Another really solid review from the best HiFi reviewer on the platform. This has put me right in the mood as a couple of minutes ago, my Willsenton R8 arrived via UPS. I have my cutter in hand and can barely contain myself. I cannot believe how cheap this has worked out in the UK. My total landed cost was £1005.00. Thank you, Tarun for providing me with the final motivation to pull the plus on this beauty.
As someone in the electronics industry I really appreciate your reviews, you're able to describe the technology whilst finding a nice balance making it easy to understand without dumbing it down too far. Keep up the good work. Trying to describe what sound character I prefer is really difficult as it varies depending on the music. It's one of the reasons I went for my M10 as it stores different Dirac curves. It doesn't always work though, and you can end up fiddling around. I am pretty sure this is just down to the different quality of recordings. However I am definitely spending more time listening to music that critiquing the sound. After all it's all about the music.
Great review again! I got my IN 300 and DR 200 yesterday and it´s just wow! Your review of the IN 200 helped definitaly to made my decision to get an Atoll Amplifier. Greetings from Germany!
Thanks Tarun. I bought on the strength of this well considered thoughtfully articulated review, having looked at dozens of others around the price point. It drives my old Mission 782s like they were resurrected and realized it might be a better idea live life to the full this time round. Excellent.
Thanks a lot. Always a pleasure to listen to your reviews. As for sound preference I'm into a neutral/warm character as I find mid/highs that are sibilant or harsh objectionable to my listening preference.
Hi Tarun: My strong preference is for a warm, full presentation. Equipment which favors a lean, cool aggressive sound does not find favor with me. I don't attempt to reproduce the original sound in my home. In my experience that goal is not attainable. There's simply no way to know what that sound should be. Rather I look for a presentation which sounds good to me. My primary goal is how well the system produces tone. Imaging, while important, takes a back seat to that. Thanks for another excellent review. I'd be curious to know how the Atoll IN80 sounds with those JBL speakers.
Tarun, Thanks for the review mate I'm fairly new to this stuff but you break things down in an accessible way without diluting proper analysis of the equipment under review. Just thought you should know your efforts don't go unnoticed.
Hello Tarun, excellent review overall. I own and use many Atoll products and I’m alway amazed that a small company can get so much done. My ST200 Signature was recently updated with both Tidal and Spotify connect and it will soon be Roon ready. Incredible really. Brian.
Thank God you rated it Highly Recommended and not Outstanding! I had just convinced myself that I can live with my set up (including the Audiolab 6000A) for at least a few years, and around the middle of this video I thought you were going to start the itch again. I’m hoping for more videos in or about this price range, including Rega’s Elex-R. And thanks again for your awesome reviews.
Thank you Jeremy. Very kind. The 6000A is still the best all round amp I have auditioned for circa £600. The Atoll IN80 Sig is more like a competitor to the 8300A 👍😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I would like to know, if that’s ok with you, whether you would choose the 6000A or the IN80 if you were choosing between the two based purely on sonic performance as an integrated amplifier?
You ask what do I want in sound quality? That's easy. EVERYTHING! Ha. I am sensitive to nasty upper midrange screeching and aggressive sibilance etc. I listen to a lot of vocal, small instrumentals and some rock, blues etc. I value midrange clarity and vibrance over all. I like a forward presentation as it adds to the perception of reality for me. I remember getting some planar speakers years ago and couldn't stand them I needed speakers driving air at me. I missed the dynamics and visceral sensation that speaker pushing air give me. My days of putting up with tube power amplification are over but I find a tube presence in the preamp stage to give me a lot of the sound I like and the opportunity to fiddle with various tubes to finesse the sound.
Thank you Lee. Knowing what you want is over half the battle. Like you, I want it all too. I can’t afford to have it all so I have to decide what compromises suit me best 😊👍
@@fletchermunson6225 If you're in the UK is recommend peak hifi, Shaun has a great selection of stuff from budget to up up up! He'll give you all the time you need and let you listen to stuff you could never afford just for fun, with plenty of cups of coffee and as long as you want!
@@fletchermunson6225 If you're in the UK I'd recommend peak hifi, Shaun has a great selection of stuff from budget to up up up! He'll give you all the time you need and let you listen to stuff you could never afford just for fun, with plenty of cups of coffee and as long as you want!
@@philpepp Sounds delightful It has been too long since I was in the UK. Actually, I believe several generations ago some of my relatives left the island one step ahead of the law. When I visited years ago, I had a dealer order a Creek amplifier in our voltage and also bought a Syrinx tone arm to take home. Actually, the distributor here for Linn products really jacked up the prices so I got one of my Brit magazines and called a dealer. I asked him if he would sell me a Linn turntable with Itok arm. I barely got it out my question when he was asking for my card number. It arrived DSL at LAX freight terminal setup and ready to go. I was quite happy with the player and the money I had saved.
Tarun, thanks for yet again finding these gems., and for your super informative, comprehensive and well paced reviews. What's really appreciated....They're all in the pocket in terms of affordability, which makes it an exciting prospect for us when considering a change or an upgrade. I like warmth and tonal richness, and would never want it sacrificed for the sake of clarity, detail, stage and speed. But ultimately put the latter at the top in terms of priority. So, I've got my work cut out for me!
As usual a great review with a very tangible almost three-dimensional description of what can be expected. I would like to add the one thing. I severely disapprove when manufacturers implement tweaks and changes SECRETLY within a generation. - Call it maybe "IN200.1sig" or "IN200sig Edition" ..."Reference" ..."Jubilee" or whatever, but don't do such changes without letting your customers know! Once there are different (unlabelled / indistinguishable) generations circulating at distributor's or retailer's stocks it undermines confidence in what you'll actually receive for the price negotiated. As a side effect, second-hand value of not clearly identifiable HiFi gear is always debased due to uncertainty.
Suggestions- Thanks for giving the retail price and if freight is paid or not. 1. Please add- Warranty when quoting a price. I reviewers do not care then who should? 2. State the WPC at 8/4/2ohms if given. 3. Type of power a-a/b-d, Gan, etc. Then go to town as per usual. Great Job as usual!!
As someone who plays classical violin and mainly listens to classical music from solo instruments to big orchestral works a system has to sound natural, detailed and produce an excellent soundstage. Happy with my current setup: Denafrips T+ DAC, Denafrips Athena pre and ATC active 50s reflect these priorities.
Great review as always Tarun. It seems the industry might be listening to you😂...they would certainly benefit from that in my opinion. In a pretty crowded field, I consider you the gold standard when it comes to reviewing HiFi equipment. Outstanding even. 😉
Hello, Tarun, another insightful review of the Atoll amplifier. Thank you. As to loudspeaker characteristics, I prefer neutrally voiced approaches. We listen to a good deal of jazz and classical so bass weight and transient clarity weigh heavily.
So great review ! I had an atoll in 100 se (not signature) and he was harsh in the highs with my monitor audio silver 6. But the overall présentation was so good...with this review i Come back to atoll ! It's exactly what i looking for MA silver 6 ! A mini sugden ! Thank you very much for your great work Tarun. 👏👏👏
Have you ever considered reviewing any of the power/pre/intergrated amplifier kits out there? Your approach, and presumably a fair bit of your audience, leans fairly heavily towards the techy end of the spectrum... this is a compliment in my books. I suspect it's the sort of thing you and your viewers may be very interested in. There's always that bit in the back of my mind that wonders what a relaxing project with the soldering iron could expect, and wether the savings are worthwhile compared to established manufactures who can presumably enjoy all that economy of scale and well paid designers business.
Thank you Tarun for another great review. Interesting, informative and entertaining. My preference is for a very slightly warm sound, virtually neutral. Don't mind that bright, forward sounding recordings sound that way, I just don't listen to them often. Any brightness in my system is exacerbated by the drywall walls in my small apartment. Wish this place had the lath and plaster walls of my old place.
To answer your question, I like a good soundstage like if I was in the recording studio and also some precision in the attack and decay of the notes. Many sources and amps have a tendency to soften and homogenised the sound so every album almost sound the same. Good review! Thanks!
Thank Tarun, another no nonsense good review. I like warmer but I also like detailed amps. You're right about the mids in my view, very important to me. Usually I can get away with a tube preamp and a class D power amp but I'm still experimenting.
Again, greate review from you Tarun, I realy liked the tecnical part whith the internal board and parts overview you do, looking forword for the next.👌
A very nice looking and built amplifier, I like it. Looks like a alps blue velvet volume pot, plus other good quality parts, well laid out circuit board, overall a quality piece of equipment. I especially like it in black, a very in depth review tarun, and a great value amp. Reminds me of some of the British amps I owned back in the 80,90s. Albeit without the inbuilt DAC. I've always enjoyed the class A sound in amplifiers either solid state or valve. Looking forward to seeing another review soon tarun.
Thank you Paul. Great to have your perspective. I thought it looked like a Blue Velvet Alps pot too. I wasn’t totally sure so I left it out of the description 😊👍
your reviews are the best i have come across. being nosey i really like the close up peaks inside to see what you get for your money. having heard your comments on this and the IN200, makes me curious on whether the IN100 may be the best in range?
forgot to say. as the addition of the dac pcb on these turns them into a "one box solution" would love to see you review the Exposure XM5. i am interested in a one box solution
I heard several other Amps (from where I liked Marantz 30 best), I turned then to Atoll. I heard Atoll 80 sig., 100 sig. and 200 sig. Finally I decided for the 100 sig! In my opinion indeed the sweetspot for my room and equipment! In conjunction with my ProAcs D15 a fantastic match!! I am very happy! 👌☺
Thanks for the review I have this unit and have been very happy with its sound I looked at other options but for the money this seemed to be a no brainer....... Auditioned it with several speakers I don't listen to too much Rock anymore I think I'm getting too old for that...... I found this was excellent with acoustic and more sophisticated music.......!!!!
Great review Tarun, you make me want to buy everything though....I'd like a selection of amps for every mood and type of music! I tend to go for an exciting pacy sound, well I am a Naim guy!
Another great review! Any chance you’ll be reviewing the Atoll IN100? I’m torn between blind buying that one ($2100usd) or the Exposure 2510 ($2400usd). Unfortunately in the US, it’s hard to find these European amplifiers to demo, and reviews are scarce. Many thanks for all your reviews Tarin, you’ve become my favorite RUclips reviewer.
Thank you. Much appreciated. The IN100 is almost identical in architecture to the the IN80. I would expect the extra power to give an incremental increase in performance 😊👍
Nice video again. Congtrats! That midrange aggresiveness in Atoll IN200 signature was a bit annoying with some genres of music (but not all) when pairing with MA Silver 500. Had to change the speakers because they were just too big. Went for LS50 Meta and they pair very well in my view. Cheers!
Thank you Ed. I agree. The Reisong Boyuurange A50 MK III that I reviewed had an incredibly immersive soundstaging ability 😊👍 Link below… ruclips.net/video/T1rnRDLPKKQ/видео.html
Sound? I'm not sure actually. But I do like it when the sound makes me smile unexpectedly. I tend to lean to the exciting side of things. However, I also love detail, oh and a huge sound stage, and a super clean bass, did I mention rich sounding mid's and crispy clean treble response and a warm syrupy vinyl going through some tubes. I could take it all and have a few set up's and pairings so yeah, like many others, I like it all unfortunately. Glad I'm into music and not cars.
