Audio Analogue is no stranger to the news and review pages of Mono & Stereo, and this time, the iconic Italian manufacturer returns to M & S with the ABsolute Reference Line Preamp and ABsolute PA MONO power amplifier, a highly refined and musical reference line designed by AIRTECH. As you can read throughout the review, these are not déjà vu products, but carefully sonically optimized components, built from the ground up to serve music at its best.
ABSOLUTE PA MONO
The ABsolute PA MONO is polarized in class AB up to 500W on 8 Ohm. The bridge output stage accommodates twelve pairs of transistors, each 200W, preserving harmonic integrity, fluidity, and the unforced musical flow, with a natural sense of weight and presence, and avoids tension even when the music becomes demanding.
When paired with the ABsolute Preamplifier, it forms a reference-level combo. Still, its standalone performance offers enough authority and refinement to satisfy in less elaborate setups.
A true dual-mono layout begins at the power supply, ensuring channel independence and stable current delivery. The circuit operates fully balanced throughout, with no global feedback –favoring immediacy, phase coherence, and microdynamic expression over textbook measurements.
At the heart of the design is a refined evolution of the SeGeSTA architecture, first introduced in the Anniversary series. This deliberately asymmetrical structure operates in current mode, reinforcing the amplifier’s speed and control while avoiding the mechanical character often found in feedback-heavy designs.
Overspecified military-grade resistors reduce thermal distortion under load, and carefully selected audio-grade capacitors support stability and tonal consistency, while internal wiring with 7N OCC solid-core copper conductors ensures signal purity throughout the audio path.
Control and monitoring are managed by a microcontroller, unobtrusive in operation yet essential for maintaining optimal conditions.
ABSOLUTE LINE PREAMP
Refined over years of preamplifier development, the ABsolute line stage embodies the essence of the company’s philosophy – the genuine center of gravity in a high-end system.
Targeting reference-level performance in both concept and execution, the Absolute preamplifier expertly reveals how music is structured, scaled, and conveyed.
The inductive power supply, built around dual 50 W transformers with electrostatic and magnetic shielding and further stabilized by resin encapsulation, reduces mains-induced noise at the source, consistently providing a quiet and stable foundation. From input to output, the circuit is free of global feedback, preserving signal integrity and temporal coherence.
The architecture is fully differential, maintaining balanced operation throughout. Each stage resides on its own dedicated board, arranged in a true dual-mono configuration beginning at the power supply. Physical separation and mechanical shielding between the preamplifier and power sections prevent interference, ensuring low-level signals are handled with the necessary care.
Volume control is managed by relays, a deliberate choice over semiconductor solutions. Using precision resistors rather than integrated circuits minimizes distortion and preserves transparency.
Input selection follows the same philosophy, using relay switching to reduce non-linearities and fully isolate unused inputs.
At the gain stage, the proprietary SeGeSTA topology is implemented in a refined form, operating with the same current-driven, asymmetrical behavior that defines the brand’s sonic signature. Oversized, traditionally mounted military-grade resistors minimize thermal effects, supported by carefully selected audio-grade capacitors throughout the circuit.
A microcontroller oversees operations, maintaining stability without affecting the signal path. Internal wiring and the power cable are supplied by AIRTECH, completing a design in which every element contributes to a coherent, quietly confident whole.
THE MUSIC
When electronics are properly designed, music flourishes regardless of genre. As you will read, the Audio Analogue ABsolute reference electronics combo reflects and reproduces music thoughtfully and empathetically, with unique clarity and obviousness.
Anouar Brahem – The Astounding Eyes Of Rita
One of the albums in constant rotation and always within reach is The Astounding Eyes of Rita by Anouar Brahem.
Audio Analogue opened up further insights into the album’s harmonic richness, revealing myriad vignettes that expand a colorful sonic landscape, filled with abundant detail and remarkable horizontal and vertical depth, while preserving the golden trinity of timbre, color, and tone.
The Audio Analogue ABsolute Preamplifier and Absolute PA MONO power amplifier instantly created an immersive ambiance.
While some preamplifiers absorb musical movement and momentum, the ABsolute duo maintained energetic impact, establishing acoustic nodes and focal points without introducing sonic clutter, never giving the impression that the amplifiers were being overworked.
