P20/A20 - some thoughts 6 months on

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alfafan123
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P20/A20 - some thoughts 6 months on

Unread post by alfafan123 »

I see that the P20/A20 Loan Scheme is back up and running again so thought that some potential purchasers might like to hear my thoughts (warts and all) after six months or so of ownership and after the initial euphoria has worn off.I hope this might encourage potential buyers of the P20/A20 package to take advantage of the loan scheme and try it for themselves.

I expect that like many people who count hifi and music as their hobby I have owned many different products and makes of gear over the years. However some make me feel like why on earth did I buy that? or Hmmm not bad but doesn't really engage to Wow! or this is a grower and/or a keeper.

After a small initial problem with a bridge rectifier which RD sorted (thanks Doc) I have now owned my P20/A20 for a little over 6 months and in frequent use it has worked flawlessly. However reliability although laudible it is not what makes me keep gear and neither is value for money. It has to communicate emotionally to me and make me want to listen to music.

I use my P20/A20 in my small study hooked up to my iMac as source and via the suppled LS2 cables into JBL Control 1 speakers (89Dbw) in a near field desktop configuration. My initial reaction was Wow! it is so easy to hear everything without any grain or harshness with bass notes that stop and start and that is still true after 6 months but I would add now that music just sounds right. It is like the musicians/vocalists are well rehearsed and playing together. Not the most dramatic of comments I grant you but it is rare that I now think oh that is a terrible recording so it reproduces musical timing exceptionally well. I find that I can relax while listening and simply enjoy the music which sounds open, dimensional and dynamic. Cymbals and percussion sound clear as a bell but are not bright or fatiguing and do not get drowned out in complex or busy mixes. Similarly vocals have an organic coherence that makes intelligibility of lyrics easy.

Another comment is I find the design and appearance of both items classy, understated and yet also attractive and something I have not tired of. IMHO it makes some of the gear on the market just look ridiculously over-styled/over-engineered.

A few further thought re living with it everyday..the A20 is very very quiet both acoustically (inaudible at >2ft) and electrically (important for near field listening) and despite its modest power happily drives my Rega RX3s (also 89Dbw) in my main system in a much larger room. It is also gentle on switch on emitting only a very soft "plop" and virtually silent to switch off...so no nasty loud pops or clicks. I have found it good practise to keep my mobile phone away from the units to avoid occasional interference.

So the P20/A20 is a keeper that has grown on me and continues to do so. Just use it with efficient speakers and you will have dynamics in spades that you never have dreamed of from a 25wpc amp and it has never sounded weedy with my speakers.

IMHO the P20/A20 package is exceptional in todays market not only for value for money which is pretty obvious but more importantly for its musical performance which is extraordinary and is something that puts a smile on my face as its many engaging qualities continue to become apparent to me.

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karatestu
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Re: P20/A20 - some thoughts 6 months on

Unread post by karatestu »

Bravo !!!
DIY FREE ZONE

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SteveTheShadow
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Re: P20/A20 - some thoughts 6 months on

Unread post by SteveTheShadow »

I can say exactly the same about my own A20/P20.
Brilliant!
Although with me being an incurable valve nut, the amp has been replaced in the main system by a DIY 2A3 SET. However, I intend to set up a second system early next year, so it'll still be making lovely music.

The best thing about this particular combination is that it has provided an impeccable reference to measure my own DIY efforts against.
Somebody’s telling me the latest scandals.
Somebody’s stepping on my plastic sandals. Joe Jackson (1979)

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southall-1998
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Re: P20/A20 - some thoughts 6 months on

Unread post by southall-1998 »

Reading all these nice user reviews makes my skin itch :mrgreen:

Nice write up.

S.
Shane Lonergan.

BillyBones
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Re: P20/A20 - some thoughts 6 months on

Unread post by BillyBones »

I like many others started on the P20/A20 road, and being suitably impressed (understatement) moved onto my current P50sa/A60 mkII set-up.

Really, if anyone's reading this and not sure, you just have to try the P20/A20 and you will hear what all the fuss is about.

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