Tarun, as usual a very good review and video. I am always interested a different perspective on sound than my own. Your reviews contain just the right balance of tech and thoughtful opinion. As for me, I listen for hours on end, so having a smooth, slightly warmish, but detailed sound is my goal. As I listen to a bizarre variety of music, so having some weight in the bass and smooth detail in the mids & highs are important considerations. I found all of that with the Cambridge AXR100, Elac Debut 2.0 F62s, Schiit Bi-Frost Multibit DAC and a vintage Def Tech Powerfield 1500 sub. My streamer is a fanless Windows PC running Tidal and Qobuz through Audirvana. I am well satisfied with my system so now I can focus on exploring as music as I can find.
Hi Tarun. Great wee amp you have there by the sound and look of it. The kind of sound that I prefer would be to the slightly warmer side of neutral, much like the Sugden. I love deep punchy bass, lovely full rich mids and sweet non aggressive treble. I am wanting to go down the valve preamp/ Solid State power amp set up, so I can have plenty of grunt but with that romantic touch of valves. Great review as usual my friend and I'm looking forward to your next. 😊👍
Am in the beginning of my hi fi journey. At the mo am very pleased with Nad c320+ Nad c521bee + Cabasse 170 speakers. Love Nad's dark energetic sound .
Another great video Tarun. Again this video only seems to highlight what I've been saying for a while now, it is amazing what you get for your money. It's an exciting time to be involved in this hobby. I'm a neutral guy l like the electronics getting out of the road and not interfering with the original recording. Anyway as usual l enjoyed this one my frend can't wait for the next.🎧😁👍
I actually gave the IN200 a listen after you reviewed that amp. I was highly impressed! But never convinced myself to buying it. I've been eyeing the REGA Elex-R for a while, but this Atoll IN80 Signature actually might be just what I'm looking for. Thanks for another great review Tarun. Stay safe and take care!
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Sent an E-mail to my "local Atoll dealer" (whom happen to not carry the IN80s but the IN100s and up) and he replied instantly, saying he'll be glad to order one in for me... 👌🏼
@@erikjohansson1488 Hey! No, I never went as far as buying the INXX(X), but I did audition the IN100s which sounded lovely! I didn't audition it at home though, so not with my own speakers, rather the AE100 mk2 (kinda similar to my Triangle BR03) but that combo sounded great. Still sticking with my Marantz for a while longer, looking at both the Elex-R, IN100s, m2si... But prices are rising at the moment, almost 30% up on most brands. :(
@@JoelOman1980 Actually I listened to the following 3 Atolls: 80 sig., 100 sig. and 200 sig. Finally I decided for the 100 sig! YES, it indeed sounded lovely! In conjunction with my ProAcs D15 a fantastic match!! I am very happy! 👌☺
I have the Atoll AM200 signature matched up with a Rogue RP1 pre amp paired with a set of JMRs. I find the atoll smooth , detailed and organic sounding with the tubes in the front. I agree super fast tight bass and lots of air in the stage.
Would you say the sound characteristics are similar to what Tarun described the IN80 sounding? I'm trying to find something that will pair well with my Triangle Titus EZ's. They have horn tweeters, but not as sharp sounding as the Klipsch rp-600m. I do listen to some rock, so I'm worried about the roll off described with the IN80. I haven't found much for reviews online for the ATOLL AM100 Signature. I'd imagine it's sonically similar.
@@downnoutdubin that’s tough. Since last I enjoyed the Atoll so much I ended up buying the PR300 for the AM200 power amp. I would agree about rock music but not totally. I have it paired with JMR Bliss Jubilees, and I would never say they are a rock speaker either. I find the pre amp has better too end extension then the Rogue pre , more focused , quieter , better detail and at lower levels and it is big sounding and stages very well. I find the midrange more forward then the rogue too but nothing in your face. If you listen to mostly heavy rock and such maybe not. I listen to a lot of jazz , soul , acoustic stuff. Even pop and electronic. With those genres I absolutely love it.
@@montycaps8235 I guess rock isn't really the priority. Although I would be a bummer to just feel like it sounds rather non dynamic. I listen to a lot of indie music, hip hop, country, EDM, and a bunch of other genres. My budget is roughly $1500 USD, so it's been hard to find something that meets most of my criteria. Plus I wouldn't mind something I can grow with and continue to enjoy. Thanks for your reply by the way.
@@downnoutdubin with your taste in music I Dont think you would be disappointed with the atoll. And they are plenty dynamic. I think mostly with my set up it’s just my JMRs Dont do really heavy rock well even though I have them paired with a set of Rels. They just have such and honest transparent mid range I love but most heavy rock isn’t always the best recorded.
Still discovering which 'blend' works for me. Transparency and warmth with slightly elevated but tight bass perhaps. This seems quite hard to achieve ( on a budget at least)
When I watched your IN200 review, the bit of forwardness & aggression actually made me want to buy the amplifier because my speakers are rolled off. But I live in the U.S. and couldn't find one so it was moot. I listen to rock so the IN80 won't be for me. I've listened to several integrateds recently, and I think the CXA81 (runner up Audiolab 6000a) best fit people in my situation. However, I would love to know which integrateds have similar sound profiles at double or triple that pricepoint. Thanks for the video and I also enjoyed your recent podcast with Randy. Happy Holidays.
Thanks Taran. The warmer nature of this amp very much suits my tastes. While it might sound like an anathema to you, it would be of much interest to know what you make of the Beolab 28s. Thanks
My dealer will be looking at the Atoll line, with the IN100, DAC 100 and both option boards for the amplifier arriving next week. I will get a chance to listen once he has set them up and had some time with them. I own Triangle 40th Anniversary Comètes and it will be interesting to see how the Atoll matches up with them. The Comètes seem pretty lively to me but fairly neutral, so the match could be good to so-so with some kinds of music. But the difference, of course will be that we don’t know how the current IN100 SE may differ from the IN200 and IN80. Right now I’m driving the Comètes with the DECware SE84UFO which is I find very neutral and revealing. It’s actually probably my desert island amp, but with the price of electricity having risen and might go higher, I may just splash for a solid state amp and put the Zen amp in another system that I use less frequently. We shall see! My DAC is the Teac UD-301. While not a recent model, is quite good but if the DAC board for the Atoll sounds better, I will take that and sell the Teac.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hi Tarun. My local dealer received the Atoll pieces and put some hours on the amp and DAC board. I listened in store to streaming media with a pair of Triangle 40th Anniversary Comètes (same as my speakers, just different finish) and was suitably impressed. I was able to place it in my system for not quite a week before Lance, at Forefront Audio requested the unit back (begging me not to do him bodily harm!) as he had another potential customer. I went into immediate withdrawal! I was able to listen to vinyl (my phono stage is a Tavish Design Classic, a tube-based unit) as well as digital through Toslink, Coax and USB. Is it “as good” as my DECware SE84UFO Zen amp? Well …. In some ways no, at least not yet. In an email the US distributor told me it probably needs another week of break in. But it is VERY close and in some ways is “better”. Naturally it can play louder, though in my small room the Zen amp can go as loud as I would ever need. And it *may* have a bit more bass extension, but to be honest I would need to do more critical A/B listening. Overall the Zen amp just feels a bit more “whole” and “organic” than the Atoll. That the IN100 is SO close to the performance of the Zen is high praise and, TBH, a bit of a surprise. I think that for anyone who is interested in the Atoll line, the signature models above the IN80 are worth the extra money if one can stretch. The dual toroidal transformers make a significant difference - it is most likely more like the IN200 than the IN80. Those transformers also make this amp VERY heavy for its size! My dealer is placing and order for an IN100 with silver fascia; the eval unit was black and quite frankly I’m tired of black. 😊 I am going to forego the DAC board for now and see how things sound with my exist, though “old” and discontinued Teac UD-301. It’s a dual mono design and I have largely been happy with it. The only drawback in usability is the lack of remote capability. I’m old enough that that is significant, but at least I get a bit more exercise! 😂 Keep up the good work - I enjoy your channel. - Earl
I own Atoll IN100 Signature for couple years, added MS120 streamer this year and now looking for a speaker upgrade. Struggling between Triangle Cometes 40th edition and KEF R3s. Those will be paired with two REL T5 subs.
@@LiudasDapkus I haven’t heard the KEFs so can’t comment. I suspect the Comètes and the Rel subs would be an excellent match. My dealer can get the Rel subs, but my current room is too small. I’ve had my IN100 for a few weeks now. I haven’t done critical listening yet as it’s not quite broken in, but they should be ready next week, maybe the week after. The Comètes sound really good.
For most applications I like a system with a u-shaped or neutral sound. My current amp is a cambridge audio axa35 that mates well with most speakers that have that characteristic sound.
I haven't lived with enough gear to know what sound signature I like most. I'm new to hifi so I've spent time (and money) buying decent gear that is appropriately priced for my experiments. My early conclusion is that I still don't know if I have a preferred signature. I go back and forth between my bright forward sets and my more balanced speakers. I appreciate them both for certain circumstances. It may just be that I still need to hear and learn more gear to fully appreciate what I'm hearing. A decent dac is the next purchase. Likely denafrips ares ii.
I suspect you are lot further along your journey than you realise. You may just prefer a very neutral presentation at this stage of your Audiophile journey. Nothing wrong with that. Enjoy the Ares II when it arrives. Please let me know how you get on 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks friend. I greatly appreciate your videos and wisdom. I'm on a journey and feel fortunate that all gear is still new gear to me! I can definitely feel the warm waves of serotonin drop from my brain when I hear a buttery smooth presentation with detail and clarity at moderate to high(er) listening volumes. All research so far is leading me to paper come woofers to get an even bigger dose of such a sound.
Eric (and Taurn) I find myself in the same boat. I thought I hated acoustic suspension speakers until I set a pair on their sides head high -wow! What a sound stage, what nice bass extension! Now I love my acoustic suspension speakers. I was concerned about the singer’s voices being trapped in the speaker; hooked them up to a tube amp, and they aren’t trapped any more. Still looking for cymbals that sparkle, but the midrange is solid. I would like to turn the bass up slightly, but the notes are there. I only resort to tone control when the sibilance reaches painful levels. I don’t think I want a particularly neutral sound, but then I’m not sure if I would be satisfied with a system that was ‘warm’ either. Sound stage and imaging are important to me, and enough bass to clearly hear the bass line (if so mixed). I do like to ‘rock out’ on occasion, but I like Nora Jones on a guitar too (or Peggy Lee, or Diana Krall, or Billie Holiday). I want the notes to be clear and the recording to be dynamic.
@@jeremiahchamberlin4499 acoustic suspension designs like klh model 5 and jbl l100 are something I would like to try. They remind me of 3way designs I grew up around. Although I never owned anything of real quality back then, I do associate some of their sound signature with music in general. I'm finding a lot of the newer bookshelf and even floorstanders to sound sort of... thin in comparison.
@@erics.4113 I have experience with the KLH Model 17, Acoustic Research 2ax, and Warfedale W70E speakers. In my limited experience, acoustic suspension speakers benefit from decent amplification. I tried both the ARs and the KLH speakers in a home theater setup (both Yamaha and Technics entry-level AV receivers) but was very disappointed with their performance. The ARs were partially responsible for blowing out my two front surround channels (the other contributing factor being the operator [me] who wanted to listen to Stevie Ray Vaughn just a little bit louder), Yamaha was a contributing factor not allowing the front speakers to be part of DSP system -but I digress. When I hooked the KLH speakers up to a 1990’s run-of-the-mill 40 Watt receiver, and turn the volume up over half-way, boy do those things come alive- plenty of bass (almost too much 1” from the wall), really sweet sound. I need to tighten up the binding posts on both the ARs and the Warfedales, but I’m enjoying the Warfedales even now. They are hooked up to my new tube amp which furnishes 100 Watts per channel and brings its formerly reticent sound far forward. More to come. I wish you well in your audiophiliac journey.
