THE MAN, THE PATH, THE MACHINES
FUNCTIONAL
THE PRE ONE
THE POWER ONE
MUSIC
Charles Mingus – Mingus Ah Um comes as an album of immediate access, yet with the multiple layers of sublimeness. There are many things to focus, but most importantly this record carries impeccable mood of the era and wonderful interplay of the legendary musicians.
With an emotional variety carried from song to song, Mingus Ah Um sets a perfect playground for the critical listening. Its not easy for any preamplifier or power amplifier to shift instantly between the tunes and I’ve attested the lacking such ability with many preamplifiers under the stress. Alluxity PRE ONE on its sole tasking unmasked the subtle mood swings without grand reservations. As this album offers also a great tempo variety and instrument complexity there is certain bounding needed where everything is liquified into the seamless experience. PRE ONE withstand the pressure without going into the land of compression or gain mediocrity where to quickly performance looks like chaotic bubble of anything and everything being mixed without a proper recipe.
So what about the Power ONE? My listening notes are my best friends when I need to lay down the sums up and convey my feelings with some logical remarks. Power ONE unveiled its ability to act accordingly to the minute changes without stepping back. Yes, the speed was not on the plane of the biggest boys, what is logical at this price point, but the rendition of the attacks clearly pointed to the fast and furious. Power ONE shared some of the similarities of much more powerful power amplifiers where the constant gain flow shares the energy transfer and marks down attributes that are constitutional to bring believable scale, rhythm and sense of atmosphere.
Both PRE ONE and Power ONE amplifier was on the right path of the tone, timbre an color without stepping into the world of so widely advertised superb, hell freezes over transparency. In book of audio truths this simply translates into the harshness.
When it comes to the proper rendition of the brass instruments, you’re coming to the point where one need to feel the squelching, almost screaming nature of the metallic core, but without getting brite. Amplifiers embracing Class D and some other variations of AB class embarks with so called open nature of voicing that in most cases as mandatory resolve with bland timbre. The pure rawness of instruments needs its core being addressed properly and this is what distinct PRE ONE and Power ONE amplifier from the crowd. PRE ONE has this intrinsic ability to reflect the basic core of timbre.
Michael Franks – Sleeping Gypsy. Slow paced and Brazilian to the bone, this Michael Franks masterpiece resolve with fully mastered bossa-nova majestic output. Art Of Tea might launched Franks into the stratosphere, but Sleeping Gypsy gave him artistic freedom, that not many artist could explore. He was free to follow the inspirational path set by his lifelong friend and mentor Antonio Carlos Jobim without and closed doors. And this album SHOWS! Its among my favorite albums of all time and among the desert island selection. As it was written before… What Stan Getz did for the jazz crowd in 60’s, Michel did for the rock oriented music lovers by bringing Brazilian music in such palpable way.
Sleeping Gypsy mastery comes in many ways. It’s usually hidden from the casual listener, but even a slight look at the album credits will give you a breeze. Yes, what a team!
This is the album that most systems simply cannot play right. Period! There is a lot to unmask and decipher; from tempo, sublime nature of the percussion, wonderfully layered instruments, interplay etc.
Its fun to put any preamplifier into the chain and observe what happens with the closing track Down in Brazil. Even first fifteen seconds gives me clear idea about what to expect. There is a hidden holographic atmosphere where the level of illusion is totally depends on the preamplifier ability to perform. I’m sure most of you remember the past and almost gone trend where many of the audiophiles were initiated into the world of preamplifier-less system, with sound coming straight from the sources into the amplifier. All great an fine, but in all the vastness of preamps that came in and out over the years into my dens, I was never convinced. The role of high-end audio preamplifier is to important to take it lightly. Perhaps, the reality strikes with sad fact, where there are not really that much great solid sate preamps. Preamplifier is not only acting a cross bridge between the source and power amplifier, but as the sorcerer that deals with the magic as his most precious thing, and for the true high-end audio preamplifier gain is the heart of the matter and where the magic needs its momentum.
PRE ONE portrayed wind chimes and rest of the percussion with surprising holographic view. My trusty Robert Koda Takumi K-10 preamplifier still stands strong after all the years as my reference solid state preamplifier. While its not easy to come close to Takumi performance, PRE ONE highlighted the bossa-nova soundscape with quite palpable view and enough layering/relief like complexity to be come as preamplifier that can emerge and expands on the plane where high-end audio labeling is justified. It was similar with pacing and sense of the rhythm.
Alluxity Power ONE amplifier acted with authority and self locking with the the southern groove inspired and permeated by the bossa-nova. Energy flow was on the front side without hiding into the senseless power, but push forward nature of believable musical force. Especially with south american rhythms power amplifier needs to move along with music, relate intimately with timing, provide sense of control and simply lock with the pace. Power ONE was never shy and provided the needed path to the emotional bond, that is always closely connected with the much needed unaltered transfer of the musical energy.
CONCLUSION
I prefer AB power amplifiers by far compared to the distortion field of the “grand” D class where mindbogglingly many still cannot decipher the simplest obvious thing… Music is different sounding not only by each genre, but by each song and flat unified sound translated into 2D ant like projection of the music is not linear full scope high-end audio performance.
I love the direction Alexander took with his Alluxity venture. Nagra 7 like simplicity via touch/remote logic of the menus offers instant simplicity of functionality combined with musically, involving sound performance and highly aesthetically pleasant portion of the living space.
Do never judge the book by its cover! These days we’re among other things forced to believe, that big boxes are mandatory to create a majestic audio den performance. On the reality check high-end end is clearly transitioning into the the realms of luxury where the refinement and design plays becomes more of a standard then just a trend and bigger boxes belongs to a specific given situation.
Alexander managed to convey the spirit of the “big boys” into the two separated boxes and in absence of cold logic. The seamless design offers a welcoming simplicity and sound, that resolve with captivating properties.
Alluxity The PRE ONE and Power ONE amplifier packs the power and control without stepping into the the reserved territory. While Alluxity The PRE ONE acts on its own as a mighty performer with clean layout and multitude of the connections, when paired with the Power ONE amplifier the real synergy comes to play. You might spent countless ours in finding the right, matching partners in creating the balanced system, yet Alluxity combo comes with the brand’s own distinguished DNA and immediate synergy locking at your plate. For anyone wanting to explore the pre-power setup at this prince range, but with an extra touch Alluxity pre/power gives an instant solution in one complete suite.
So, what not to like? Solid aluminum chassis, touch screen hands on control, plenty of the inputs and warm, involving potent sound, that can emerge and expands with complex tuneful colors…
We need a new, fresh and bold blood in our high-end audio industry. Alexander’s leap into the high-end audio started darn early and with 23 years he’s already in his own high-end audio venture. Coming out strongly on the market with products like PRE ONE and Power ONE amplifier paints a clear vision and path for this brand’s future.
With the push forward “training” from his father Hans-Ole Vitus, Alexander acts more like a man in his late thirties with a heap of mileage behind. This means only one thing. Watch out for this man’s future output via his Alluxity brand!