AM Audio power amps are big and heavy machines. In a pile, they form a cube whit more than 40 cm of side and a weight of 80 kg. 80 are also the watts in pure class “A”.
Please notice that the weight/power ratio is 1:1! Furthermore, these monoblocks have both a double circuitry: one for the hot pole and the other for the cold pole, hence, it is about a real balanced circuitry. The balanced connection enables the utilization of a long signal cable without any problem of radiofrequency interferences. An audio system with a balanced circuitry offers a listening experience that all the enthusiasts should try out. Indeed, the sensation of neatness and clearness of the recorded event is remarkable: all the veils between the listener and the audio system have fallen down. But watch out! This is not the perfect sound, it is just "one" out of the more or less good many sounds of a high quality audio system.
I would like to point out that the two AM Audio monoblocks give out a dynamic and timbrically correct sound. There is no roll-off, no clipping, and no difficulties in driving low efficiency loudspeakers or with impossible sensitivities up to the limit of the short circuit. These power amps are not thick and clumsy giants, but massive, powerful, agile athletes: therefore, we are talking about an amplification that can also drive pans!
The structure is very solid without frills. It is pleasing to the touch and reassuring thanks to a very accurate polished satin finish. The advantage of two monoblocks lies in the possibility of pushing them very close to the loudspeakers and thereby in using a short portion of power cable. With the AM Audio, we can utilize two long balanced signal cables with XLR endings. This also includes the possibility of setting the rest of the system in the handiest spot of the listening room; a very interesting solution.
There are several opinions about balanced devices and I know that many enthusiasts do not like this kind of connection, maybe because of experiences induced by falsely balanced gears. From my point of view, in my room and with my system, the AM Audio have reached the highest performances, giving to the audio signal great strength, authority and reliability and at the same time a lot of grace and timbric rigor. In short, not an irritatingly electric or languorously warm sound.
I would like to stress the fact that the power amps have only balanced inputs: this means that also the preamp must have balanced outputs in order to exploit the benefits of this circuit typology. The use of any kind of adapters could debase and mortify what can be properly obtained from a listening point of view.
It is a pity that this Italian firm is only known at a local level because it could join the most famous labels worldwide.
Associated equipment: to Roberto “The Rock” Rocchi's system