Hi Tarun, another excellent review although once again it wouldn't be a product for me, but then we all have different tastes and requirements when it comes to music. As I've mentioned before my amplification (pre-amp & 2x power amps) is all vintage from around 1988. My turntable and speakers are new (Rega P3 & B&W 702 S2) and all this combines to give the type of sound I like which is kind of rich and detailed but in saying that I really need the 'pure' sound of the B&W's. They don't add anything extra to the sound, just reproduce what is there. Not for everyone as the youngsters of today seem to prefer anything with loadsa booming bass. Generation gap I assume? Thanks again my Saturday cyber friend.
Thanks for the thorough review. Curious now to hear a review of the 100 to see if it sonically fits between the 80 and 200. Considering one of the three for my Dynaudio Special 40s
With the Special Forty I'd take the IN200 I listened to that combo before buying S400/IN200 signature But I have not listened to the signature version of In80/100
I listened to Atoll actually only because I found your channel - Tarun. After I heard several other Amps (from where I liked Marantz 30 best), I turned to Atoll. I heard Atoll 80 sig., 100 sig. and 200 sig. Finally I decided for the 100 sig! In conjunction with my ProAcs D15 a fantastic match!! I am very happy! 👌☺
Hi Tarun, great review as always! I was relieved to hear your take on the earlier series of Atolls, because I heard that same spike in the upper-mids. I had gone to listen to Dynaudio Evoke 30's, and thought it was in the speaker. This is a relief, because I can put the 30's back on my list. I liked everything else about the Atolls, but that mid hump was not good. It's great to hear that they have retuned a bit going forward. I will have to give their new series a listen. How did the 80 do a low volume? Did it keep up with the Hegel H95? Cheers!
For Rock music I think it gets tricky, Probably the best amp I ever used was a Bryston 100 SST. Rush, Led Zeppelin, The Who. Utterly dynamic. Lowest noise floor ever. But it does not come cheap. Also, not the most musical amp. Most balanced and musical amp? Maybe try an Ayre integrated. New Perreaux 200 iX Also good.
As always great review! Wish you could review the Marantz PM8006 integrated amplifier. That would make for a interesting comparison against Audiolab 6000A and IOTA VX stack as all of them are similarly priced.
Did Atoll actually update the In 80 and 200 Signature without changing their names? Because both have been available for a while, right? How do I identify the new version then?
I actually have the same question, I own an IN 200 so I'm curious about the changes they made..I can't find any information. I think Atoll has to announce this because if you now are buying these amps you don't know which version you get 🤷Luckely in my setup I can't complain about the forwardness of the highs and mids..
I managed to get an atoll IN200 with DAC and phono card for £1100 an absolute steal, have to agree the DAC is fantastic I can’t see myself needing to upgrade in that department, the phono card however didn’t compare to my Schiit mani which was a little disappointing, just too noisy for my liking, found it distracting in quiet sections of a record, one other thing to point out to the amp itself has a constant electrical hum even in standby mode which I found odd, and some people that are sensitive to electrical noise may find this annoying. Over all though I’m really impressed, I have mine paired with some quad S2 and it’s a fantastic partnership, would love to see your take on these speakers one day. All the best.
Hi David, I have 2x IN200 and I also can pick up a slight hum from the right transformer but only hearable from around 30cm and the hum doesn't transfer to the speakers..
Finally some review on the Atoll's! As always a pleasure to watch 😊 What other amps besides the Sugden can you suggest with the same wide soundstage? Keep it up lad!
Thank you Ronnie. Much appreciated. In my experience, Exposure are soundstaging kings as far as solid state amps are concerned. Tube amps, especially single ended triode, zero negative feedback designs like the Reisong Boyuurange A50 Mk III have incredible soundstaging ability 😊👍 Link to my review below… ruclips.net/video/T1rnRDLPKKQ/видео.html
My heart says warm and rich, but my head says speedy and agile. But either way, wide and somewhat deep to very deep sounds stage is a must. The speakers must disappear. But that has as much or more, to do with the speakers and acoustics than source and amplification.
I wanted a speaker that can handle Classical music, Instrumental popular music, Vocal and Jazz. Not interested in Rock, Heavy metal, and synthetic disposable Pop. The only speaker that did it for me was the Rogers Studio 1 which i bought in 1984. It had a power rating of 300 watts RMS into 8 ohms. It was basically a "neutral" sounding speaker.
I'd suggest using Atoll IN200 Signature with different speaker cable/power cable. For example Mogami 3103 or kimber 8tc speaker cable with belden power cable. You could tame the upper midrange peak by doing that.
As always a great presentation. It's really a pleasure to look at your reviews. Professional, but just easy enough for everyone to understand. I have an atoll in100 at home and it's great. I like focal aria 906, do you think it is a good combination? Greetings from Slovenia
Thank you gogo. Very much appreciated. If the Atoll IN100 sounds anything like the IN80 Signature, I would think they would match very well with Focal’s. As always you can never be sure until you try 👍😊👍
@@mickaelrenoud-grappin6986 Well, today I'm happy owner of a focal aria 906, for a couple of months now... so a really nice pair with the atoll amp...👌
Great review Tarun, really enjoyed this one. Although this amp doesn’t sound quite for me, I’ve long admired the Atoll brand and workmanship. A preferred sonic signature did you ask? Just leaning to the warm side of neutral, with transparency, body and naturalness, good air in the top end but not too holographic, lots of detail but not overly etched, oh and absolutely love speed and dynamics. Went the Exposure route for amplification and haven’t looked back. Keep up the great work 🙏
Hi Tarun I’m always intrigued to see how any amp copes with your Response speakers , they do seem to set a benchmark that separates the good from the indifferent . Having got the Audio lab 6000A combo I can’t remember whether the 6000 amp failed to make the grade . Obviously this particular amp did for fill the brief , which must set it apart from many of its rivals . But of course at this price point , you are starting to swim with the big boys so to speak . PS I think your new beard will suit you , my wife is still debating if my attempt is worth the effort 🤣 Best wishes and kind regards as always 😀👍👍👍
Thank you for watching and sharing Michael. I still think the 6000A is as good as it gets for the money. It did okay with my ProAc’s but the extra power of the Atoll IN80 Sig made it a better choice for the 1SCs 😊👍
Hi there, thank you for your excellent reviews. I have a quick question. I got the IN80 following this review. However here in Greece (which I guess you like for holidays) at the time there was no option to have the DAC included. However the option is available now. My question is whether it still makes sense to add the atoll dac or buy a current version of an AK based external dac. I have been using it with the project pre box s2 digital doc till now and I would like to upgrade my dac as I would like a bigger soundstage mainly. My options are either the SMSL D400pro with the AK chip, or the ifi Neo IDSD with the burr brown chip or go for the Ares II or Pegasus R2R optons. Your suggestions would be welcome. Thank you in advance.
Great review! I am enjoying my Atoll IN50 Signature paired with Totem Sttaf speakers. I am considering an upgrade because I listen to low volume levels most of the time. A bit more drive is wellcome here. Does it make sense to upgrade to an IN80 or IN100 Signature or are they too close? Another option I have is trading my Atoll in for a used Rega Elicit-R, an amp you know quite well. I like to stream classic music via Qobuz with my Node 2i streaming DAC. Perhaps investing in the Atoll DAC board makes sense as it might be better than the old Node Burr-Brown chip. Thanks for your opinion!
Thank you Bas. I would suggest to not upgrade in bitesizes. The Atoll IN100 Signature or Rega Elicit-R should be a worthwhile upgrade and give you increased drive and control 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks for your opinion. do you know if IN100 has same sound character as IN50/80 or more like IN200? and that Elicit-R seems to have a personality as well: some like it a lot for its refinement, others find it lacking the Rega house sound.
@@basvandesteeg796 I have heard the same that the Elicit is a departure from the Rega house sound. I would have to get one home to be sure. As for the Atoll, I am told by the distributor that the latest version of the IN200 Signature shares the house sound of the IN80 I reviewed. Again, I would need to audition at home to confirm 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I just watched your excellent post about power here: ruclips.net/video/N2LPcU35r50/видео.html. my Totem Sttafs are rated 88db and 8 Ohm so relatovely easy to drive. I listen on low to moderate sound levels at about 2.5 meters. if I do the maths like you did in that post I shouls have far enough power with my 2x50 Watt IN50 amp. does it even make sense to 'upgrade' to the IN100? I thought that especially on low sound volumes more power was beneficial as the amp runs less efficiently on low sound volumes. but perhaps I was mistaken? so will the IN100 have any advantage over the IN50 in my case? of course the Rega has different tonalilty and sound stage as it has a completly different character. thanks again. I learn a lot from your posts!
@@basvandesteeg796 Hi Bas, having the IN100 and IN200, both the latest version, I can say they have not the same sound signature. When including the tuning the differences only got bigger. For me the IN100 is the better amp, no doubt. Also with low listening volume, my speakers are 8ohm and 87db and I'm not passing the 1 marker on the volume knob. I can't compare it to the IN50/80. Hope this helps 👍 For me, I would invest in the IN100 with tuning without DAC. You can buy a separate and better DAC later..
An other great and honest review. Thumbs up. I would like to hear your view on the vmv A1 class A. Harvey Lovegrove mentioned pass labs xa25 in the same sentence. And that for an amp closer to 500 the to 1000 euro.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hello Tarun, that's disappointing, very disappointing. I didn't think there was anything to hide and it would have been interesting to hear your thoughts on these well priced power amps. BTW, love your work & thank you for your effort.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Too bad they’re not sending to UK. You should hear their 4 band eq - Schiit Loki. It made my Dynaudio Emit to sound luscious, like the Sonus Faber Lumina.
What I would like to see Tarun is a review of some integrated amps with a class A type delivery but must have at least one pair of balanced inputs. Not looking for anything in the super amp category or that will cost several thousand Pounds/Dollars
Great review on this Atoll. I've been a fan of atoll. I own atoll pr200 with am200 pre and power amp... would you recommend a pair of speakers can happily match with Atoll pre and power amp...
This one is interesting. When my beloved Audio Innovations amp breathes its last, I was considering the Sugden as a replacement. The Atoll is another possibility.........or is it? My loudspeakers are sensitive floor standers. Don't require more than 25 watts into 6 OHMS to sound glorious. Is the Atoll going to be overkill? I listen mainly to classical but also modern music although not compressed heavy rock. The only transistor amps I ever had were back in the mid 90s. I am never sure whether modern transistor amps will sound like much of modern life.....pretentious and missing the point!
