Audion’s kit has always elicited praise. It’s aesthetically pleasing, both aurally and visually, and by and large the sound quality is very good. The renowned Silver Night (push-pull) monoblocks were hotly followed by the single ended stereo chassis version, and this has now been superseded by the £4000 per pair Golden Night SCSE which stands for Self-Cancelling Single Ended. The self-cancelling bit refers to the second harmonic distortion which is usually prevalent (though not in huge amounts) in single-ended amplifiers. Here, the second harmonic has been effectively nullified by some ingenious circuitry, and the effect is quite remarkable.

As with the Silver Nights, the Golden Nights are mono blocks, but this time with a single 300B output tube per channel yielding some 8-9 watts. The input and driver stages of the amp are something of a secret, using valves not normally found in audio circuits, and specifically chosen for this particular application. One is a single triode (as opposed to the more usual double-triode arrangement).

Low-power triode amplifiers (or any low-powered amplifier, if it comes to that) need efficient speakers if they are to give their best in both musical, and dynamic and loudness terms. Bearing this in mind, a pair of Audio-Note Ks were initially connected, and the amps were fed by an Impulse Moskito turntable, via an Audion pre-amp.

Starting from cold, the amps had a bit of treble glare, and the bass seemed a bit hard, but after half an hour of running these anomalies had ironed themselves out, and the system began to settle down.

The one thing which was immediately obvious was the sheer musical clarity of the design. I suppose for £4000 you’d expect a good product, but the ‘see-through’ character of the presentation was something for which I was quite unprepared. This effect was made all the more noticeable by the immense quiet in the background. Most amplifiers exhibit some background noise, but the Golden Nights were so quiet that I had to check they were still on, or that the mains fuse hadn’t failed.

One interesting aspect of the Golden Night’s performance arose on vocal jazz. The singer seemed to be just slightly brightly lit, acquiring a luminescence compared with the accompanying musicians.

The bass here was tighter than I’d known a 300B design offer before, and despite all the musical niceties and sweat in the performances, the Golden Nights were totally unflustered. They seemed to have much more power than their normal rating would suggest, and later with more inefficient speakers this was confirmed through listening - they drove a pair of original Quad electrostatics to quite surprising levels before they began to run out of steam.

There was no hint that the Golden Nights exhibited any slowness in the bass, and several recent dance hits played loudly in succession proved that not only can the bass keep up, but it’s there in abundance. At the bottom end the Golden Nights are no slouches. They have weight, definition and agility; commendable out of a single 300B tube, though perhaps those who prefer behemoth solid state devices may find them a little lacking.

In conclusion, these amps aren’t fussy about what sort of music you play, though they are critical of unsympathetic partnering equipment - speakers or sources. Any weakness in the source will be revealed and speakers need to be chosen with due regard for the amp’s low output. Assuming those caveats are taken into account, the Golden Nights will certainly convey the magic and music of every performance, and you’ll enjoy music like you never have before.

 

Audion Silver Night Premier 2 and Silver Night Anniversary Triode Mono amps

Pre/Power amps £1500 and £3250
For Gorgeous open sound, dynamically capable
Against Requires the right speakers
Verdict Audion’s amps can produce breathtaking clarity, and a suitable weighty drive when partnered with sensitive speakers

These are a bit special. We loved the company’s £700 entry-level amp in June (Sterling Stereo) and now we’re looking at the Silver Night Anniversary edition combination - a four-box amplifier consisting of a preamplifier with a separate power supply and two mono power amplifiers. It’s called the Anniversary, incidentally, because Audion celebrates ten years of design and manufacture this year.

This is extremely low-power audio: the power amps produce only 25W apiece. They need careful partnering with speakers - we used 94dB/W/m-sensitive £1860 Audio Note AN-E/SPs.

