MC GAIN CHANGEReview
"The Audio Analogue Aria is another brilliant example how sophisticated engineering (cf. off-line PSU) and choices made "by ear" can successfully live together and cooperate. The result is a phono preamp that is undoubtedly "Audio Analogue" sounding, nicely built and offered at a price that's still very interesting, if you consider the level of performance achieved. The Aria proves, once again, that a properly installed vinyl playback system is still very hard to beat. " - TNT Audio
8-APR-2004
HiFi World Audio Anaolgue Aria phono stage review
At first this £500
phono stage appears predicable enough. As you'd expect there's MM/MC switching,
good quality internal components and a solid and well finished aluminium
casing. Yet the Aria has two further surprises.
The first is a ‘virtual battery’ power supply - the outboard
power supply unit supplies banks of power supply capacitors in a double
reservoir system. One bank feeds power to the amplifier circuit whilst
the other is charged up, and vice versa. This means that the supplying
capacitors are never directly connected to the mains, so should reduce
mains borne noise and instability. The six Kendeil capacitors offer up
39000uf storage apiece, so should be up to providing the current without
undue concern. The second surprise is its ‘tweakability’. As
well as adjustments for MM/MC, there are three other sources of adjustment
for perfect cartridge matching. MC gain is set at 27dB but can be adjusted
from 22.5 to 33dB. One word of warning here though - changing the gain
does involve soldiering resistors so, if you're uncertain of your ability,
it's worth consulting your dealer first. The other adjustments are easier
to manage. Both the capacitance and resistance can be altered to match
your cartridge of choice, done via the simple expedient of plugging different
RCA plugs into the rear of the unit. Capacitors values range from 100pf
to 330pf and resistors from 100R to 470R. So there's a great deal of scope
for those keen to get exactly the right match with their pickup.
Most striking about its sound was the depth and power of the bass - it
really is in another league from the Pro-ject Phono Box SE or Musical Fidelity
X-LPSv3 - if not the Trichord Dino. It was the sheer depth of sound that
impressed. Vocals were extremely well projected, and there was excellent
staging and separation of various musicians. Percussion was smoothly portrayed
though perhaps a little too much so – at times it felt as though
some of the finer detail had been glossed over to achieve first rate refinement.
The acoustic strains of Richard Thompson's ‘Fast Food’ showed
an appealingly musical side. Even though both violin and electric guitar
were too refined for my liking they did show excellent timbre, as did the
subtly portrayed mandolin. Once again, thanks to the depth of stage, Thompson's
vocals were brought well forward from the backing vocals, and each given
their proper authority within the song. The strong, powerful bass came
to the fore with The Cranberries ‘Linger’. ‘Rhapsody
In Blue’ by George Gershwin provided a superb piano timbre that was
sympathetic to the key strokes and willing to follow the change in tempo
and resonance. When the full orchestra kicked in there was plenty of weight
to the sound if not quite the attack. Detail ambience, though, was first
rate, with subtle decays and strokes audible even when the music was at
it's densest. Best of all, the sound had an organic and effortless nature
to it –in other words, it sounded most un-hi- fi-like, which often
is no bad thing at all. Anyone seeking refinement will delight in the Aria's
culture and polish. Add the superb build and tweakability and it looks
as though Audio Analogue have got another winner on their hands.
Dominic Todd