Thank you Chris. I don’t think the Atoll will be overkill. You may miss that tube magic but I still think the IN80 Signature may be worth checking out 😊
Tarun, thanks for such informative and comparative reviews. I was really surprised that almost all amp models that I am interested in, you have reviewed in your channel. Unfortunatelly, it did not became easier for me to decide on the pairing with Focal Chora 826. Current contenders are: Atoll in200 Signature, Exposure 2510, Hegel 95. Atoll in80 with its tube-like sound looks appealing also. Not possible to demo any of these. Opted out Yamaha AS1200 as in near future no chanches for restocking. Any blind advice on best match with Focals? Phono/DAC aside. My initial amp is Cambridge Topaz SR20 (receiver, 100 W/ch in 8ohms). Not very good match with Focals as it lacks soundstage width, a good bass punch, midrange is also somewhere lost. I have tried already: Marantz PM8006. Bass was deep, lower mids, soundstage were excelent, but upper mids and highs (especially on vocals or rock tracks) were too fatiguing, unpleasant. But Focals really sang. Naim NAIT 5SI. Soundstage was not wide or deep as expexted. It played just ok, it had better presentation than CA, but not 3x (as the compared to its price with CA). I would highly appreciate your insights on any other who have paired Atoll/Exposure/Hegel with Focals.
Thank you Kostas. I very much appreciate your support. The Atoll IN80 Signature and Exposure 2510 would be on my shortlist based on the sound characteristics you want. Until you try with your speakers there is no way of knowing that they will work though 😊👍👍
Hi, did you end up finding something that meets your taste? I'm currently trying to find a nice match/upgrade for my Aria 906, currently using them with the IOATAVX SA3 and PA3 and it's surprisingly good (with an external dac though), but this stack is meant for my UBR62's in my other room. I tried them on my Cambridge CX200 AVR and I got the same impressions as you with your SR20, it's almost as if the sound is thinned out too, not a perfect match with Advance Paris either, well not as much as on the Triangle Comete. Just got a Rotel RB-1582 MkII amp for a good price that made a decent sonic difference, specifically in guitar strings and something with bass I can only describe as bigger, more surrounding and even a touch deeper. I was not expecting a change simply by hooking up that amp to the IOTAVX. I'm looking forward to finding a Rotel preamp to match to see how it sounds on everything I have lol! Anyways now to the point of my comment, I recently came across a decent price for the IN80 and am seriously considering it, and was wondering if you had any updates/input. Thanks!
Thank you for your review. It is so refreshing to have a balanced review from an engineering point of view and that of a subjective audible perspective. Always clear and to the point. Do you plan to review the JBL 4309 2-way horn loaded monitor? Thank you, once again for your work and shared perspective here. It is much appreciate.
Thank you John. I very much appreciate your kind words of support. I hope to review more JBL speakers. Not quite sure which one next but I will check out the 4309s 👍😊👍
Thanks for another great informative review, I learn something new with each one I watch. Slightly veering off your question about sound colouration on Amps I am finding it frustrating that a lot of great amps do not have balance or tone controls to allow for basic room correction such as the Hegel range and by the looks of it the Atoll range. I'm not in the position to have a music listening room that I can set up for perfect acoustics in fact quite the opposite I am forced to listen to music in my bedroom with one speaker in the corner which amplifies the sound from the left channel and with the bed swallowing up a significant amount of bass, so balance and tone controls are essential to as far as possible make up for these drawbacks. Does it really add that much in terms of cost to include these controls or does the inclusion of the additional components somehow affect sound quality, or is there a bit of snobbery going on with the masses that don't have a bespoke listening area with the ability to perfect speaker placement and acoustics having to "make do" with the more "common" consumer brands and only the elite able to access higher quality amps? Or is the inference that if you don't have ideal conditions then it is a waste of money to try to improve your listening experience?
Thank you Paul. Very much appreciated. It is a great question. I suspect many hifi manufacturers do not include tone controls because the phase shift problems they can introduce and the impact that can have on a high end systems sound quality. The reality is that many of us have to live with compromises. You can still get a good sound it just take more effort and knowledge to get there. Delighted to be of help in some small way 👍😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks Tarun, I've recently re-watched some of your speaker reviews and thanks to your technical insight sections have seen how some manufacturers will try to simplify and minimise the crossover circuitry to achieve better sound and performance, so I assume the principle is the same and can understand the rationale that less is more in this case. It doesn't mean I'm not left feeling short changed as I would very much like to invest in a Hegel amp but know that due to the lack of balance and tone controls it would not be suitable for my particular requirements.
@@paulwebster9030 GoldenEar makes in-wall and in-ceiling speakers, I haven't tried them but this could be one way to solve room issues and sidestep the need for controls. I'm using active speakers at the moment with a matching sub which goes down to 30Hz, has gain and tone controls, by themselves were around 400 US so not much for phase aligned design.
@@projectmalus Thanks for taking the time to post your suggestion I have briefly looked at ceiling speakers but my concern is the potential issues you have if you find you don't get on with them and they don't seem to be reviewed much I guess because you'd need to be a pretty dedicated reviewer to have a suitable test environment for them but they could be a contender so maybe I will do some more research.
Great video as always Tarun, I have been intrigued by Atoll for a little while now. Pardon me if I've missed it but I was wondering what you use as a music source in your reviews?
Thank you Darren. I appreciate your support. I used an Auralic Mini Streamer fed by a MCRU linear power supply connected to a Denafrips Pontus II DAC 😊👍
I like an upbeat sound, as I tend to listen to upbeat music, not classical or melancholy acoustic stuff which requires timbrel correctness etc, been there, not for me, I need a "sports car kinda hifi"
Hi Tarun, i bought the IN50 signature. They are not a good match with my epos epic monitor. The bass sounds very flat and hard and the sound is more analytic, so i changed back to my Nad c326. The bass is much rounder and sounds less hard on the Nad. The hights are better with the Atoll. According to the dealer i should buy JM Reynauds speakers…
@@abritishaudiophile7314Tarun, i now have a metrum acoustics dac between the NAD amp and my streamer and cd player. So i thought: let’s try the Atoll again. I got my Atoll from the attick and changed the amps. This change completely the soundof the Atoll from the first time. The sound is amazing, the bass isn’t ‘hard’ anymore, the highs are better, the soundstage is better, wow, unbelievable! So my old Nad amplifier is now on the attick 😂
I have the IN100 signature paired with B&W 706s2 and personally I feel that the B&W's stay a bit too closed. Haven't figured out yet what amp would make these speakers shine. Or what speakers would match better with the amp for that matter
I got my IN100 signature upgraded in Germany (AVS Oymann) the result is incredible, really night and day. I have no commercial interest, I'm just very happy with the result 🙂
@@basvandesteeg796 Hi Bas, they changed a lot of parts, Mundorf Mlytic 10000uF, Panasonic FC caps, Claritycaps ESA, Mundorf Ultra resistors, mechanical damping,..you can discuss this with AVS Oymann, they respond quite good on mail 👍good luck
Thank you Daniel. It will certainly be able to drive the LS59 Metas. I can speak about the synergy without trying it myself. Should be good on paper though 😊👍
Another really solid review from the best HiFi reviewer on the platform. This has put me right in the mood as a couple of minutes ago, my Willsenton R8 arrived via UPS. I have my cutter in hand and can barely contain myself. I cannot believe how cheap this has worked out in the UK. My total landed cost was £1005.00. Thank you, Tarun for providing me with the final motivation to pull the plus on this beauty.
Thank you you my friend. That is very kind of you to say and greatly appreciated. The R8 is a great amp 👍😊👍
Where did you order from to get this price in the UK? I am very keen to give the R8 a whirl myself.
As someone in the electronics industry I really appreciate your reviews, you're able to describe the technology whilst finding a nice balance making it easy to understand without dumbing it down too far. Keep up the good work. Trying to describe what sound character I prefer is really difficult as it varies depending on the music. It's one of the reasons I went for my M10 as it stores different Dirac curves. It doesn't always work though, and you can end up fiddling around. I am pretty sure this is just down to the different quality of recordings. However I am definitely spending more time listening to music that critiquing the sound. After all it's all about the music.
Thank you DB. Much appreciated. Also, thank you for sharing your preferences 😊👍
Great review again! I got my IN 300 and DR 200 yesterday and it´s just wow! Your review of the IN 200 helped definitaly to made my decision to get an Atoll Amplifier. Greetings from Germany!
That is great feedback and greatly appreciated. Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Marcelo 😊👍
Well done Tarun , inching closer to 40k subscribers with clean language and informative videos in such a niche market ...
Thank you Atri. It has been an illuminating journey 😊👍
Thanks Tarun. I bought on the strength of this well considered thoughtfully articulated review, having looked at dozens of others around the price point. It drives my old Mission 782s like they were resurrected and realized it might be a better idea live life to the full this time round. Excellent.
Thank you Unc. Much appreciated 😊👍
Thank you for opening up the amp and getting to the point in this review. It is much appreciated.
Thank you Barney 😊
Thanks a lot. Always a pleasure to listen to your reviews. As for sound preference I'm into a neutral/warm character as I find mid/highs that are sibilant or harsh objectionable to my listening preference.
Thank you Lennox. I appreciate you sharing 😊👍
Bravo for the circuit board walk through. That's my favorite in your reviews.
@@spill_the_beans365 thank you 👍
Hi Tarun: My strong preference is for a warm, full presentation. Equipment which favors a lean, cool aggressive sound does not find favor with me. I don't attempt to reproduce the original sound in my home. In my experience that goal is not attainable. There's simply no way to know what that sound should be. Rather I look for a presentation which sounds good to me. My primary goal is how well the system produces tone. Imaging, while important, takes a back seat to that. Thanks for another excellent review. I'd be curious to know how the Atoll IN80 sounds with those JBL speakers.
You’re not alone in your preferences. Well said!
Thank you Gary. Very kind. I appreciate you watching and sharing your type of sound. The JBL review should be out soon 😊👍
Tarun,
Thanks for the review mate I'm fairly new to this stuff but you break things down in an accessible way without diluting proper analysis of the equipment under review. Just thought you should know your efforts don't go unnoticed.
Thank you my friend. That is very kind 👍😊👍
Hello Tarun, excellent review overall. I own and use many Atoll products and I’m alway amazed that a small company can get so much done. My ST200 Signature was recently updated with both Tidal and Spotify connect and it will soon be Roon ready. Incredible really. Brian.
Thank you Brian. I appreciate you watching and sharing. You are right it is amazing what they accomplish. All made in their factory in Normandy 😊👍
Thanks Tarun. I always look forward to your reviews.
Thank you Lee 😊👍
Thank God you rated it Highly Recommended and not Outstanding! I had just convinced myself that I can live with my set up (including the Audiolab 6000A) for at least a few years, and around the middle of this video I thought you were going to start the itch again. I’m hoping for more videos in or about this price range, including Rega’s Elex-R. And thanks again for your awesome reviews.
Thank you Jeremy. Very kind. The 6000A is still the best all round amp I have auditioned for circa £600. The Atoll IN80 Sig is more like a competitor to the 8300A 👍😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I would like to know, if that’s ok with you, whether you would choose the 6000A or the IN80 if you were choosing between the two based purely on sonic performance as an integrated amplifier?
@@JCP-Ghy with the right speakers I would choose the IN80 but the 6000A will work with a much wider range of speakers 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 🙏🏽
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I have a pair of Spendor 3/1 with Audiolab 6000a, do you think the Atoll would be a better match with the Spendors instead?
Another fantastic review Tarun. I could watch your videos all day, such smooth enjoyable delivery. Absolutely no watching fatigue!