When power is not reproduced properly, the leading edges of notes become soft, dynamism fades, and the system loses intimacy. In contrast, the Audio Analogue top-tier power amplifiers and preamplifier demonstrated the mark of mature circuitry through seamless power handling, along with a chameleon-like ability to follow the album’s spatial and rhythmic changes with a sense of flow, accommodating both subtle and dramatic shifts.
There is something highly enticing about the ABsolute MONO amplifiers and ABsolute preamplifier, evident in the way they convey both the weight and precision of dynamic extremes – from thunderous passages to the feather-light shifts in The Astounding Eyes of Rita – always with a full-scale musical vocabulary.
John Scofield – Überjam Deux
The tactile richness and exceptional ability to create a sonic holograph, all due to the Audio Analogue ABsolute’s capacity to convert higher-level dynamic and harmonic density, reproduced “Camelus” with the musical momentum that, at its forte, replicated as it was intuited – to be fully experienced and absorbed, not just observed.
No artificial high-frequency glare, no smoothing out of the mids – the powerful pairing of the Audio Analogue PA MONO and reference preamplifier secured the necessary lock-and-load ability, instantly and effortlessly tracking Scofield’s syncopated rhythms and ever-changing tempo.
But there is more to Italian flagships. My listening notes mentioned a magnetic quality, reflecting and connecting with the playfulness and ever-expanding storytelling of Überjam Deux in a more intimate and responsive way.
As with many of my reference albums and tracks, Überjam Deux requires robust power handling to deliver a strong low-end foundation, avoid the beaming effect of instruments, and preserve the necessary correlation between harmonic decay and delay to reveal the intended narrative as it fully unfolds – ABsolute PA MONO and ABsolute preamplifier are not shy in proudly showing their capability to react, entice, and deliver.
THE CONCLUSION
There are many aspects of high-end electronics that make a preamplifier and amplifier a genuine, music-performing machine. Each audio component is subject to measurement, but technical attributes alone cannot ensure realism and musical integrity.
This is where the Audio Analogue ABsolute combo truly stands apart. The ABsolute preamplifier and PA MONO power amplifiers offer unique temporal integrity, where precise timing and phase allow for music reproduction with spatial consistency, remarkable depth, and an abundance of acoustic nodes. This ensures an accurate representation of the acoustic space and facilitates the easy deciphering of the musical material.
The ABsolute PA MONO and ABsolute Reference line preamplifier do not embellish the music or introduce pleasant distortions that often mask circuit shortcomings, but operate in a highly musical manner, serving as a blueprint for musical exploration with palpable focus, never hindering dynamics but instead reproducing transients with proportional equilibrium.
While operating in Class A and AB, Audio Analogue’s top-tier preamplifier and amplifiers avoid a warm, syrupy sound. On the contrary, the ABsolute duo’s crystalline aural quality differentiates by remaining natural, never exaggerating the sound, but inviting moments of pause, reflection, and pure enjoyment of beloved repertoire, with authoritative confidence as music unfolds naturally, with seamless force and rhythm. Like many Dolce Vita pleasures, ABsolute electronics draw you into the essence of the music, with a unique current creating a magnetic, spiraling effect rather than an analytical anchor.
ABsolute PA MONO amps and ABsolute Reference line stage are versatile, boldly stepping beyond common and the usual audiophile comfort zone, inducing a deeper presence, with instruments and performers emerging from defined locations rather than floating in a blur.
When circuit design ignores its limits, it drains music of energy; when thresholds are respected, the sound remains pristine. Power is too often mishandled. With true balance, audio signal amplification benefits from control, not rendering every instrument equally or flatteringly, but rather with accuracy.
With decades of experience in electronics design, the sheer power of music is never restrained when paired with top-tier Italian electronics. The music emerges and fades without the electronics leaving a trace. The Italian duo’s distinctive spatial clarity avoids the piecemeal alterations that even some more expensive amplifiers and preamplifiers cannot escape.
Some high-end audio amplifiers and preamplifiers feel immediate and settled; some never quite tune in. Audio Analogue PA and Preamp instantly brings music to life, acting unobtrusively – never imposing itself – while performing with unassailable strength and a unique, crucial interaction with the music.
The most common mistake in voicing electronics is pushing everything to the extreme and failing to find the equilibrium that allows music to breathe and fully resolve. Audio synergy may seem easily attainable in high-end audio, such as overall balance, but it is not ad hoc by any means. Too often, many preamplifiers and amplifiers operate in excess to create an impression.
