Synthesis Amplifiers: One of High End's Best Kept Secrets?


Just stopping by to share my enthusiasm for my new Synthesis A100 Titan integrated amplifier. For the past few years, I have been on the hunt for the best integrated amp I could find in my price range. I've had a Line Magnetic 508ia, a Devialet, a Lyngdorf TDAI-3400, a Boulder 866, a Vitus RI-101 mk2, and a Vitus SIA-025 mk2 in the past four or five years. I enjoyed aspects of each of these amps, some related to sonics, some to functionality, and some to build quality. 

And yet, in each case, after several months, I found that I wasn't quite getting the sound I wanted--rich, three-dimensional. engaging, and dynamic without being fatiguing. Too often, I found myself picking the sonic picture apart, assessing this or that at the expense of pure musical enjoyment.

I finally decided to give up on my hunt for the "perfect" solid state solution and go back to tubes, which led me to audition the Synthesis A100 Titan, an amp that features an octet of KT66 tubes, a pair of 12AX7, a pair of 12BH7, and even an onboard DAC. I was intrigued by this amp, but found very, very little written about it in the audio forums (here and elsewhere), except the praise of a couple of folks.

I've had it about a month now, so while I cannot give a guarantee that it is my "lifetime amp" in light of my history of amp promiscuity, I can say with absolute assurance that I find this amp far more satisfying and exciting than any of the amps I've had through here over the past few years.

In short, I am just astonished by it. I had assumed that at the very least, the onboard DAC would be inferior to my Lampizator Baltic 3, which is just wonderful in every respect, but as I spend more time comparing, I am not even sure of that anymore. The onboard DAC is so good that I am now planning to try some different USB cables to see how much performance can be squeezed out of it. Very possibly, my excellent Lampi may soon be up for sale.

Just to be clear, this is no ad, and I have no affiliation whatsoever with any dealer or distributor. I just can't believe how good this amp is, and how relatively unheralded it is. So I am heralding. The Titan is a pure pleasure to listen through every night, and a magical match with my Fyne speakers. The presentation is utterly immersive, and spellbinding. I am no longer picking the sound apart. There's no need.

If you are in the market, I highly recommend an audition.

 

 

128x128waltersalas

@azwill 

My cable evaluation is on hold until the arrival of my new DAC, the Lampizator Baltic 4.I expect it to arrive in the next week or so, and then we'll see how it shakes out. I will also be comparing a couple of very nice AES/EBU cables--an Infigo prototype and a Shunyata Sigma V2. 

I will report back when I have some solid impressions. Thanks for your interest.

There is a lot of really wonderful audio equipment coming out of Italy and the former Eastern Block Countries. Enjoy your acquisitions Walter.  

Has anyone heard the Synthesis Roma 69DC DAC?

I recently heard one and felt it was as good or not better than my current DAC which costs twice as much.

Seems too good to be true,

Yes, the Roma 69DC is a very good DAC.  Also good are the DACs built into Synthesis integrated amps.  This is a company that delivers good value. 

Italy does have quite a few good Audio companies.  I like the stuff from Lector; they make very good DACs and phono stages.  I recently discovered some pretty decent sounding speakers from a company called Rosso Fiorentino.