Thank you Graham. That is very kind and much appreciated 👍😊👍
You ask what do I want in sound quality? That's easy. EVERYTHING! Ha. I am sensitive to nasty upper midrange screeching and aggressive sibilance etc. I listen to a lot of vocal, small instrumentals and some rock, blues etc. I value midrange clarity and vibrance over all. I like a forward presentation as it adds to the perception of reality for me. I remember getting some planar speakers years ago and couldn't stand them I needed speakers driving air at me. I missed the dynamics and visceral sensation that speaker pushing air give me. My days of putting up with tube power amplification are over but I find a tube presence in the preamp stage to give me a lot of the sound I like and the opportunity to fiddle with various tubes to finesse the sound.
Thank you Lee. Knowing what you want is over half the battle. Like you, I want it all too. I can’t afford to have it all so I have to decide what compromises suit me best 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 What I want is a Hifi store full of goodies so I can mix and match and play with gear.
@@fletchermunson6225 If you're in the UK is recommend peak hifi, Shaun has a great selection of stuff from budget to up up up! He'll give you all the time you need and let you listen to stuff you could never afford just for fun, with plenty of cups of coffee and as long as you want!
@@fletchermunson6225 If you're in the UK I'd recommend peak hifi, Shaun has a great selection of stuff from budget to up up up! He'll give you all the time you need and let you listen to stuff you could never afford just for fun, with plenty of cups of coffee and as long as you want!
@@philpepp Sounds delightful It has been too long since I was in the UK. Actually, I believe several generations ago some of my relatives left the island one step ahead of the law. When I visited years ago, I had a dealer order a Creek amplifier in our voltage and also bought a Syrinx tone arm to take home. Actually, the distributor here for Linn products really jacked up the prices so I got one of my Brit magazines and called a dealer. I asked him if he would sell me a Linn turntable with Itok arm. I barely got it out my question when he was asking for my card number. It arrived DSL at LAX freight terminal setup and ready to go. I was quite happy with the player and the money I had saved.
Tarun, thanks for yet again finding these gems., and for your super informative, comprehensive and well paced reviews. What's really appreciated....They're all in the pocket in terms of affordability, which makes it an exciting prospect for us when considering a change or an upgrade. I like warmth and tonal richness, and would never want it sacrificed for the sake of clarity, detail, stage and speed. But ultimately put the latter at the top in terms of priority. So, I've got my work cut out for me!
Thank you John. Very kind and much appreciated. Thank you for sharing your preferences 👍😊👍
As usual a great review with a very tangible almost three-dimensional description of what can be expected. I would like to add the one thing. I severely disapprove when manufacturers implement tweaks and changes SECRETLY within a generation. - Call it maybe "IN200.1sig" or "IN200sig Edition" ..."Reference" ..."Jubilee" or whatever, but don't do such changes without letting your customers know! Once there are different (unlabelled / indistinguishable) generations circulating at distributor's or retailer's stocks it undermines confidence in what you'll actually receive for the price negotiated. As a side effect, second-hand value of not clearly identifiable HiFi gear is always debased due to uncertainty.
Thank you my friend. I agree, manufacturers should make any revisions crystal clear 😊👍
Suggestions- Thanks for giving the retail price and if freight is paid or not.
1. Please add- Warranty when quoting a price. I reviewers do not care then who should?
2. State the WPC at 8/4/2ohms if given.
3. Type of power a-a/b-d, Gan, etc.
Then go to town as per usual.
Great Job as usual!!
Thank you 😊👍
As someone who plays classical violin and mainly listens to classical music from solo instruments to big orchestral works a system has to sound natural, detailed and produce an excellent soundstage. Happy with my current setup: Denafrips T+ DAC, Denafrips Athena pre and ATC active 50s reflect these priorities.
Thank you Wouter. I am very envious. That is some system you have. I am due to review some Denafrips amps soon 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 looking forward to see your findings Tarun:-)
Great review as always Tarun. It seems the industry might be listening to you😂...they would certainly benefit from that in my opinion. In a pretty crowded field, I consider you the gold standard when it comes to reviewing HiFi equipment. Outstanding even. 😉
Thank you Richard. It am extremely flattered 😊👍👍
Hello, Tarun, another insightful review of the Atoll amplifier. Thank you. As to loudspeaker characteristics, I prefer neutrally voiced approaches. We listen to a good deal of jazz and classical so bass weight and transient clarity weigh heavily.
Thank you Mike. Very much appreciated. I am all about a natural midrange too 😊👍
So great review ! I had an atoll in 100 se (not signature) and he was harsh in the highs with my monitor audio silver 6. But the overall présentation was so good...with this review i Come back to atoll ! It's exactly what i looking for MA silver 6 ! A mini sugden ! Thank you very much for your great work Tarun. 👏👏👏
Thank you Jalovec. Very kind of you to say. They seem to have gone for a much warmer sound with this version 😊👍👍
Have you ever considered reviewing any of the power/pre/intergrated amplifier kits out there?
Your approach, and presumably a fair bit of your audience, leans fairly heavily towards the techy end of the spectrum... this is a compliment in my books. I suspect it's the sort of thing you and your viewers may be very interested in. There's always that bit in the back of my mind that wonders what a relaxing project with the soldering iron could expect, and wether the savings are worthwhile compared to established manufactures who can presumably enjoy all that economy of scale and well paid designers business.
I would be up for doing that. I suppose it is just a case of finding a kit that interests me and having the time to do it 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 add in a lack of disposable income and that's not dissimilar to my criteria for trying one myself:D
Thank you Tarun for another great review. Interesting, informative and entertaining.
My preference is for a very slightly warm sound, virtually neutral. Don't mind that bright, forward sounding recordings sound that way, I just don't listen to them often.
Any brightness in my system is exacerbated by the drywall walls in my small apartment. Wish this place had the lath and plaster walls of my old place.
Thank you my friend. Always great to have your perspective 😊👍
Those four transistors near Alps volume control are part of H-bridge motor driver for bidirectional motor drive (volume up-down)
Thank you 😊
To answer your question, I like a good soundstage like if I was in the recording studio and also some precision in the attack and decay of the notes. Many sources and amps have a tendency to soften and homogenised the sound so every album almost sound the same. Good review! Thanks!
Thank you Yves. I appreciate you watching and sharing your type of sound 😊👍
Thank Tarun, another no nonsense good review. I like warmer but I also like detailed amps. You're right about the mids in my view, very important to me. Usually I can get away with a tube preamp and a class D power amp but I'm still experimenting.
Thank you my friend. Great to get your perspective 😊👍
Again, greate review from you Tarun, I realy liked the tecnical part whith the internal board and parts overview you do, looking forword for the next.👌
Thank you my friend. Much appreciated 👍😊👍
A very nice looking and built amplifier, I like it. Looks like a alps blue velvet volume pot, plus other good quality parts, well laid out circuit board, overall a quality piece of equipment. I especially like it in black, a very in depth review tarun, and a great value amp. Reminds me of some of the British amps I owned back in the 80,90s. Albeit without the inbuilt DAC. I've always enjoyed the class A sound in amplifiers either solid state or valve. Looking forward to seeing another review soon tarun.
Thank you Paul. Great to have your perspective. I thought it looked like a Blue Velvet Alps pot too. I wasn’t totally sure so I left it out of the description 😊👍
The sound I like. ..the sugden A21 SE is my amp after a long search and sure it will serve for a long time and keep we warm as well :)
Sugden make some great amps 😊👍
Great review, again. Keep up the excellent work
Thank you Richard. Much appreciated 😊👍
your reviews are the best i have come across. being nosey i really like the close up peaks inside to see what you get for your money.
having heard your comments on this and the IN200, makes me curious on whether the IN100 may be the best in range?
forgot to say. as the addition of the dac pcb on these turns them into a "one box solution" would love to see you review the Exposure XM5.
i am interested in a one box solution
Thank you kindly. I hope to review more Atoll products 😊👍
I heard several other Amps (from where I liked Marantz 30 best), I turned then to Atoll. I heard Atoll 80 sig., 100 sig. and 200 sig. Finally I decided for the 100 sig! In my opinion indeed the sweetspot for my room and equipment! In conjunction with my ProAcs D15 a fantastic match!! I am very happy! 👌☺
Thanks for the review I have this unit and have been very happy with its sound I looked at other options but for the money this seemed to be a no brainer....... Auditioned it with several speakers I don't listen to too much Rock anymore I think I'm getting too old for that...... I found this was excellent with acoustic and more sophisticated music.......!!!!
Thank you Rick 😊👍
Great review Tarun, you make me want to buy everything though....I'd like a selection of amps for every mood and type of music! I tend to go for an exciting pacy sound, well I am a Naim guy!
Thank you Philip. You have chosen wisely my friend. Naim is known for it’s PRaT 😊👍
Another great review! Any chance you’ll be reviewing the Atoll IN100? I’m torn between blind buying that one ($2100usd) or the Exposure 2510 ($2400usd). Unfortunately in the US, it’s hard to find these European amplifiers to demo, and reviews are scarce.
Many thanks for all your reviews Tarin, you’ve become my favorite RUclips reviewer.
Thank you. Much appreciated. The IN100 is almost identical in architecture to the the IN80. I would expect the extra power to give an incremental increase in performance 😊👍
Nice video again. Congtrats!
That midrange aggresiveness in Atoll IN200 signature was a bit annoying with some genres of music (but not all) when pairing with MA Silver 500. Had to change the speakers because they were just too big. Went for LS50 Meta and they pair very well in my view. Cheers!
Thank you. Much appreciated. Great to learn about your experiences 😊👍
I like the holographic density of a SET tube amp.
Thank you Ed. I agree. The Reisong Boyuurange A50 MK III that I reviewed had an incredibly immersive soundstaging ability 😊👍
Link below…
ruclips.net/video/T1rnRDLPKKQ/видео.html
Sound? I'm not sure actually. But I do like it when the sound makes me smile unexpectedly. I tend to lean to the exciting side of things. However, I also love detail, oh and a huge sound stage, and a super clean bass, did I mention rich sounding mid's and crispy clean treble response and a warm syrupy vinyl going through some tubes. I could take it all and have a few set up's and pairings so yeah, like many others, I like it all unfortunately. Glad I'm into music and not cars.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences 😊👍
Tarun, as usual a very good review and video. I am always interested a different perspective on sound than my own. Your reviews contain just the right balance of tech and thoughtful opinion. As for me, I listen for hours on end, so having a smooth, slightly warmish, but detailed sound is my goal. As I listen to a bizarre variety of music, so having some weight in the bass and smooth detail in the mids & highs are important considerations. I found all of that with the Cambridge AXR100, Elac Debut 2.0 F62s, Schiit Bi-Frost Multibit DAC and a vintage Def Tech Powerfield 1500 sub. My streamer is a fanless Windows PC running Tidal and Qobuz through Audirvana. I am well satisfied with my system so now I can focus on exploring as music as I can find.
Thank you my friend. Very much appreciated. That is a nice system you have put together 😊👍
Hi Tarun. Great wee amp you have there by the sound and look of it. The kind of sound that I prefer would be to the slightly warmer side of neutral, much like the Sugden. I love deep punchy bass, lovely full rich mids and sweet non aggressive treble. I am wanting to go down the valve preamp/ Solid State power amp set up, so I can have plenty of grunt but with that romantic touch of valves. Great review as usual my friend and I'm looking forward to your next. 😊👍
Thank you Steve. Very kind and I appreciate you sharing your type of sound. I suspect you would enjoy this amp 😊👍👍
@steve rees SNAP! that sounds like me as I'm wanting to go the valve pre/ss power amp route too.