These amps are gorgeously finished in gold-plate metal casework from which the triode valves stand up, glowing like bottled sparks in the dark. The preamp features five inputs, one of which is a phono stage to cater for record players with moving magnet or high-output moving-coil cartridges. There is a tape loop for recording and two sets of pre-outputs for the power stages or a headphone amp. Source selecting is via toggle switches on the fascia. The Anniversary power amps use audiophile-favourite 300B valves made in China, then selected and matched by Audion, and given a year’s guarantee (as are the smaller triodes). Of course these valves can be replaced to tailor sound somewhat, and Audion can supply different driver triodes - so you could have one set for listening to rock music, another for chamber orchestras! These hand-made models are reconfigured versions of the original Silver Night power amps, with silver wiring throughout and polypropylene capacitors instead of electrolytics - much of the circuit has changed to improve the overall speed of the design says Audion.

With a comparatively low output, you might think the sound wouldn’t have much attack. However, the amps deliver as much energy as you can take, and those who say you can’t play rock and roll with a valve amp should get a blast of these. We played ZZ Top’s Rhythmeen from the album of the same name and found they drive as hard as the Electrocompaniet, while exhibiting exemplary control over the twists and turns in the music. The silver wire tends to smooth the signal as it speeds up, but these amps are also more revealing, the Audion's having an extremely rare openness. This works both in terms of timing and dynamics, creating extra space so you hear more of the musical timing as well as the character of instruments.

This gives well-recorded music an almost ethereal character, and our disc of 18th-Century Overtures from Philips with Raymond Leppard and the New Philharmonia Orchestra was presented with new levels of insight. The violins had an extraordinary rasping sweetness, while the timpani came across with awesome acoustic depth.

You can be spellbound by music from a transistor radio - our ears are masters at dealing with almost any economy of truth that electronics put in the way of music from when it was played to when it reaches you. But given that hi-fi components set hurdles in the way of musical signal, we would have to say that these amps come close to giving that signal a pretty clear run of things. There were times when the level of clarity was staggering, and the focus afforded an almost uninterrupted view on recordings.

While we enjoyed playing these amps loud with live music levels they really excel at delivering decent dynamics and bandwidth at very low volume. This is one of the great boons of a well-designed valve amp. Listening to Mighty Sam McClain singing Give it up to Love during one hushed late-night session we marveled at the amount of music coming through to the speakers, with the bass sounding full and resonant and the high hats retaining the brittle metallic character they have when the amps are steaming. Bit of an amp for all sessions really...
WHAT HI-FI

 

The Silver Nights (SNs) were delivered to my store by Randall Bankert of O.S. Services. From the beginning I knew these amplifiers had to sound good (I believe in “things usually sound the way they look”) because looking at them sure was a delight. They are elegant and simple in form. Being fairly low in profile, for a tube amp, is a nice touch. On the front panel is a variable input adjustment. The back panel consists of a gold RCA input jack, four nicely done knurled speaker posts (1 negative and 3 positive - 2, 4, 8 ohm), a detachable power cord, and something all tube amps should have, a ground lifting switch. The 300Bs are branded “ROD Hot Tubes” and appear to be Chinese in construction. All in all, fit n’ finish appears to be fairly good.

The Nights saw duty in two different systems:
System one consisted of a CAL CL-15 or ARC CD2 CD Players, Cary Audio SLP98 Preamp w/phono, Diapason Adamantes II speakers. Comparison amps on hand consisted of Cary CAD805Bs. Cabling was WireWorld Polaris III throughout. The front end equipment was plugged into a AudioPrism Foundation III AC Filter. The amps were run directly off the dedicated wall outlets. An Arizona Tube Audio NF-1 Bass Notch Filter was used to tame a room resonance hump at 79Hz. Various RoomTune acoustical treatments filled out the rest of the room taming duties.

System two, which is my home system, consisted of a CAL DX-2 CD Player, home built turntable w/Rega RB300 modded for VTA adjustment, Blue Point Special cartridge, Anthem Pre 1L line stage, ARC PH3 phono stage. Comparison amplification was VTL Tiny Triode Limited Editions and an antique original Harman Kardon Citation II. Nordost Blue Heaven and WireWorld Atlantis interconnects, homebrew speakers and power cables. Mild RoomTune acoustical treatments provide the finishing touches.

