig. Er komen maandelijks dit soort tests. Daarbij maandelijks een Q and A en een interview. Dus genoeg! :-).
Advance deserves a closer look. It's the dark horse in the group.
Advance Acoustics is a Shame
Compliments for the effort you put, to let us have a really exceptional opportunity to compare all this fine amps. I do own a Primare I21 and it's a AB amp but I did recognized the sound signature and I do have for only a month a Yamaha AS1200, and I completely agree with your opinion for the amps own personality. For the price/performance in your test for me its No.1, in a same time Naim XS3 is very good amp also but I can's say its better that Yamaha, cause of the price/performance equation, which gave them shared No.1. I think that in other amps which do have digital stages and are similar in price with the only analog ones, they have less value in term of analog part if we exclude the digital stage, so who is into the pure analog they will not justify theirs value. I will gave a comment for Denon PMA 2500NE and Advance Paris and both are not that "audiophile" but if I can characterize them I would say that, Denon is visually big amp with big volume and its mounted DAC for the audiophile level is not considerable so for me is "Chunky amp for PC audio", and Advance Paris is more on the cosmetics rather than refinement with the A and A/B combo which in this amp have not much point but the "Plexiglass" facia with big VU meters are there for the attention in this case "Visual audio effect amp" but lack of the refinement.
And some of the comments are "Yamaha AS-2200" which is not the tested one, that is a next one with very similar specs in amp section and few added features like XLR input, better headphone amp, and front switch tor phono MM/MC and some different internal wiring, nothing which is improving the sound.
That all is just my personal opinion, and I do expect more comparison like this in the future.
Thanks for the kind words and sharing your vision! We already do these tests once a months. So subscribe to stay tuned!
irrespective of what amps you hook up - how good are those Focal Sopra's!! wife for sale...
Hahaha
Awesome 👍
Thank you for the kind words!
The technics SU-G700M2E-K, the sudgen ,the pier audio ms880 se and the arcam sa30 have a good place in this test. One day I hope arcam, technics, Pier audio and sugden a21i signature if you can please.
Naim, he too glossed over how a piano is mixed with additional chorus from an effects device 😉...
I didn't mean to blame you, please don't get me wrong,about my improvement at the price of the Primare. How about doing a test in the next price range with Denon PMA A110, Yamaha AS 2200, Marantz, Atoll IN 300 or 400 and Primare i35 and NAD M32. The Purify Amp is said to be very good.
In any case, I think your channel is very good, keep it up.
Atoll 300 would kill it
@@borisbobowski628 Thanks Boris, I bought a few weeks before the YAMAHA AS 2200.
Is atoll very good? I'm looking for in200 signature
@@antonioinacioconceicaoreis9004 they Play unbelievable clear with great Base but Not so aggressiv or analitical.
NAIM sound to me is like the loudness, groove button is turned ON.
If you like the Yamaha AS-1200 try using the MAIN DIRECT with a TUBE PREAMP. I use my AS3000 with my Feliks Audio Euforia and you get the best of both worlds this way lean power from the AS1200 and the Impact and width of a tube amp like the Euforia.. Win win the only downside is no remote for the Euforia.
Nice! Good advice. I have a nice pre-amp on the shelf. I will try!
Excelent review....
Bravooi
Its a great review but also so frustrating that the Hegel H120 was left out (listed?) a lot of people would of liked its inclusion given its one of the main competitors in that price range..?
Hegel didn't want to take part...
I think I want that Naim to run my Focal Aria 936s🤔🤔
Are all PrimaLuna amps are class A?
spacecenter is calling Yung 😀
Hahahaha!
I would love to see you guys do something with the Anthem STR Integrated stereo amp (from Canada). It has the latest version of ARC (Anthem Room Correction). $4,500 USD - 200/400/550 WPC (8, 4, & 2 ohm loads) - Home Theater Bypass - Dual sub outputs (combined mono or stereo) - etc.
Advance for me. I know, it's Chinese...but the dynamic range and the neutrality can only be beaten by some of the beasts. No silly Nads and Denons. Unfortunately an amp lighter than 35kgs rarely can deliver high end output. Well... Of course...