I am one that has a love of all sorts of music styles classical, guitar blues, hard rock so it is hard to nail a good amp for me still searching
Thank you for watching and sharing Robert 😊👍
Am in the beginning of my hi fi journey. At the mo am very pleased with Nad c320+ Nad c521bee + Cabasse 170 speakers. Love Nad's dark energetic sound .
Cool 😎
@@abritishaudiophile7314 do you reckon getting a nad c538 cd player will be a step up in terms of sound quality? Kind regards 👍
I’m a little confused. In your 200 review the year before, you described the amp as warm. Yet here you describe it as cool.
Another great video Tarun.
Again this video only seems to highlight what I've been saying for a while now, it is amazing what you get for your money. It's an exciting time to be involved in this hobby. I'm a neutral guy l like the electronics getting out of the road and not interfering with the original recording.
Anyway as usual l enjoyed this one my frend can't wait for the next.🎧😁👍
Thank you Shane. Very kind. Great to hear from you, as always 👍😊👍
Solid review Tarun
Thank you Ajay 😊👍
I actually gave the IN200 a listen after you reviewed that amp. I was highly impressed! But never convinced myself to buying it. I've been eyeing the REGA Elex-R for a while, but this Atoll IN80 Signature actually might be just what I'm looking for. Thanks for another great review Tarun. Stay safe and take care!
Thank you Joel. Please let me know how you get on 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Sent an E-mail to my "local Atoll dealer" (whom happen to not carry the IN80s but the IN100s and up) and he replied instantly, saying he'll be glad to order one in for me... 👌🏼
@@JoelOman1980 did you bought the in80 and how was it?
@@erikjohansson1488 Hey! No, I never went as far as buying the INXX(X), but I did audition the IN100s which sounded lovely! I didn't audition it at home though, so not with my own speakers, rather the AE100 mk2 (kinda similar to my Triangle BR03) but that combo sounded great. Still sticking with my Marantz for a while longer, looking at both the Elex-R, IN100s, m2si... But prices are rising at the moment, almost 30% up on most brands. :(
@@JoelOman1980 Actually I listened to the following 3 Atolls: 80 sig., 100 sig. and 200 sig.
Finally I decided for the 100 sig! YES, it indeed sounded lovely! In conjunction with my ProAcs D15 a fantastic match!! I am very happy! 👌☺
Thank You Tarun
Thank you 😊👍
I have the Atoll AM200 signature matched up with a Rogue RP1 pre amp paired with a set of JMRs. I find the atoll smooth , detailed and organic sounding with the tubes in the front. I agree super fast tight bass and lots of air in the stage.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Monty 😊
Would you say the sound characteristics are similar to what Tarun described the IN80 sounding? I'm trying to find something that will pair well with my Triangle Titus EZ's. They have horn tweeters, but not as sharp sounding as the Klipsch rp-600m. I do listen to some rock, so I'm worried about the roll off described with the IN80. I haven't found much for reviews online for the ATOLL AM100 Signature. I'd imagine it's sonically similar.
@@downnoutdubin that’s tough. Since last I enjoyed the Atoll so much I ended up buying the PR300 for the AM200 power amp. I would agree about rock music but not totally. I have it paired with JMR Bliss Jubilees, and I would never say they are a rock speaker either. I find the pre amp has better too end extension then the Rogue pre , more focused , quieter , better detail and at lower levels and it is big sounding and stages very well. I find the midrange more forward then the rogue too but nothing in your face. If you listen to mostly heavy rock and such maybe not. I listen to a lot of jazz , soul , acoustic stuff. Even pop and electronic. With those genres I absolutely love it.
@@montycaps8235 I guess rock isn't really the priority. Although I would be a bummer to just feel like it sounds rather non dynamic. I listen to a lot of indie music, hip hop, country, EDM, and a bunch of other genres. My budget is roughly $1500 USD, so it's been hard to find something that meets most of my criteria. Plus I wouldn't mind something I can grow with and continue to enjoy. Thanks for your reply by the way.
@@downnoutdubin with your taste in music I Dont think you would be disappointed with the atoll. And they are plenty dynamic. I think mostly with my set up it’s just my JMRs Dont do really heavy rock well even though I have them paired with a set of Rels. They just have such and honest transparent mid range I love but most heavy rock isn’t always the best recorded.
Still discovering which 'blend' works for me. Transparency and warmth with slightly elevated but tight bass perhaps. This seems quite hard to achieve ( on a budget at least)
Thank you for watching Will. It is tricky to get right but knowing what you like is half the battle 😊👍
When I watched your IN200 review, the bit of forwardness & aggression actually made me want to buy the amplifier because my speakers are rolled off. But I live in the U.S. and couldn't find one so it was moot. I listen to rock so the IN80 won't be for me. I've listened to several integrateds recently, and I think the CXA81 (runner up Audiolab 6000a) best fit people in my situation. However, I would love to know which integrateds have similar sound profiles at double or triple that pricepoint. Thanks for the video and I also enjoyed your recent podcast with Randy. Happy Holidays.
Hi JP, thanks for watching. It was great to chat with Randy. If you want to step things up a bit, you should check out the Yamaha A-S1200 😊👍
…and happy holidays to you too 😊👍
Thanks Taran. The warmer nature of this amp very much suits my tastes. While it might sound like an anathema to you, it would be of much interest to know what you make of the Beolab 28s. Thanks
Thank you Justin. I appreciate the suggestion 😊👍
Good review Tarun.
Thank you buddy 😊👍
I admire and adore my SUGDEN A21SE Signature Pure Class A. 🇬🇧
Cool 😎 thank you for sharing 😊
My dealer will be looking at the Atoll line, with the IN100, DAC 100 and both option boards for the amplifier arriving next week. I will get a chance to listen once he has set them up and had some time with them. I own Triangle 40th Anniversary Comètes and it will be interesting to see how the Atoll matches up with them. The Comètes seem pretty lively to me but fairly neutral, so the match could be good to so-so with some kinds of music. But the difference, of course will be that we don’t know how the current IN100 SE may differ from the IN200 and IN80. Right now I’m driving the Comètes with the DECware SE84UFO which is I find very neutral and revealing. It’s actually probably my desert island amp, but with the price of electricity having risen and might go higher, I may just splash for a solid state amp and put the Zen amp in another system that I use less frequently. We shall see!
My DAC is the Teac UD-301. While not a recent model, is quite good but if the DAC board for the Atoll sounds better, I will take that and sell the Teac.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences. Please let me know how you get on 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hi Tarun. My local dealer received the Atoll pieces and put some hours on the amp and DAC board. I listened in store to streaming media with a pair of Triangle 40th Anniversary Comètes (same as my speakers, just different finish) and was suitably impressed.
I was able to place it in my system for not quite a week before Lance, at Forefront Audio requested the unit back (begging me not to do him bodily harm!) as he had another potential customer. I went into immediate withdrawal! I was able to listen to vinyl (my phono stage is a Tavish Design Classic, a tube-based unit) as well as digital through Toslink, Coax and USB.
Is it “as good” as my DECware SE84UFO Zen amp? Well …. In some ways no, at least not yet. In an email the US distributor told me it probably needs another week of break in. But it is VERY close and in some ways is “better”. Naturally it can play louder, though in my small room the Zen amp can go as loud as I would ever need. And it *may* have a bit more bass extension, but to be honest I would need to do more critical A/B listening. Overall the Zen amp just feels a bit more “whole” and “organic” than the Atoll. That the IN100 is SO close to the performance of the Zen is high praise and, TBH, a bit of a surprise.
I think that for anyone who is interested in the Atoll line, the signature models above the IN80 are worth the extra money if one can stretch. The dual toroidal transformers make a significant difference - it is most likely more like the IN200 than the IN80. Those transformers also make this amp VERY heavy for its size!
My dealer is placing and order for an IN100 with silver fascia; the eval unit was black and quite frankly I’m tired of black. 😊 I am going to forego the DAC board for now and see how things sound with my exist, though “old” and discontinued Teac UD-301. It’s a dual mono design and I have largely been happy with it. The only drawback in usability is the lack of remote capability. I’m old enough that that is significant, but at least I get a bit more exercise! 😂
Keep up the good work - I enjoy your channel. - Earl
@@PanAmStyle thank you Earl 😊👍
I own Atoll IN100 Signature for couple years, added MS120 streamer this year and now looking for a speaker upgrade. Struggling between Triangle Cometes 40th edition and KEF R3s. Those will be paired with two REL T5 subs.
@@LiudasDapkus I haven’t heard the KEFs so can’t comment. I suspect the Comètes and the Rel subs would be an excellent match. My dealer can get the Rel subs, but my current room is too small.
I’ve had my IN100 for a few weeks now. I haven’t done critical listening yet as it’s not quite broken in, but they should be ready next week, maybe the week after.
The Comètes sound really good.
For most applications I like a system with a u-shaped or neutral sound. My current amp is a cambridge audio axa35 that mates well with most speakers that have that characteristic sound.
Thank you for watching and sharing 😊👍
Let’s do this.
Excellent review. Glad to hear my Wilsenton held its own:)
Thank you Doug. It certainly did 😊👍
I haven't lived with enough gear to know what sound signature I like most. I'm new to hifi so I've spent time (and money) buying decent gear that is appropriately priced for my experiments.
My early conclusion is that I still don't know if I have a preferred signature. I go back and forth between my bright forward sets and my more balanced speakers. I appreciate them both for certain circumstances. It may just be that I still need to hear and learn more gear to fully appreciate what I'm hearing. A decent dac is the next purchase. Likely denafrips ares ii.
I suspect you are lot further along your journey than you realise. You may just prefer a very neutral presentation at this stage of your Audiophile journey. Nothing wrong with that. Enjoy the Ares II when it arrives. Please let me know how you get on 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks friend. I greatly appreciate your videos and wisdom. I'm on a journey and feel fortunate that all gear is still new gear to me!
I can definitely feel the warm waves of serotonin drop from my brain when I hear a buttery smooth presentation with detail and clarity at moderate to high(er) listening volumes. All research so far is leading me to paper come woofers to get an even bigger dose of such a sound.
Eric (and Taurn) I find myself in the same boat. I thought I hated acoustic suspension speakers until I set a pair on their sides head high -wow! What a sound stage, what nice bass extension! Now I love my acoustic suspension speakers. I was concerned about the singer’s voices being trapped in the speaker; hooked them up to a tube amp, and they aren’t trapped any more. Still looking for cymbals that sparkle, but the midrange is solid. I would like to turn the bass up slightly, but the notes are there. I only resort to tone control when the sibilance reaches painful levels. I don’t think I want a particularly neutral sound, but then I’m not sure if I would be satisfied with a system that was ‘warm’ either. Sound stage and imaging are important to me, and enough bass to clearly hear the bass line (if so mixed). I do like to ‘rock out’ on occasion, but I like Nora Jones on a guitar too (or Peggy Lee, or Diana Krall, or Billie Holiday). I want the notes to be clear and the recording to be dynamic.
@@jeremiahchamberlin4499 acoustic suspension designs like klh model 5 and jbl l100 are something I would like to try. They remind me of 3way designs I grew up around. Although I never owned anything of real quality back then, I do associate some of their sound signature with music in general. I'm finding a lot of the newer bookshelf and even floorstanders to sound sort of... thin in comparison.