SOUND: Lets just say that right from the start there was something special about these amps. They just seemed to grab hold of the music and really boogie! Very similar to my Citation - believe it or not, this amp rocks! The 25 watts of the SNs sounded more like 70 or 80. The bottom end was very robust. Forget what you think you know about 300B amps’ bass. These will convince you that 300Bs will go low with authority. Occasionally, a little bit of tubbiness came through, but it in no way distracted from the presentation (This showed up more in system #2 - so, it probably was room/speaker interface related and set off by the SNs’ bass authority/extension). The rest of the stuff happenin’ down low made up for it though. Bass lines were very well separated. On a lot of pop albums, bass lines usually get buried in the mix. The SNs unravelled them and made them easy to follow. Upper bass had that slight warmth to it, but the speed of the bass mixed very well with it. The top end was very extended also yet retained the 300B silkiness. Vaughn Bros.’ Family Style CD is one that never really sounded all that good (somewhat irritating). With the Silver Nights, I could listen to this recording over and over without fatigue. Try that with solid state amps! Cymbals had a lovely sheen to them without sounding like typical white noise that CDs can often have. Soundstaging and imaging (my priorities) were good. Soundstage depth wasn’t as deep as very good single-ended amps, but layering was portrayed well. Side-by-side spacing was mapped out well also. Image height seemed to be well rendered and appropriate.

The one true test for me is “Am I paying attention to the music or the equipment?”
With the SNs, I was just going along with the rhythms. I think that this factor is often overlooked when auditioning equipment. I really didn’t listen to the SNs to do a review on them. Instead I listened to them to enjoy the music. To me - this is what it’s all about!
- Dan Mazza, USA

First off, I would like to thank Leslie for contributing his review of his recently purchased Audion amp. The thoroughness and detail in the review is first class - YC

I would like to share with you my recent experience in changing my power amp from solid state to tube. You may like to post it on your website so that others who are in similar dilemma can have a hint. More importantly, I hope to see more people contributing so share their own experience. But for the very rich guys who can easily go for the Audio Note/Jadis types, perhaps they would like to skip this article. (he's just too modest - YC)

Please note that my comments are in the context of my music preference. If my preference has been different, the result might have been totally different. Also, you may want to make some editing/changes to this comments of mine in case there are certain things you think are not necessary or appropriate to include. Thanks.

My old system: CD player: Marantz CD63MkII KI-S
Pre-amp: Quicksilver LS (tube)
Power amp: Rotel RB971 power amp (solid state)
Speakers: Focus Audio FS68
Cables: Self-made Belden

Music preference (more than 90% of the time): Classical music (Western and Chinese), vocal (soprano, tenor, some slow jazz and oldies), solo instruments: violin, cello, guitar.

I have always wanted to change my power amp to tube, so that I can enjoy the wonderful sound of full tube system. But I was quite hesitant, mainly because of the trouble/maintenance and cost associated with tube power amp. But I knew that sooner or later, I would change. At the same time, I was on the look-out for something affordable/good value (I didn't want to spend too much). Among those affordable/good value system (e.g. Diva, Houston) that I have heard, I am most impressed (in terms of vocal sweetness/airy/emotion/musical aspects) with those at Soul of Music and Zenn Audio.

Then the other day I was at Audiolab (Adelphi) and casually (I was there with my friend who was looking for a pair of speakers), I slipped in one of my favourite soprano albums. Unprepared, I was immediately impressed and amazed. Based on my memory, it sounded warmer and more airy than my tube/ss combo and very similar to those full-tube systems I have heard. I checked the components - Audion Premier pre-amp (separate PS) and Audion Sterling power amp. I then learned that the power amp is a single-ended (SE) design with 12wpc of power. Price quoted was quite attractive. One concern was the power. My speaker has a sensitivity of 85db, though impedence is 8ohms; even the dealer was a bit sceptical.

