So Saturday I had my demo of the Sugden IA-4 with Acalex.
An like usual I'm a bit later to write down my finding as him...sorry
First of all the shop is in the center of Antwerp…an I was expecting a bit of a HI-fi supermarket looking to their web-site, not at all the shop was kind of small but was full of gear.
So like mentioned all the gear was already set up like asked by the phone The IA-4 was warmed up cdp was the same as mine an connected to 683 as I have at home….
First of all we tried some cd’s like usual. First impression for me was this sound really good…An this means it is pretty close to the sound I will get at home for 2 or 3years while I save the money for my speaker upgrade. Witch will be pretty good considering the price of my speakers.
Even if I thought this was really nice for the speakers, but soon we both thought there was something missing (kind of the feeling even if it was good that the music an voice was hide behind big curtains.), an asked to connect D 18 first.
An yes this was immediately a world of difference There was the voice, warmed, bass an detail. This was for me the kind of sound I’m after even if on some tracks I think it was slightly to airy. But this was noticeable but not really disturbing.
The Metallic drum sound on a track Acalex was talking about well I didn’t really notice that But this is probably because he knows this track really well so he know’ s how it is supposed to sound I heard the track for the first time I think…
So I was convinced of the harmony between Sugden an Proarc. Then We Tried a few vinyl’s which for me was even mor emotional an warm…We tried this on a Gyrodec costing around 2500€ (so same price as the performance) the phono stage was a trichord costing around 550€ MC as the integrated phono stage is a MM on the IA-4 (this would be fine for me as I’m planning to by thr performance which have a MM cardridge standard). As we still had the feeling speakers where the weakest link, I asked to connect the D28 like the dealer suggested on the phone. Bummer He didn’t have theme in the shop L…. So we continue the deme with the D18 which to be honest where already amazing….
The dealer asked me to contact him in the beginning of next month to try out the IA-4 on D28 an D40 with a VPI scout II TT
So to be completely honest this was a great demo Coming to the sound I’m after. Although I have the feeling the AMS 35i have more detail, punch an bass… Let just say without going to far in detail the AMS have that little more in every department.
But hey let’s not go over the top before hearing the IA-4 on other speakers.
An it’s a shame we can’t compare both amps next to each other…
So my Personal conclusion is:
This is a great amp I will consider for 1 it’s 2000€ cheaper than the AMS an it have a build in phono stage.
An sonically it was what I’m after an it’s not mil’s away from the AMS it’s actually pretty dam close…But it’s not on the top of my list, that will still be the AMS at this moment.
A reason:
Well let’s say that the dealer in Antwerp was nice, But didn’t really want to cut a deal.
Well not exactly he want to cut a deal if I buy the package TT, amp, but he is not selling clear audio which is on the top of my list L
So if he don’t make a good deal I’m better of buying an AMS because the deals I have on the AMS is close to the retail price of the IA-4.
But if I can get the same kind of deal on the IA-4 …it’s another story.
Because;
Its than 1 it’s considerably cheaper (around 1500€)
An it have a built in phono stage which will also save me around 700€.
An even if I still think the AMS is a better amp, the IA-4 is certainly really close….
So this was one of the productive day’s in my sound hunting J. !!!GREAT AMp!!!!
Next writing will be for next week I have a demo Saturday of the Perreaux 150/250i Eloquance…. I hope you’re in Acalex…
Grtz
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