@@erics.4113 I have experience with the KLH Model 17, Acoustic Research 2ax, and Warfedale W70E speakers. In my limited experience, acoustic suspension speakers benefit from decent amplification. I tried both the ARs and the KLH speakers in a home theater setup (both Yamaha and Technics entry-level AV receivers) but was very disappointed with their performance. The ARs were partially responsible for blowing out my two front surround channels (the other contributing factor being the operator [me] who wanted to listen to Stevie Ray Vaughn just a little bit louder), Yamaha was a contributing factor not allowing the front speakers to be part of DSP system -but I digress. When I hooked the KLH speakers up to a 1990’s run-of-the-mill 40 Watt receiver, and turn the volume up over half-way, boy do those things come alive- plenty of bass (almost too much 1” from the wall), really sweet sound. I need to tighten up the binding posts on both the ARs and the Warfedales, but I’m enjoying the Warfedales even now. They are hooked up to my new tube amp which furnishes 100 Watts per channel and brings its formerly reticent sound far forward. More to come. I wish you well in your audiophiliac journey.
Hi Tarun, another excellent review although once again it wouldn't be a product for me, but then we all have different tastes and requirements when it comes to music. As I've mentioned before my amplification (pre-amp & 2x power amps) is all vintage from around 1988. My turntable and speakers are new (Rega P3 & B&W 702 S2) and all this combines to give the type of sound I like which is kind of rich and detailed but in saying that I really need the 'pure' sound of the B&W's. They don't add anything extra to the sound, just reproduce what is there. Not for everyone as the youngsters of today seem to prefer anything with loadsa booming bass. Generation gap I assume? Thanks again my Saturday cyber friend.
Always a pleasure to hear from you Keith. I appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences 👍😊👍
Thanks for the thorough review. Curious now to hear a review of the 100 to see if it sonically fits between the 80 and 200. Considering one of the three for my Dynaudio Special 40s
Thank you for watching and the suggestion Michael 😊
With the Special Forty I'd take the IN200
I listened to that combo before buying S400/IN200 signature
But I have not listened to the signature version of In80/100
I listened to Atoll actually only because I found your channel - Tarun. After I heard several other Amps (from where I liked Marantz 30 best), I turned to Atoll. I heard Atoll 80 sig., 100 sig. and 200 sig.
Finally I decided for the 100 sig! In conjunction with my ProAcs D15 a fantastic match!! I am very happy! 👌☺
Hi Tarun, great review as always! I was relieved to hear your take on the earlier series of Atolls, because I heard that same spike in the upper-mids. I had gone to listen to Dynaudio Evoke 30's, and thought it was in the speaker. This is a relief, because I can put the 30's back on my list. I liked everything else about the Atolls, but that mid hump was not good. It's great to hear that they have retuned a bit going forward. I will have to give their new series a listen. How did the 80 do a low volume? Did it keep up with the Hegel H95? Cheers!
Thank you John. The IN80 is great at low volumes. It has more control and dynamics than the Hegel H95 but the H95 is more tonally neutral 😊👍
For Rock music I think it gets tricky, Probably the best amp I ever used was a Bryston 100 SST. Rush, Led Zeppelin, The Who. Utterly dynamic. Lowest noise floor ever. But it does not come cheap. Also, not the most musical amp. Most balanced and musical amp? Maybe try an Ayre integrated. New Perreaux 200 iX Also good.
Thank you Eric 😊
As always great review! Wish you could review the Marantz PM8006 integrated amplifier. That would make for a interesting comparison against Audiolab 6000A and IOTA VX stack as all of them are similarly priced.
Thank you. I hope to review some stuff from Sound United 😊👍
Did Atoll actually update the In 80 and 200 Signature without changing their names? Because both have been available for a while, right? How do I identify the new version then?
I am not sure what they have done with the branding. My information came straight from the U.K. distributor 😊
I actually have the same question, I own an IN 200 so I'm curious about the changes they made..I can't find any information. I think Atoll has to announce this because if you now are buying these amps you don't know which version you get 🤷Luckely in my setup I can't complain about the forwardness of the highs and mids..
How will one know if they get the new version of these amps when buying now?
I would double check with the retailer 😊
I managed to get an atoll IN200 with DAC and phono card for £1100 an absolute steal, have to agree the DAC is fantastic I can’t see myself needing to upgrade in that department, the phono card however didn’t compare to my Schiit mani which was a little disappointing, just too noisy for my liking, found it distracting in quiet sections of a record, one other thing to point out to the amp itself has a constant electrical hum even in standby mode which I found odd, and some people that are sensitive to electrical noise may find this annoying. Over all though I’m really impressed, I have mine paired with some quad S2 and it’s a fantastic partnership, would love to see your take on these speakers one day. All the best.
Thank you David. Great to learn about your experiences 😊👍
Hi David, I have 2x IN200 and I also can pick up a slight hum from the right transformer but only hearable from around 30cm and the hum doesn't transfer to the speakers..
@@justasimplefox yes same for me can only hear it if I'm really close to the amp
My bluesound node 2i is my dac right now, I'm wondering if getting the DAC upgrade for the Atoll in 200 signature is worth it
@@guillaumeSONY I don't have the DAC in the IN200, I use the DAC of the Atoll streamer..I don't have experience with the Bluesound so can't say..
Finally some review on the Atoll's! As always a pleasure to watch 😊 What other amps besides the Sugden can you suggest with the same wide soundstage? Keep it up lad!
Thank you Ronnie. Much appreciated. In my experience, Exposure are soundstaging kings as far as solid state amps are concerned. Tube amps, especially single ended triode, zero negative feedback designs like the Reisong Boyuurange A50 Mk III have incredible soundstaging ability 😊👍
Link to my review below…
ruclips.net/video/T1rnRDLPKKQ/видео.html
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks for the quick response, will check it out😊👍🏻
Thanks 👍 a good review
Thank you BW 😊👍
My heart says warm and rich, but my head says speedy and agile. But either way, wide and somewhat deep to very deep sounds stage is a must. The speakers must disappear. But that has as much or more, to do with the speakers and acoustics than source and amplification.
Thank you for watching and sharing your type J K 😊👍
Great review 👍
Thank you 😊👍
I wanted a speaker that can handle Classical music, Instrumental popular music, Vocal and Jazz. Not interested in Rock, Heavy metal, and synthetic disposable Pop. The only speaker that did it for me was the Rogers Studio 1 which i bought in 1984. It had a power rating of 300 watts RMS into 8 ohms. It was basically a "neutral" sounding speaker.
Thank you for watching and sharing your type of sound buddy 😊👍
I'd suggest using Atoll IN200 Signature with different speaker cable/power cable. For example Mogami 3103 or kimber 8tc speaker cable with belden power cable. You could tame the upper midrange peak by doing that.
I use the same cables in my reviews for consistency purposes 😊
As always a great presentation. It's really a pleasure to look at your reviews. Professional, but just easy enough for everyone to understand. I have an atoll in100 at home and it's great. I like focal aria 906, do you think it is a good combination? Greetings from Slovenia
Thank you gogo. Very much appreciated. If the Atoll IN100 sounds anything like the IN80 Signature, I would think they would match very well with Focal’s. As always you can never be sure until you try 👍😊👍
Very good and very known here in France . Just perfect match
@@mickaelrenoud-grappin6986 Well, today I'm happy owner of a focal aria 906, for a couple of months now... so a really nice pair with the atoll amp...👌
Thanks for the review, I've owned an Atoll IN80 and my father has the IN100SE
I'm curious to listen to that signature version
Thank you for watching and sharing 😊
Great review Tarun, really enjoyed this one. Although this amp doesn’t sound quite for me, I’ve long admired the Atoll brand and workmanship.
A preferred sonic signature did you ask? Just leaning to the warm side of neutral, with transparency, body and naturalness, good air in the top end but not too holographic, lots of detail but not overly etched, oh and absolutely love speed and dynamics. Went the Exposure route for amplification and haven’t looked back.
Keep up the great work 🙏
Thank you my friend. Very much appreciated. It is hard to beat Exposure amp for many of the characteristics you describe 😊👍
Hi Tarun I’m always intrigued to see how any amp copes with your Response speakers , they do seem to set a benchmark that separates the good from the indifferent . Having got the Audio lab 6000A combo I can’t remember whether the 6000 amp failed to make the grade . Obviously this particular amp did for fill the brief , which must set it apart from many of its rivals . But of course at this price point , you are starting to swim with the big boys so to speak . PS I think your new beard will suit you , my wife is still debating if my attempt is worth the effort 🤣 Best wishes and kind regards as always 😀👍👍👍
Thank you for watching and sharing Michael. I still think the 6000A is as good as it gets for the money. It did okay with my ProAc’s but the extra power of the Atoll IN80 Sig made it a better choice for the 1SCs 😊👍
Hi there, thank you for your excellent reviews. I have a quick question. I got the IN80 following this review. However here in Greece (which I guess you like for holidays) at the time there was no option to have the DAC included. However the option is available now. My question is whether it still makes sense to add the atoll dac or buy a current version of an AK based external dac. I have been using it with the project pre box s2 digital doc till now and I would like to upgrade my dac as I would like a bigger soundstage mainly. My options are either the SMSL D400pro with the AK chip, or the ifi Neo IDSD with the burr brown chip or go for the Ares II or Pegasus R2R optons. Your suggestions would be welcome. Thank you in advance.
@@Djk0t thank you. The internal DAC is very good 👍
Would be interesting to see you do a review on NVA amps.👍
Thank you for the suggestion 😊👍
Hello Taryn -
Another fantastic review, thank you.
Any chance of you landing both or either of the new Falcon IMF kits for evaluation ?
Thank you Ned. Much appreciated. I have requested the 100 kit but not heard anything as yet 😊👍
Great review! I am enjoying my Atoll IN50 Signature paired with Totem Sttaf speakers. I am considering an upgrade because I listen to low volume levels most of the time. A bit more drive is wellcome here. Does it make sense to upgrade to an IN80 or IN100 Signature or are they too close? Another option I have is trading my Atoll in for a used Rega Elicit-R, an amp you know quite well. I like to stream classic music via Qobuz with my Node 2i streaming DAC. Perhaps investing in the Atoll DAC board makes sense as it might be better than the old Node Burr-Brown chip. Thanks for your opinion!
Thank you Bas. I would suggest to not upgrade in bitesizes. The Atoll IN100 Signature or Rega Elicit-R should be a worthwhile upgrade and give you increased drive and control 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks for your opinion. do you know if IN100 has same sound character as IN50/80 or more like IN200? and that Elicit-R seems to have a personality as well: some like it a lot for its refinement, others find it lacking the Rega house sound.
@@basvandesteeg796 I have heard the same that the Elicit is a departure from the Rega house sound. I would have to get one home to be sure. As for the Atoll, I am told by the distributor that the latest version of the IN200 Signature shares the house sound of the IN80 I reviewed. Again, I would need to audition at home to confirm 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I just watched your excellent post about power here:
ruclips.net/video/N2LPcU35r50/видео.html.
my Totem Sttafs are rated 88db and 8 Ohm so relatovely easy to drive. I listen on low to moderate sound levels at about 2.5 meters. if I do the maths like you did in that post I shouls have far enough power with my 2x50 Watt IN50 amp. does it even make sense to 'upgrade' to the IN100? I thought that especially on low sound volumes more power was beneficial as the amp runs less efficiently on low sound volumes. but perhaps I was mistaken? so will the IN100 have any advantage over the IN50 in my case? of course the Rega has different tonalilty and sound stage as it has a completly different character. thanks again. I learn a lot from your posts!
