Wayne Donnelly - Audio Tweak

Listening
High-powered amplifiers are familiar ground to this writer. For the last few years, my everyday
amplifiers have been successive iterations of the 750-watt VTL monoblocks. I expected a
quite different sonic presentation from the Musician III, and that proved to be the case —
although the digital amplifier was surprising in several respects.
The Musician III from the beginning exhibited a very wideband, high-speed musical
presentation. That in itself was no surprise. What is surprising is, first, that it sounds more
extended in the high frequencies than any amplifier I have had in this system, solid-state or
tube. And secondly, that extraordinary treble extension is remarkably free of the tonal
brightness, the glare and grain that have marked my listening experiences with so many
transistor amps over the years. The neutrality was so pronounced that it took me a few days
to become accustomed to it. And as the amplifier burned in, that extended but smooth and
relaxed quality grew even more natural sounding. The highs took on a lovely, crystalline
quality, somehow unlike other amplifiers I can recall. Perhaps the closest comparison I can
think of for this degree of tonal purity is with the 55 watt WAVAC MD-805 monblocks I
reviewed last November.
I expected very deep and powerful bass, and half-expected it to be the kind of "slam" I
associate with Krell and a few other marques (and which I tend to find exaggerated). In fact,
the bass of the Musician III has a full measure of low-frequency depth, speed and pitch
definition. Equally as important for me, its scaling of dynamics seems flawlessly accurate,
from bass drum thwack to the triangle's strike and decay, and everything in between.
As I mentioned at the beginning, this is my first review to be based entirely on listening in my
new Chicago music room, which is clearly superior to the room I used for the past 15 years in
California. That factor notwithstanding, I feel confident stating that the spatial resolution of the
Musician III is outstanding. Playing the finale of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony (Michael
Tilson Thomas leading the San Francisco Symphony, soloists and Chorus), the spatial
organization of these gigantic performing forces is more clearly delineated than ever before.
Yes, the chorus are obviously ranged behind and surrounding the instruments. But the depth
of the soundscape is greater than I have heard before on this very familiar recording. In
addition, the placement of individual players — solo oboe firmly in the middle of the orchestra,
trumpets clearly at the rear; soprano and mezzo soloists clearly separated from the chorus,
even when they are all singing together — is uncannily precise. It's as if my listening room
has morphed into Davies Symphony Hall right in front of me.
As I play more and more familiar recordings, I am stunned by how faithfully the ambiance of
each recording venue is captured. I can easily distinguish between closely and distantly
recorded piano, between jazz in a club versus a larger venue. And so forth...