I listened to this unit at the Florida show couple months ago and it was very impressive. the r2500r unit was powering the T+A 420 speakers, streaming and a VPI TT with that DS optical cartridge and dedicated phono pre. Open and airy, powerful presence. Funny enough the one LP track that had everyone in the room speechless was Mary Robbins singing Born to Loose.
T+A's new R 2500 R integrated amp
**Not to be confused with earlier T+A products that have similar names.**
Does anybody have hands-on experience with this incredibly flexible integrated amp? It’s been shipping in the US for just a couple of months, & has not yet been reviewed in the Tier One audiophile press
It’s absolutely not possible for me to hear the R 2500 R before buying, and at nearly $19,000, I’m hesitant to pull the trigger blind. But it sure sounds impressive on paper, boasting one of T+A’s world-class DAC/streamers, several hundred Class AB wpc, 31-lb weight, discrete headphone amp, some of the most comprehensive connectivity on the market, firmware-upgradability, a friendly UI, and, of course, T+A’s reputation for impeccable sound quality. It even includes a CD transport & FM tuner, as well as HDMI w/ARC I/O for integration into a home theater. Whew.
I normally wouldn’t consider an embedded DAC/streamer, but, heck, this is T+A, the company that made its name throughout Europe for its no-holds-barred DAC technology. And I understand that the R 2500’s internal DAC is an updated (albeit "merely" 512DSD) version of the company’s highly regarded $7500 1-bit standalone model.
Given all that, I’d love to speak with anyone who managed to score one of the first batch (now sold out at many dealerships); or even to a golden ear who plans to audition this amp at AXPONA.
Showing 3 responses by doyle3433
At the show probably the closest and similar priced unit would be Aurender AP20 streaming some good music. It was also a simple set up with just the AP20 and a pair of Wilson Sabrina's. These two rooms were perhaps the easiest listening rooms I encountered. Plus they appealed to me in their uncluttered appearence. |
@blisshifi I would tend to agree with you comparing the two. I felt the AP20 and Wilson combo to be a bit of a truth teller. Very clear dynamic and detailed (some heat from the highs and lows as you describe), a little dry for my taste. The T+A sounded warm and cozy, yet open and expansive. I felt more of that in your soul feel. Of course the sources were different.. streaming for the Aurender and analog for the T+A, so there's that. I'm not a streamer at home. (MOFI Ultra with a Hanna ML, and Line Magnetic disc player into Cary SLI80HS into Volti Razz). I think if I had the cash and were looking I'd be leaning toward the T+A |