So, you are comparing 70 to 80W Amps with a 160W Advance one, this mean that to work properly at the same potential it has to be played with more powerfull loudspeakers to reach effective sound quality it was designed for !
Hello. In a quick comparison, it is possible that the verdict is wrong. Especially with Denon. The Denon must be allowed to "warm up" only then a harmony/emotion is created between the music and the listener. Your test should be called something else... the best combination with the speakers you have in the test, no matter what they are. Otherwise, it is possible to mislead the viewers. Thanks
Between the Yamaha A-S2200 that you own and the Naim Nait XS 3?
The NAIM is more dynamic. The Yamaha is a bit cleaner I think. It is really different. I would like to own both ;-)
@@TheAlphaAudio IS 1200 OR 2200 YAMAHA
@@joseantoniohernandez1972 what do you mean?
@@TheAlphaAudio FOR THE PRICE 2200, I was thinking about the 1200 ace which is cheaper but I heard the first and fell in love
How much of improvement is the 2200 over the 1200, what would be the immediate audible differences, or is it more subtle differences?
Thanks
Which amplifier do you think is best for Sopra 1? Thank you
The one you like most.
Thanks!!
1- Primare I25
2-Naim XS3
Naim all day 🔉🔉🎶🎶
What DAC did you used for the Yamaha ?
Metrum acoustics Pavane. It was used for all the amps.
@@TheAlphaAudio thank you ... i have the focal kanta 2, and at the moment i am looking for the new amp, and yamaha and naim seems to work nice with focal..
@@miki-wx3gl yes. They both do very well
Which amp do you think is better?
The one you like best is the best...
blind test time stamps
1:33:14 24:53 1:17:33 39:08 1:51:57 57:09 1:57:26 2:19:38
1:33:26 25:04 39:28 1:17:44 57:20 1:52:07 1:57:37 2:19:49
1:33:48 25:27 39:51 1:18:05 57:41 1:52:29 1:57:59 2:20:11
1:34:01 25:39 39:55 1:18:19 57:55 1:52:43 1:58:12 2:20:24
1:32:07 2:18:31 23:46 1:16:26 38:01 1:50:49 55:58 1:56:16
It's a yes from me. Bigger amps?
Bigger is better!
What are the stand mount speakers? Thanks
Focal Sopra No1
Me gustaria tu opinion del focal aria 906
Please use English (I don't speak Spanish. Google translate helps). You are reacting under a video about amplifiers. I would like to keep the reaction-feed relevant. Please ask your question on www.alpha-audio.net.
What speaker Cables and Interconnect cables you use ? what is the the CD Player of your system ? and cables used for this comparison ?
Hi! All specs can be found here:alpha-audio.net/review/video-multitest-de-beste-versterker-voor-2500-euro/
In this clip the Yamaha handled the voice much better than the Naim
Very interesting. Im listening thru headphones so they add their own sonic signature to the already low quality youtube reproduction...but i actually like the NAD. They were all good but the Naim was my least favorite...go figure. My pre bias would have been NAD worst and Naim top 2.
Sooooo.....where is "the complete index" that you promised. 🙂
Great effort.....quite informative.....thanks!
You are right. Will do that ASAP. ;-)
Done
@@TheAlphaAudio You da man!
You have H120 in your description. But unless I missed something, there was no H120 in this comparison..
I wonder how the band ONE OK ROCK
“I Was King” RUclips concert video would sound on that system.
I will check it out!
@@TheAlphaAudio
On a side note:
Taka, the lead singer of his band, they all started that band when they were friends in high school. They have already been on World tours including America.
Taka is the son of Mori Masako a famous Japanese ENKA singer who also started out a a kid singing. I have been following Mori Masako for more than 10 years. That is how I eventually learned of her son and his band.
Rotel RA 1592 mkII
Advance Paris has the most live the most transparent, icely clear sound. It sounds as if the speakers are shut off and you hear the musicians live in front of you. Not impressed with Yamaha. Primare was quite impressive.
Advance Paris is also the most convincing for me
Naim took all the emotional feeling out of the music with too much separation.
Brands who don't dare this face off do not deserve my custom. Step up or step aside.
Well... We agree... :-)
my choice NAIM NAIT XS3