@@basvandesteeg796 Hi Bas, having the IN100 and IN200, both the latest version, I can say they have not the same sound signature. When including the tuning the differences only got bigger. For me the IN100 is the better amp, no doubt. Also with low listening volume, my speakers are 8ohm and 87db and I'm not passing the 1 marker on the volume knob. I can't compare it to the IN50/80. Hope this helps 👍 For me, I would invest in the IN100 with tuning without DAC. You can buy a separate and better DAC later..
An other great and honest review. Thumbs up. I would like to hear your view on the vmv A1 class A. Harvey Lovegrove mentioned pass labs xa25 in the same sentence. And that for an amp closer to 500 the to 1000 euro.
Thank you my friend. I have reviewed that amp. Good amp but has some obvious shortcomings. Link below
ruclips.net/video/fTMa8QW1_aY/видео.html
@@abritishaudiophile7314 how could i missed it. I will check it out
Thank you, an excellent review. Do you think the Atoll would suit PMC speakers, I favour a warmer sound?
Thank you Stephen. PMC speakers don’t have a warm sound. That characteristic will always come through regardless of the amp 😊👍
I would love to see you do a review or two of some Schiit product like the Aegir or Vidar using a pre of your choice.
Thank you Mark. I did reach out to Schiit U.K. Unfortunately, there weren’t interested in sending me products to review 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hello Tarun, that's disappointing, very disappointing. I didn't think there was anything to hide and it would have been interesting to hear your thoughts on these well priced power amps. BTW, love your work & thank you for your effort.
@@marknielsen8977 I was disappointed too. They felt they could sell as many products as they needed to and didn’t need any more reviews.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Too bad they’re not sending to UK. You should hear their 4 band eq - Schiit Loki. It made my Dynaudio Emit to sound luscious, like the Sonus Faber Lumina.
Thanks Turan really enjoying your channel.
Could I ask you which you prefer out of Atoll in80 and audio lab 7000a
Thank you. Both very nice but also very different sounding 😊
Thanks! I favor a "live" feel and have it having 2 presets on my amp and one is analog stereo. (The other is 7.2.4 lol)
Thank you for watching and sharing your preferences Lonnie 😊👍
Another great review, thanks! How does this compare to the Audiolab 6000a?
Thank you Lloyd. It is warmer in tone, more dynamic with a bigger soundstage than the 6000A 😊👍
What I would like to see Tarun is a review of some integrated amps with a class A type delivery but must have at least one pair of balanced inputs. Not looking for anything in the super amp category or that will cost several thousand Pounds/Dollars
Thank you buddy. A high bias Class AB with XLR connections may be the way to go 😊👍
Great review on this Atoll. I've been a fan of atoll. I own atoll pr200 with am200 pre and power amp... would you recommend a pair of speakers can happily match with Atoll pre and power amp...
Thank you James. The two Atoll products I have reviewed had very different sonic signatures. I would like to guess what will work with yours 😊👍
This one is interesting. When my beloved Audio Innovations amp breathes its last, I was considering the Sugden as a replacement. The Atoll is another possibility.........or is it? My loudspeakers are sensitive floor standers. Don't require more than 25 watts into 6 OHMS to sound glorious. Is the Atoll going to be overkill? I listen mainly to classical but also modern music although not compressed heavy rock. The only transistor amps I ever had were back in the mid 90s. I am never sure whether modern transistor amps will sound like much of modern life.....pretentious and missing the point!
Thank you Chris. I don’t think the Atoll will be overkill. You may miss that tube magic but I still think the IN80 Signature may be worth checking out 😊
Tarun, thanks for such informative and comparative reviews. I was really surprised that almost all amp models that I am interested in, you have reviewed in your channel. Unfortunatelly, it did not became easier for me to decide on the pairing with Focal Chora 826.
Current contenders are: Atoll in200 Signature, Exposure 2510, Hegel 95. Atoll in80 with its tube-like sound looks appealing also. Not possible to demo any of these. Opted out Yamaha AS1200 as in near future no chanches for restocking.
Any blind advice on best match with Focals? Phono/DAC aside.
My initial amp is Cambridge Topaz SR20 (receiver, 100 W/ch in 8ohms). Not very good match with Focals as it lacks soundstage width, a good bass punch, midrange is also somewhere lost.
I have tried already:
Marantz PM8006. Bass was deep, lower mids, soundstage were excelent, but upper mids and highs (especially on vocals or rock tracks) were too fatiguing, unpleasant. But Focals really sang.
Naim NAIT 5SI. Soundstage was not wide or deep as expexted. It played just ok, it had better presentation than CA, but not 3x (as the compared to its price with CA).
I would highly appreciate your insights on any other who have paired Atoll/Exposure/Hegel with Focals.
Thank you Kostas. I very much appreciate your support. The Atoll IN80 Signature and Exposure 2510 would be on my shortlist based on the sound characteristics you want. Until you try with your speakers there is no way of knowing that they will work though 😊👍👍
Hi, did you end up finding something that meets your taste?
I'm currently trying to find a nice match/upgrade for my Aria 906, currently using them with the IOATAVX SA3 and PA3 and it's surprisingly good (with an external dac though), but this stack is meant for my UBR62's in my other room.
I tried them on my Cambridge CX200 AVR and I got the same impressions as you with your SR20, it's almost as if the sound is thinned out too, not a perfect match with Advance Paris either, well not as much as on the Triangle Comete.
Just got a Rotel RB-1582 MkII amp for a good price that made a decent sonic difference, specifically in guitar strings and something with bass I can only describe as bigger, more surrounding and even a touch deeper. I was not expecting a change simply by hooking up that amp to the IOTAVX.
I'm looking forward to finding a Rotel preamp to match to see how it sounds on everything I have lol!
Anyways now to the point of my comment, I recently came across a decent price for the IN80 and am seriously considering it, and was wondering if you had any updates/input.
Thanks!
Thank you for your review. It is so refreshing to have a balanced review from an engineering point of view and that of a subjective audible perspective. Always clear and to the point.
Do you plan to review the JBL 4309 2-way horn loaded monitor?
Thank you, once again for your work and shared perspective here. It is much appreciate.
Thank you John. I very much appreciate your kind words of support. I hope to review more JBL speakers. Not quite sure which one next but I will check out the 4309s 👍😊👍
Thanks for another great informative review, I learn something new with each one I watch. Slightly veering off your question about sound colouration on Amps I am finding it frustrating that a lot of great amps do not have balance or tone controls to allow for basic room correction such as the Hegel range and by the looks of it the Atoll range. I'm not in the position to have a music listening room that I can set up for perfect acoustics in fact quite the opposite I am forced to listen to music in my bedroom with one speaker in the corner which amplifies the sound from the left channel and with the bed swallowing up a significant amount of bass, so balance and tone controls are essential to as far as possible make up for these drawbacks. Does it really add that much in terms of cost to include these controls or does the inclusion of the additional components somehow affect sound quality, or is there a bit of snobbery going on with the masses that don't have a bespoke listening area with the ability to perfect speaker placement and acoustics having to "make do" with the more "common" consumer brands and only the elite able to access higher quality amps? Or is the inference that if you don't have ideal conditions then it is a waste of money to try to improve your listening experience?
Thank you Paul. Very much appreciated. It is a great question. I suspect many hifi manufacturers do not include tone controls because the phase shift problems they can introduce and the impact that can have on a high end systems sound quality. The reality is that many of us have to live with compromises. You can still get a good sound it just take more effort and knowledge to get there. Delighted to be of help in some small way 👍😊👍
The 200 has balance but not tone. Don’t know about the 80.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks Tarun, I've recently re-watched some of your speaker reviews and thanks to your technical insight sections have seen how some manufacturers will try to simplify and minimise the crossover circuitry to achieve better sound and performance, so I assume the principle is the same and can understand the rationale that less is more in this case. It doesn't mean I'm not left feeling short changed as I would very much like to invest in a Hegel amp but know that due to the lack of balance and tone controls it would not be suitable for my particular requirements.
@@paulwebster9030 GoldenEar makes in-wall and in-ceiling speakers, I haven't tried them but this could be one way to solve room issues and sidestep the need for controls. I'm using active speakers at the moment with a matching sub which goes down to 30Hz, has gain and tone controls, by themselves were around 400 US so not much for phase aligned design.
@@projectmalus Thanks for taking the time to post your suggestion I have briefly looked at ceiling speakers but my concern is the potential issues you have if you find you don't get on with them and they don't seem to be reviewed much I guess because you'd need to be a pretty dedicated reviewer to have a suitable test environment for them but they could be a contender so maybe I will do some more research.
Great video as always Tarun, I have been intrigued by Atoll for a little while now. Pardon me if I've missed it but I was wondering what you use as a music source in your reviews?
Thank you Darren. I appreciate your support. I used an Auralic Mini Streamer fed by a MCRU linear power supply connected to a Denafrips Pontus II DAC 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks Tarun 🙂
Great looking AMP, thank you for your review. Wish I could find something EXPOSURE like in the ATOLL budget. Thank you so so much for your review.
Thank you 😊
Nice review, any chance of reviews of Norma ipa140 or Moonriver 404 intergrated amps ?
Thank you. I appreciate the suggestion 😊👍
Tarun, thank you so much for your reviews. do you think this would pair well with the DALI Menuet?
Thank you. I would like to tho k so but the only way to know is to try 👍
I like an upbeat sound, as I tend to listen to upbeat music, not classical or melancholy acoustic stuff which requires timbrel correctness etc, been there, not for me, I need a "sports car kinda hifi"
Cool 😎 thank you for sharing John 😊👍
I am wondering if you plan on doing any reviews on Copland amplifiers, and in particular their integrated offerings?
I would love to but don’t have a contact there as yet 😊
Hi Tarun, i bought the IN50 signature. They are not a good match with my epos epic monitor. The bass sounds very flat and hard and the sound is more analytic, so i changed back to my Nad c326. The bass is much rounder and sounds less hard on the Nad. The hights are better with the Atoll. According to the dealer i should buy JM Reynauds speakers…
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences. It all come down to system matching I suspect 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314Tarun, i now have a metrum acoustics dac between the NAD amp and my streamer and cd player. So i thought: let’s try the Atoll again. I got my Atoll from the attick and changed the amps. This change completely the soundof the Atoll from the first time. The sound is amazing, the bass isn’t ‘hard’ anymore, the highs are better, the soundstage is better, wow, unbelievable! So my old Nad amplifier is now on the attick 😂
@@elise10lies84you still should get the jm reynauds ;)
I have the IN100 signature paired with B&W 706s2 and personally I feel that the B&W's stay a bit too closed. Haven't figured out yet what amp would make these speakers shine. Or what speakers would match better with the amp for that matter
Thank you for sharing 😊
I got my IN100 signature upgraded in Germany (AVS Oymann) the result is incredible, really night and day. I have no commercial interest, I'm just very happy with the result 🙂
@@justasimplefox May I ask what modification has been done? A simple upgrade might me a different fuse but I assume more is done. Really interested.
@@basvandesteeg796 Hi Bas, they changed a lot of parts, Mundorf Mlytic 10000uF, Panasonic FC caps, Claritycaps ESA, Mundorf Ultra resistors, mechanical damping,..you can discuss this with AVS Oymann, they respond quite good on mail 👍good luck
Great review. Would it match with the Kef Ls50 Meta or would you recommend another amp (sub 1500)???
Thank you Daniel. It will certainly be able to drive the LS59 Metas. I can speak about the synergy without trying it myself. Should be good on paper though 😊👍