Lavardin is reference integrated amplifier

One of my last real jobs in audio was to let down what would become Lavardin. I was working in a well-known audio retailer at the time, and we already had more than our fair share of amplifiers.

Amazing Grace. July A simple black box with just two knobs on its front panel, the IS Reference could easily be mistaken for a purist, hair-shirt, English design where the inclusion of even a balance control is taken as a decadent frill. The French are well known for making the small details of life an artistic experience. You just have to love a culture where the government subsidizes the baking of baguettes and where small talk is usually a detailed and loving description of a wonderful meal of two nights ago. It is a gentle hint of the sensual pleasure the Lavardin evokes when playing music. Now being imported by the very capable Walter Swanbon of Fidelis AV, Lavardin is back to stay and with very attractive special introductory pricing.

Lavardin is reference integrated amplifier

Model ISx Reference Red edition optional. Its exacting circuits and power supply receive special upgrades in order to further allow the fantastic potential of our low memory technology to come to fruition. The power output remains the same as for the Model ISx, but micro-dynamics and resolution are increased to allow greater expression of the feeling and intention of the music. Thus also the sound stage is wider, detail is sharper and the presentation is more mature, even if the sound balance remains respectfully neutral as with the Model ISx. Its extreme transparency, over the full bandwidth is in contrast with midband focused transparency of the best tube amplifiers. Its micro dynamics, never aggressive, clumsy or confused is in contrast with almost all transistor and digital amplifiers. Never has an amplifier done so much at such an affordable price, for music and for the pleasure of the listener. It simply destroys musicality what ever the price of the DAC, server or computer. Now, for a much better sound, simply set both DAC and computer at full level and set the volume thanks to the Lavardin amplifier remote handset. Further more, the direct connection to the heart of the amplifier guaranties better sonic results than any external devices. For ultimate quality, both AV and stereo signals are routed directly without any additional bypass switch nor relay!

The phono stage is designed to ground through the RCA plugs; there is no separate grounding post. The noise of the tape was perfectly audible in quiet passages, but it was neither emphasized nor dampened - it sounded just like form a high quality turntable.

If we look closely, it turns out that there is really no such thing as "lineup" in their case. At least if by lineup one understands the ordered, structured logically fitting to different price shelves set of devices, then only medium and large size manufacturers are able to plan the lineup and refresh it on regular basis. On the one hand, new devices appear spontaneously when the designer - usually the owner at the same time - prepares something that can be called a "new" and at the same time "satisfying" his expectations product. In such a case, we are offered something really new and well-thought-through. This is an advantage that I would call "personal". But there is also the other side of the coin.

One of my last real jobs in audio was to let down what would become Lavardin. I was working in a well-known audio retailer at the time, and we already had more than our fair share of amplifiers. Although we were always interested in new designs, the chances of the store taking on a new brand both new to the store and new to audio were limited. Sadly, we still had no choice but to turn down Lavardin, but in fairness, it was still very much a work in progress. Fast-forward to the present, and Lavardin has built a small, but loyal, following in the audiophile community. So, when the opportunity arose to test the latest Model ISx integrated from the brand, we jumped at the chance. Lavardin remains suitably gnomic about the new models, having made no announcement on its site and having virtually no information about the new product made available to the public as yet. This is an attempt to overcome the memory effect inherent to semiconductors, where a large signal leaves a small after-effect that can influence the following signal. This, Lavardin has long postulated, is one of the reasons why people like products that sound like single-ended triode amps; the memory effect is gone, and the sound is more immediate. This is a stance — unique to Lavardin — that stands very much at odds with current no pun intended thinking, and methods of investigating the effect on audio circuitry stand outside the normal corpus of audio measurement.

Lavardin is reference integrated amplifier

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Input sensitivity millivolts MM phono input factory option. The bigger manufacturers can do more - it's a truism, but it perfectly shows the importance of the so-called "large scale". The ease with which it opens the aesthetic world of music to the listener is priceless. Freed from listening through false and smeared brightness, one wastes no mental energy trying to guess what instrument is playing. See all our hi-fi amplifier Best Buys. Highly musical amplifier with detailed and rich sound without being bright or exaggeratedin any frequency. Now, for UK, you can buy a lot of hi-fi. UK for a fairly let's make that very plain looking black box! The system is entirely composed of transistors. I don't care that it doesn't have a remote control thingy. It could well be, except the IS Reference is amazingly fluid in its delivery, making almost all rival amplifiers sound mechanical in comparison.

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

No wonder that the Lavardin company, which we are talking about this time, does not hurry with new products. One particularly stimulating session involved tracing the violin back through time and then across the world to its Central Asian roots. This cookie is set by the Sumo. If you think I am going to readily give this amp back to the editor, you are making a big mistake. The idea that this wonderful sound was actually being produced by a bunch of resistors, capacitors, transistors and other electronic gizmos was becoming increasingly difficult to comprehend. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. For ultimate quality, both AV and stereo signals are routed directly without any additional bypass switch nor relay! There are only three feet underneath, and this surprised me a bit when 1 made the mistake of leaning on one corner. This cookie can only be read from the domain they are set on and will not track any data while browsing through other sites. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Well it does happen, and it's just happened to me, in the shape of a slightly average looking amplifier that relatively recently redefined my hi-fi quality parameters, set my ears alight, and completely convinced me that I would never, ever, find any amplifier that could out-perform it. I'm pretty sure that if they could, they would get rid of it too. The subjective listener is paramount. And so, I was presented with an amplifier-sized cardboard box which I took home, unpacked, and began hooking up to my system. Fast-forward to the present, and Lavardin has built a small, but loyal, following in the audiophile community.