as appeared in audioMUSINGS
Issue No. 1 1998
by Sherman HongDo not be fooled by the
diminutive size and weight of the Alternate Audio
CA35 amplifier. This amplifier was a real
discovery for me, as I had never previously heard
of Alternate Audio. My reference amplifier is an
Accuphase P-550, rated at 270 watts ($2500). One
would think this would be a battle between David
and Goliath. The Accuphase has its
advantages-better bass, effortless dynamics, and
so on. However, the CA35 possessed a special
magic of its own. Choosing between these two
amplifiers was more difficult than anticipated.
As comparison began, both amplifiers sat on Black
Diamond Racing cones and "The Shelf"
platforms, connected with Acrotec 6N-2050
interconnects, Acrotec 8N-1080 speaker cables,
and LAT power cords. Directly driving both
amplifiers was an Accuphase DP-75 CD player, with
the amplifiers driving ProAc Response 3.5
speakers. The faceplate of the CA35 supports an
on/off and a standby/play switch. The back panel
accommodates one set of RCA input and binding
posts, a master power switch, and a detachable
power cord connector. The chassis is composed of
machined aluminum panels, a la Jeff Rowland. The
CA35 does have one quirk-the plarity is inverted.
It is therefore imperative to reverse speaker
connections. This is not sufficiently emphasized
in the instruction manual, which would make life
easier.
The CA35 had enough warmth to communicate emotion
without inundating the typical solid-state-like
presentation. The spatial perspective was
immediate, without sounding forward. The ambiance
of individual recordings came through with ease.
The images of instruments were three dimensional
and true, although slightly miniaturized. The
music originated behind and beyond the plane
between the speakers. While soundstage width and
depth were not as prodigious as the Accuphase's,
it was excellent by any standard.
As one would expect from such a low-powered
amplifier, the bass was not as abundant as my
reference. The quantity of bass, however, was
more than made up for in quality. The bottom
octave struck with speed, control, precision, and
proportional weight! The synthesizer on Watermark
by Enya pounded, with dimensionality and
proportionate authority. The intricate nuances on
"Orinoco Flow" were reproduced with
detail and clarity. All instruments came through
with a sense of air and space between performers
that was on a par with my reference. At normal
listening levels, the music never compressed or
smeared during strenuous passages. The bass,
drums, and twelve-string guitars on Nicky
Skopelitis' Ekstasis performed unrestrainedly,
with such smashing dynamics that one forgets that
the amplifier only has 25 watts of power.
Nevertheless, the Alternate Audio amplifier
lacked the ultimate solidity and bottom-end punch
of Accuphase.
The midrange really glowed through with the CA35.
Vocals and saxophones were accurate and natural.
There was a sense of "tactility" that
is rare among mid-price amplifiers. Dusty
Springield's voice on Casino Royale came through
smooth and lifelike, reminiscent the sound of
tube amplifiers. Low-level resolution was
effortless.
The piano notes in Beethoven's
"Pathetique," on the soundtrack
Immortal Beloved, decayed naturally, and were
suspended in air. However, the CA35's midrange
was still not quite as transparent or palpable as
that of my reference.
Higher frequencies were also exceptional. The
treble was transparent and clear, though slightly
polite and warm. As a result, music sounded
smooth and gentle. Guitar strings were pleasant
and yet detailed on "Nobody knows when your
down and out" on Eric Clapton's Unplugged.
The cymbals were brushed with authentic sweet
metallic-ness on Oxnard Sessions: Volume One. The
top end sounded slightly rolled off in contrast
to my reference. The Accuphase possesses the
ultimate in extension and resolution without
sounding excessively warm, bright, or etched.
On disc after disc I found the tube-like liquid
quality of this amplifier quite delightful. I
listened to entire CDs, as opposed to just
individual tracks. The tonal balance of CA35
falls somewhere between tube and solid-state
amplifiers. Top-to-bottom coherency and leading
edge transient response were impressive indeed.
The Alternate Audio will compress if pushed hard.
Moderate listening levels or efficient speaker
designs will be necessary to get the best out of
this amplifier.
Overall, I can't recommend this amplifier more
enthusiastically! It's wonderful that a bit of
sonic paradise can be attained without taking a
second mortgage on the house. I can't wait until
its bigger brother appears on the scene.
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