So I decided to do some research on it. Audio Review website has some reviews of it and coincidentally, one of them is using this amp with a Focus Audio FS68 (without pre-amp). So I emailed him and his reply was very encouraging. Moreover, I recalled that Audio 88 was driving this speaker wonderfully with their 13wpc Houston Mini.

Additional information from magazines and some websites told me that SE tube amp is believed to be best sounding (I think this may be debatable), and they are cheaper to produce due to its simpler circuit and transformer. Because of this, it is also easier to make SE amps sound good. Now, I think this second point is important. That means theoretically, for a given price level, a SE amp would give better performance than others (e.g. push-pull). So for someone looking for tube amp with limited budget, a SE design is a good start.

So, after listening to many of my favourite CDs with the Audion and Rotel, I finally decided to buy the Audion. I believed that at this price level, I couldn't have bought better.

My comparison: I listened with many disc, mainly orchestral works, female vocal, male vocal, soprano, tenor, piano and violin.

1). Bass wise (double bass, drums, no rock or disco type of bass) - The Rotel sounded more controlled and tighter. (But I later placed three cheap metal cones under the Audion and it helped a little. Maybe I should get another set of DH cones.)

2). Female and male vocals - The Audion (as expected) is the absolute winner. Here, the Audion sounded fuller, thicker, and sweeter than the Rotel. There seemed to be more airy. This is especially obvious on tracks from albums of Jacintha and Sam Cooke (note these are recorded with tube equipments). Here, the Rotel tells you it's electronic.

3). Violin - Again the Audion won. The violin sounded smoother, more open, more real and less edgy than with the Rotel. Through the Rotel, some of my violin CDs sounded as though they are shrilling. With the Audion, I can listen to and enjoy all my violin CDs. This is a very important attribute.

4). Transparency - The Audion provides more transparency and details. With the Rotel, some of the vocal CDs sounded muffled. This is especially obvious in one of the soprano albums (also recorded with tubes). One piano CD contains some background noise which was easily revealed by the Audion. This, I believe, can be improved with a more capable (higher-priced) solid state power amp.

5). Power - The Audion did not lose out too much here, even with big orchestral works. The Audion handled complex passages equally well. With one of the tenor album, however, the Audion seemed to have some difficulty when I turned the volume up (much louder than normal listening level). But I am using a small room now (I guess most people in Singapore are), so this is not a big problem.

For above 1), 2) and 3), the texture of the instruments and vocals are indisputably better with the Audion.

My conclusion is, for people who listen to a lot of vocals, violin/strings, piano and very little of bass, a full-tube system will give a more satisfying result (at this price point). Please note that this is not really a comparison between Rotel and Audion. It was more a comparison between a budget solid state amp and a budget tube amp. I was thinking, how about a solid state power amp of similar price level (S$1,000+)? My guess is, with direct comparison, the tube one will still offer better sound for my kind of music. If I am listening to a lot of pop/rock, my conclusion might have been different.

But some people may say that my pre-amp+power is already in the range of S$3,000+, so with a little bit more, I can actually get a good (aka branded) integrated (e.g. Jadis Orchestra/Manley Stingray). But then I actually started off with only a CD player, power amps and speakers. I added the pre-amp later. Now, it's time for me to change my power amp (for the better). This is one advantage of separates. You can add/change one component at a time. My next target - CD player (tube?).

Finally, I would say that as far as I can recall, the tube systems at Soul of Music and Zenn Audio are still the most impressive in terms of emotion/musicality aspects. Perhaps, it's because at Soul of Music, they are using a tube CD player (Lector) and at Zenn Audio, his 300B pre-amp?

My current system:
CD player: Marantz CD63MkII KI-S
Pre-amp: Quicksilver LS (tube)
Power amp: Audion Sterling ETSE (stereo)
Speakers: Focus Audio FS68
Cables: Self-made Belden

I would like to add that the Audion amp runs at very high temperature. According to the manual, when in operation, the amp gives out heat equivalent to a 25w bulb (there are some tube amps which run hotter). I think this is partly because the whole unit is enclosed. Unlike most other tube power amps, the Audion has its transformers and all parts encased, such that heat cannot escape fast enough. But after using it for a week or so, I found it not a problem at all. When you touch the unit, it is hot, but not to the extend that you will get burn. But this design is another plus, as it is compact and looks neat and simple.

