Lavardin is reference integrated amplifier

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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.

Lavardin is reference integrated amplifier

You know - the feeling that you've been somewhere, or done something before? 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. Rule 1: Never say never! From this review, you would - quite correctly - have got the impression that, as far as I was concerned, the IS integrated was undoubtedly the finest 30 Watt amp known to man, and that it was significantly better than sliced bread - or unsliced, or toasted! I was content that, at last, I had discovered the audio Holy Grail, and all was well with the hi-fi world! The only problem with it was that I eventually had to give it back. I did put up a hell of a fight though, and it took four of them to Wrest it from my grasp. One of them is still walking with a limp! Then the IS Reference arrived. For the uninitiated, I will "crib" a few salient bits of information from the previous review, as to all intents and purposes, at least visually the IS Reference is identical to the standard IS. The Lavardin IS amplifier is made in France. It is not large - neither in physical proportion, or in rated power. It is black, and boasts as minimalist a design as you could possibly expect.

The smaller than US-normal speaker binding posts might preclude ocean liner-mooring cable lugs; I had no problem with the banana plugs I use. It has beautiful colors and is incredibly fast.

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.

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. Never heard of it? The company hardly ever changes its products, making just a couple of revisions to its range over the last two decades. But most of all they are about sound quality, in which they tend to set a standard that few high-end alternatives can approach. Of course. Normally we would scoff at such claims, but in this case we can testify the original called the IS Reference was indeed a superlative product - and Lavardin can point to a survey where

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. 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.

The other zoey behind the scenes

This cookie can only be read from the domain they are set on and will not track any data while browsing through other sites. Cookie Settings Accept All. Disregarding them is interesting because the negative impact of MC cartridges magnetization has been known for many years - special demagnetizing systems are used to get rid of it. Lavardin gently rounded it, but it did not slow it down - something I rarely hear. On the pictures posted on the Internet, apart from the red front, the amplifier also has red rims of the volume and input selector knobs — the reviewed unit had these elements in silver, so I do not know which one is the actual version. So Lavardin sounded incredibly "analog", because that's what this type of presentation is associated with, but also intensely. The sound was, given the age of recordings, phenomenal in its truthness. These seemingly all-important audiophile aspects become mere trivialities next to the way it makes music sound like music! Further more, the direct connection to the heart of the amplifier guaranties better sonic results than any external devices. The top-plate is relatively thin and undamped. Social Links Navigation. I have not found any information about the sensitivity of this input. The signature sonic impression of the Lavardin integrated amp is that of a complete lack of edge, harshness, false brightness, and nastiness. Marketing hype? Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi?

It had already seen a little action in the field, so presumably arrived run in Lavardin is unconvinced by the need for burning in, as it says all that has been done in the factory anyway. From the transformer comes a single secondary, symmetrical winding, therefore there is one rectifier bridge — based on high-speed Schottky diodes; between the channels, only the capacitors suppressing the ripple from the power grid are separated. 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. The ISx Reference is not as transparent or as fast, but with the tonality similar to that of KT and EL34 tubes, it outperforms them in terms of micro-dynamics and keeps everything in perfect order. I don't care that it doesn't have a remote control thingy. Sadly, we still had no choice but to turn down Lavardin, but in fairness, it was still very much a work in progress. As the manufacturer says, it is able to perfectly present what was so exciting about the IT model. The tested amplifier is not stereotypical though, it breaks out of it quite quickly. In the technical data we can find information that the sensitivity of this input is 2 mV, which means that it is suitable not only for classic MM cartridges with a mV output voltage, but also for the MC HO type, usually with an output voltage of mV. How do you know what can dance? Adblocker Detected. Remote control?