The hunt for the perfect 300b amplifier (in NYC) - part 2
Air Tight, Kondo, Luxman and a surprise winner
(part-two: Air Tight, Luxman, Kondo, click here for part-1 of this journey)
The third amplifier on my list was the Air Tight ATM-300R reference amplifier. The amplifier that Art Dudley proclaimed as one of the best amplifier he has ever heard! To say that I was excited was an understatement. I was scheduled to audition it at Park Avenue Audio. The dealer seemed as enthusiastic as I was, showering me with emails every other day exclaiming the amplifier's awesomeness in each one. Each email ending in multiple exclamation points: “One guy, a hard-boiled, experienced audiophile, heard it for five mins and bought it then and there!!!!!” so went an email.
After the lukewarm reception at the Shindo dealer, I eagerly anticipated meeting this enthusiastic dealer (or as we say in Mumbai, an enthu-cutlet) in person.
Upon my arrival, the dealer gave me a tour of his store. It was impressive — an entire basement of a Manhattan high-rise dedicated to audio. Soon we settled down to listen to the ATM-300R on a pair of single-driver Boenicke speakers with a sensitivity rating of 87dB.
It was an odd pairing because Air Tight amplifiers are only rated at 9 Watts per channel. Typically, to properly power an 87dB speaker, you'd require 100+ watts or you risk damaging the amplifier. This meant I had to listen at low, suboptimal volumes. I couldn’t truly experience the music. The dealer left me alone with the music.
The only thing I got out of this audition was that the Air Tight amp could drive an 87dB speaker, and therefore it could handle my 96dB Devore Orangutans. But the rest of the demo was compromised and therefore useless:
I played my usual tracks, and while the vocals of Rokia Traore and the bass santoor in the Kayhan Kalhor song sounded fantastic, I couldn't assess the sound quality of Rahim Al-Haj due to the low volume. When I played Pancham by Zakir Hussein, the punchy bass was a standout surprise. Tube amplifiers, especially those using 300b tubes like this one, aren't typically known for great bass, but this amplifier was an exception.
At this point, the dealer returned and, after listening for a few minutes, asked me, "Do you actually listen to this stuff?" I couldn't believe he said that. Not only was this dude incompetent with his equipment pairing, he was also an insensitive ass. First, I was listening to a song by Zakir Hussein, arguably the greatest percussionist alive today. Second, one cardinal rule in high-end audio sales probably is: Never to insult the customer's musical taste. While I wasn't upset, having developed a thick skin against ignorance and cultural insensitivity (bordering on mild racism) having lived almost 15 years in the USA, I responded with, "Perhaps it's just a cultural difference, maybe you don't get it.”
I turned away and the dealer fell silent, a few moments later, he tried to smooth things over by acknowledging the subjectivity of musical tastes. I simply nodded and played my last song, Ahmad Jamal Essence part-1, which also sounded excellent. Despite the dealer screwups, it was clear that the Air Tight ATM-300R was an amazing amplifier.
I was ready to leave. Sensing that he had lost a customer, the dealer's manners toward me suddenly became lukewarm; the smile, the bonhomie, the hospitality evaporated and even a basic courtesy of a goodbye was not exercised. I practically ran out of the shop.
The next day, I took a train to Brooklyn to visit a loft owned by Jason Tavares, the owner of Adirondacks Audio, to listen to the uber-rare Luxman MQ-300 amplifier. I was surprised to find this amplifier in the shop since so few people knew about it or had owned it since its release a few years ago. There were almost no reviews of this amp, but let me paraphrase the review by saying that it was the best amplifier I had ever heard, and the most beautiful too.
The online photos did not do it justice; it looked like a labor of love sculpted by Luxman's chief designer. The sound it produced had deep taut bass, beautiful highs, and amazing clarity. Jason had asked me to bring my music on a USB drive, so I could play my entire list of songs without any issues.
When I played 'I Will Not Stand Alone,' the opening attack of the first song left me awestruck. The Kaminacheh wielded by Kayhan Kalhor sounded rich and dense, and the bass santoor felt alive. 'Sophisticated Lady' by Mingus required an increase in volume, but it sounded great, although not as startling as the Engstrom Arne. However, when I played 'Pancham' by Zakir Hussein, it simply blew my mind. The soundstage was vast, the bass clear and articulate, and I heard some extra rhythm on the right side of the soundstage that I had never noticed before. It outperformed the Air Tight, Shindo, and Engstrom on this track, leaving both of us speechless.
Jason looked at me and said, "Wow." He noted down the name of the song (this was same Zakir Hussain song that the Park Avenue Audio dealer had dissed). However, the Luxman MQ-300 did have some weaknesses; Rokia Traore's vocals sounded slightly congested compared to the Air Tight. When I played the Silk Road Ensemble's songs, the dynamic range seemed a bit compressed. I mentioned this to Jason, and he pointed out that he was using an entry-level preamp, the $3,000 Backert Labs preamp, with the $21,000 Luxman amp. He swapped it out with a high-end preamp by the Italian brand Grandinote, and when we played 'Legend of Herlen' again, it played flawlessly. The texture of the violin in 'Vish-Namo' drove me insane. I almost bought the amp on the spot, but fortunately sanity prevailed.
Finally, on the last day, I visited Rhapsody Audio to hear the Kondo Overture. Kondo is a legendary brand known for making every single part of its amplifiers in-house by hand, including their own silver foil capacitors and silver wiring. The Overture is their cheapest amplifier at $33,000, with everything else they sell costs $100,000 and above. Surprisingly, I wasn't impressed by this amplifier. The strings were fine, the dynamics acceptable, but the mid-range, especially on the kaminacheh, didn't feel as rich as the other amplifiers. My listening notes simply read, "Not bad," with nothing standing out.
During my visit, I also had the opportunity to hear the Alsyvox Tinoretto, a planar speaker with a 94dB sensitivity that can be driven by tube amplifiers! Usually planar speakers need beefy, high wattage, transistor amps. The Tinoretto was priced at a cool $68,000 and weighed 250kg, but it sounded amazing and had an uncanny ability to project voices all over the room.
It was nice experience, but Kondo Overture1 was a surprise disappointment.
My adventure ended with the Kondo. Overall, it was an incredible audiophile experience in NYC. And I loved every moment of it, thanks to amazing dealers and this amazing city.
I enjoyed sampling the best 300b amplifiers on the planet. And if I had to choose a winner, it would be the Luxman MQ-300, which was an unexpected. Luxman is a mainstream brand for the everyman audiophile (not just the well-heeled) and I had initially expected the exotic-expensive brands like Engstrom, Air Tight, Shindo, Kondo to take the 300b prize but it was the all-out effort of a 300b amplifier designed around the Takatsuki 300b tubes by Luxman that took the cake.
P.S : Coming next: Conclusion and what 300b amplifier I ended up with? And what were the pluses and minuses of this choice I made?
Yes, Kondo also has a 300b amplifier, but it costs $110,000; I never audition equipment that I cannot afford.