Furthermore, it comes with an Alps volume control at the front, so for those who uses only one source (e.g. CD player), they can use this amp without a pre-amp. From the internet, I know some people suggested changing this volume control to a step-resistor design which will give better sound. I think this amp gives another advantage to starters who just need a power amp with a CD player and speakers. They can then buy a (tube) pre-amp at later stage. Using it with other pre-amp is not a problem I believe, as the volume control can in effect adjust the input sensitivity to match any pre-amp.

You can contact Leslie hereLeslie.

June 2002

The Audion Silver Night PX-25 Stereo Power Amplifier
by Dick Olsher

June 2002

Since its inception in 1987, Audion has stayed true to a simple guiding principle: open a doorway into the world of high-end audio without forcing customers to sacrifice their home, first-born child, or bank balance. What a refreshing attitude and a clear break from the greed and excess epitomized by the kilo buck pricing of speaker cable and interconnects.

The Silver Night line launched in 1993 has exemplified that philosophy: good build quality, exceptional looks, and delicious tube sound at a price that the working man can afford. The PX-25 is built on the same chassis as the 300B Silver Night stereo amp; the only external difference being the output tube. Please see my review of the Art Audio PX-25 for background information on this tube. In the version of this review, originally posted on the Review Magazine, I stated that the amp was outfitted with the Chinese Golden Dragon PX-25. This is false. As it turns no true PX25 type is being manufactured in China, and all current production of this tube in fact originates with KR Enterprise in the Czech Republic. So how did I, as well as Audion, come to believe in a Chinese PX25? For starters, there's that prominent Golden Dragon logo on the glass envelope.

Furthermore, I was informed by Audion that when they originally purchased the PX-25 from England they were supplied in Golden Dragon boxes and that they were lead to believe that the tubes were of Chinese origin. After the review first aired, both Audion and Enjoy the Music.comâ„¢ received angry e-mails from Dr. Riccardo Kron attempting to set the record straight.

Apparently a production lot of some two-hundred KR PX-25 tubes were sold to PM Components in the UK. Audion corroborated Kron's allegations and stated that they have recently found out that the tubes were manufactured by KR and were re-branded in the UK under PM Components' "Golden Dragon" brand. Regarding PM Components role in all of this, all I can say is: what a devious sleight of hand! My apologies go out to Dr. Kron and the KR Enterprise team for misstating the true origin of this lovely sounding tube. This is a great looking tube, which uses the original British style base. Beware of imitations: every KR Enterprise tube is manufactured with a number code inside the glass envelope. This code certifies the authenticity of the tube. Dr. Kron tells me that there are imitations floating around, branded as a PX-25, but with the innards of a 300B.

When I asked for a copy of the Silver Night schematic, my request was honored quickly and professionally. There was no attempt to cloak the design in secrecy, no smoke and mirrors in presenting the product. In contrast, most of the designer-label manufacturers are reluctant to expose the truth that they are charging uncommon prices for very common circuits.

Because in the crazy world of high-end exotica, the Silver Night asking price qualifies as a semi bargain, Audion had to make some tough circuit and part choices. Looking over the schematic, I was left with impression of a conventional, keep-it-simple, single-ended triode (SET) design, executed with a large dose of sound engineering and common sense. The input stage uses one half of a 6922 twin triode, while the driver stage is built around one half of a 5687 dual triode. The operating points of these tubes were chosen with due care and they are well decoupled from the power supply. No global feedback is used and local feedback is also avoided, presumably in order to maximize the overall gain. As a result, the sensitivity is high at around 200 mV for full output. My review sample was outfitted with a stereo volume control (50K ohm log pot), which would allow a CD player or even an FM tuner to be input directly - without the need for an intermediate line stage or pre-amplifier.