The Airtech circuits were designed to deliver music with optimal refinement, reproducing a composed, deeper exploration into the realms of music and allowing a higher-than-ordinary number of acoustical nodes and focal points to emerge. This conveys music with a sense of natural freshness and dynamic control, free from both mechanical and overly emphasized voicing extremes.
The ABsolute PA MONO and ABsolute Reference line preamplifier reveal reference points instantly, not only retrieving the intended sonic scope but also operating more broadly, resonating with the very core of the music.
Properly designed and voiced high-end audio preamplifiers and amplifiers need no grandeur to be convincing. What they need is translucency, clarity, balance, and a sense of seamless musical energy and fluidity. By all means, the Audio Analogue Absolute series privileges intimacy of atmosphere over function, while instantly delivering dramatic moments on demand.
The potent electronics also do not announce their presence but act with an underlying support, enhancing music reproduction without overpowering it. This is precisely the charm and advantage of the ABsolute combo: the ability to transcend sonic friction, giving the music space to settle and expand.
Audio Analogue’s heritage and decades of focus on refined circuits have allowed the company to consistently evolve its sound, embracing innovation and technology while merging them with the essence of music. As a result, one of the most important and recognized strengths of these Italian reference-level electronics was forged: the ability to reinvigorate and reconnect the listener, channeling cinematic involvement without sonic gloss.
ABsolute amplifiers and preamp do not just tick many boxes; they tick the right ones – the audible, emotional, and enticing ones. I cannot give better remarks than this, and I am pleased to award the Audio Analogue Absolute Reference Line Preamp and Absolute PA PA MONO Power Amplifier the 2026 Mono & Stereo Upper Echelon Product Awards.
With everything changing so rapidly, a strict restriction is needed to manage the numerous opportunities to alter the design, both aesthetically and electronically. Audio Analogue relies on novel yet proven concepts, believing that performance and continuity matter more than change for its own sake.
It is always a bold move to prioritize quality over marketing hype, yet there are still companies that strive for this approach, and the high-end audio manufacturer from Tuscany is among the few. •
PRICE
• ABSOLUTE PA MONO € 45.000,00 (pair)
• ABSOLUTE Preamplifier € 21.000,00
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
ABSOLUTE PA MONO
Output power on 8Ω load
500W class AB
Output power on 4Ω load
800W class AB
Output power on 2Ω load
1400W class AB
Input impedance
44 kΩ
Noise referred to input
A Weighted 4.1 µVrms
Damping factor
@ 8Ω – 45
Signal/noise ratio (SNR)
referred to 500 W – 118.0 dB
Distortion
from 1 W to 500 W @ 8Ω
< 0.1%
Distortion
from 20 Hz to 20 kHz
< 0.1%
Output noise
20 Hz-80 kHz – 170 µVrms
Output noise
20 Hz-22 kHz – 135 µVrms
Output noise
A Weighted – 80 µVrms
Gain (balanced input to output)
19.5 V/V- 25.80 dB
Rise time
1.75 us
Fall time
1.75 us
Stand-by power consumption
230 VAC <0.5 W
Dimensions
HxWxD: 270x483x445mm
Weight
50kg
LINE PREAMPLIFIER
Number of Channels
2
Input impedance
47 kΩ
Gain
Unbalanced output
5,58 dB
Gain
Balanced output
11,62 dB
Frequency Response
Attenuation 0dB, -0.5dB band
200 KHz
Balanced Output Noise
Band limits 20Hz-80kHz
20.4µV
Balanced Output Noise
A-weighted
7.7µV
Signal/noise ratio (SNR)
Attenuation at 0dB, A weighted, referred to 1Vrms
93.8dB(20Hz – 80kHz)
Signal/noise ratio (SNR)
Attenuation at 0dB, A weighted, referred to 1Vrms
98.3dB(20Hz – 22kHz)
Signal/noise ratio (SNR)
Attenuation at 0dB, A weighted, referred to 1Vrms
102.3dB(A weighted)
Stand-by power consumption
230VAC
0.5W
Dimensions
HxWxD
140x480x385mm
Weight
22kg
CONTACT
Audio Analogue
Via Cesare Battisti 126G
51015 Monsummano Terme, Pistoia
Italy
Tel: +39 0572 030964
Email: info@afgroupsrl.com
Web: www.audioanalogue.com