Abrahamsen V2.0 UP Integrated Amp.

[ROB2009]

Hi, does anyone have any experience of the Abrahamsen V2.0 UP integrated amp?

I can't find many reviews so interested in what people's thoughts are...

 

[Burnsie]

I have had one for a while now and think it is a very good amp, there a a review of it on HiFi wigwam

http://www.hifiwigwam.com/abrahamsen-v2-0-up-integrated-amplifier-review/

I know they are hard to get a demo of but there are a few folk on here that have one or IQ who sells them and I'm sure if you are close to any of them they would let you have a listen.

 

[ROB2009]

Thanks for your input, I've already emailed a couple of questions to Colin at IQ who was very helpful and quick to reply. They are about an hour away from me so might be worth arranging a demo, although in my experience you need a home demo to see how it sounds with your own equipment and in your own environment. Might hold out to demo the new Cyrus One as well when it's available.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

There are lots of threads on the abrahamsen 2up amp on what Hifi ... I own one and glad I do it's a very good amp £900 and if your not far from Colin I would recommend a demo with Colin . I tried to setup a thread on here about the abrahamsen but some members thought I was Colin trying to drum up business which Colin Is not allowed to do on here so sorry you would have to google abrahamsen you should get the old abrahamsen post come up which should help you more I would recommend this amp .

 

[dap33]

i have one and it's a cracking bit of kit...built like a tank

 

[ROB2009]

Appreciate your thoughts.

The manual says that if the unit has been switched off, to allow two hours of warm-up to optimise sonic performance. That's a lot of planning ahead....would you agree with this "warm-up" statement?

Also, have you used the amp in HT mode at all?

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Appreciate your thoughts.

The manual says that if the unit has been switched off, to allow two hours of warm-up to optimise sonic performance. That's a lot of planning ahead....would you agree with this "warm-up" statement?

Also, have you used the amp in HT mode at all?

personally I switch mine on 20 minutes before I use it and it sounds ok to me some people leave it on all of the time but I do not agree with 2 hours warm -ups with this amp after playing 20 minutes of music it gets hot anyway . I am not sure what you mean by HT mode ? Are you talking about if you use the abrahamsen to run the fronts in a home cinema setup ?

 

[ROB2009]

Yes, exactly as you said, according to the manual if you push the volume knob you get the menu and you can set up one of the inputs to home theatre mode, which bypasses the volume control on the v2.0

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Yes, exactly as you said, according to the manual if you push the volume knob you get the menu and you can set up one of the inputs to home theatre mode, which bypasses the volume control on the v2.0

I have not done it personally but I have tried to use that input to run a power amp in bi-amping mode which it will work but not really meant for that purpose but yes you can combine the abrahamsen with a home cinema amp and use the abrahamsen to run the two front channels but I do not have a home cinema yet so I have not tried it but hopefully someone will come a long who has

 

[Blacksabbath25]

The thing about abrahamsen 2up amp is you would not find any amp in the uk that will sound as good as the abrahamsen 2up for £900 because your choice would be arcam A19 , A29 roskin k3 , marantz pm8005 which I had and is a very good amp for £600 and a lot more amps around £1200 the abrahamsen is in the £3000 bracket of sound quality and built in my opinion . I am using Dali opticon 8s they are 4ohm speakers and the abrahamsen doubles the power in pure class A you can not get any better then that it's a serious amp for the money it really is . On the down side it has no phono stage for TT so you would have to buy one the other thing is the cd input is XLR or RCA on the display if you used RCA it would have to read DVD or one of the other inputs will be displayed but if you use XLR input by using a cdplayer with the XLRs on it then the display will show balanced cd it makes no difference but it would have been nice to have cd for RCA too

 

[ROB2009]

The only source that I would connect is a Sonos Connect, don't need a phone stage.

 

[mocenigo]

Hi, does anyone have any experience of the Abrahamsen V2.0 UP integrated amp?

I can't find many reviews so interested in what people's thoughts are...

I am a happy owner of the V3.0UP/V4.0UP combo. I can tell you that the sound is stunning for its price bracket, and would be also if the price were doubled. If it is trebled, you encroach Supernait 2 territory, and the latter would soundly beat the Abrahamsens.

I expect the V2.0UP to be not much different from V3.0UP+V4.0UP.

If you know Electrocompaniet, you mostly know Abrahamsen, but there are some differences - for the most part improvements. Qualities: deep and wide, substantially firm soundstage. Granitic bass. Very linear but on the warm/dark side (but less than, say, Electrocompaniet gear). Very natural mids, mellow and clear, extended highs. Spectacularly natural with strings, both bowed and plucked, voices, percussion. "Just" very good with woodwinds and brass. Can drive relatively difficult loads with ease.

Con: it is a bit noisier than other amps in the higher price brackets where it could still defend itself succesfully. The augmented capacitor reservoir serves to provide ooomph more than filtering, and the transformer is really, really big (1000VA) so you have some 50Hz hum from the speakers, however, even with moderately sensitive speakers no longer audible from a couple of feet. Hiss from tweeters is audible only if you stick your ears close to the tweeter. But there are more silent amps. With quite complex scenes there is a bit lf loss of clarity, of air between the instruments, but to get something better be prepared to spend significantly more.

As you can see, the cons are just nitpicking. The emotional involvement of listening with the Abrahamsen is at vintage NAIM level, but with no harshness in the treble, no mid-bass hump as in amps like the NAP 140, and a more realistic, less flat-earthly soundscape.

Roberto

 

[mocenigo]

Appreciate your thoughts.

The manual says that if the unit has been switched off, to allow two hours of warm-up to optimise sonic performance. That's a lot of planning ahead....would you agree with this "warm-up" statement?

Also, have you used the amp in HT mode at all?

Warm-up: yes and no. In the audiophile world of today you do not sound credible if you do not write something like that. The difference however, is there. It does sound better warmed up a bit, mostly because of "capacitor forming" which is a real fact. The sound becomes cleaner, and it gains a bit in power and presence. Not huge differences, but they are there, and some audiophiles would refuse to listen to their gear if just turned on.

Roberto