The power supply is all solid-state. DC filament supplies are used to light up the filaments of the PX-25 output tubes, which are cathode-biased to minimize the effects of tube aging and to ensure soft clipping characteristics. Hum and noise are low, really excellent for a SET, making the Silver Night eminently compatible with high-efficiency (96dB plus) speakers, which is the sort of load any six watts per channel amplifier ultimately hopes and prays for. Speaking of compatible speakers, don't be tempted to mate this amp with low-efficiency loudspeakers, unless you basically listen to FM radio at low volumes. This amplifier will clip and clip often unless your loudspeakers are sufficiently sensitive. Since only 8-ohm output taps are provided, I would recommend that you stick with 8-ohm nominal loads and avoid current-hungry 4-ohm loads.

The Input Stage: Tube Rolling
The Silver Night's design places a large burden of responsibility on the shoulders of the 6922 input tube. To a large extent, the sound of the amp is dominated by the sonics of the input stage. Its sonics live and die by the hands of the 6922 input stage. My review sample was outfitted with a Tesla NOS 6922. This tube sounded mellow and harmonically rich out of the box - good things in my book - but it also placed a veil over the soundstage and fuzzed up image outlines. I found myself straining to make out the inner recesses of the soundstage, while lack of image focus didn't make me a happy camper either. It may not be fair to characterize this tube as factory stock, as no cache of NOS tubes is typically large enough to keep up with production demands. What was puzzling, however, is that my sample - presumably the very same unit that I auditioned at the Winter CES in Las Vegas in January of 2002 - did not sound that way at the Show.

That implied a problem with the stock 6922, so I began to experiment with various substitutions. I tried two samples of the Russian manufactured Sovtek brand and obtained nearly identical sonic results. The Sovtek sounded gutsy, full-bodied through the lower midrange, but also grainy and tonally skewed toward the lower octaves. I naturally tried both Phillips and Siemens 7308s and liked what I heard, but I was determined to offer our readers a top alternative that is readily available and not insanely priced. That turned out to be Richardson's Bugle Boy brand of 6922. This tube is VERY GOOD: extremely smooth sounding with excellent detail. I have received e-mail complaining that the Bugle Boy reissue is nothing more than a re-branding of NOS made-in-USA JAN Philips. Well, it's true that the Richardson Bugle Boys started life as JAN Philips - tubes originally manufactured to a strict Joint Army Navy (JAN) military specification. But don't get the idea that all you have to do to save bucks is to indiscriminately pick up the Philips JAN off an Internet tube reseller. It is important to understand, that even JAN spec tubes often feature as much as a factor of two or more variation in parameters. The only way to ensure tighter tolerances is to burn these tubes in, and then test and match for conformance. This is what Richardson does using original Philips test gear. Each set of Bugle Boys sold is accompanied by test data. In this case, you do get what you pay for. I don't, however, condone their advertising practice which does not clearly disclose the vintage of these tubes. Note that all of the sonic impressions that follow are based on auditions of the Silver Night PX-25 with the Richardson Bugle Boy 6922.

Sonic Impressions
The Silver Night benefits from an extended initial break-in period. The Owner's Manual recommends a period of two weeks. Also, count on about a fifteen minute warm up period, during which the sound of the amp tightens up considerably.

Despite its modest size and lack of heft, the Silver Night competes with the muscle boys of the SET universe. The big attraction (no surprise here) was the harmonic richness of the midrange. Although not nearly as suave sounding as the Art Audio PX-25, the Audion consistently managed to portray a believable impression of the music's harmonic tapestry. Lord, I wish that anyone contemplating the purchase of a solid-state amplifier be given the opportunity to the audition the Silver Night with a suitable high-efficiency loudspeaker. I deplore solid-state anorexia. Silicon-based amps (with apologies to a few select SE designs) are in my book aligned with the Dark Side of the Force. And much like Darth Vader, audiophiles may be seduced by bass power and overall muscle. But at what price? For me, a full-bodied lower midrange is essential in fleshing out the music's foundation. Getting that right is a high priority for me. It is after all the heart and soul of the musical experience. A case in point is the QUAD-57 electrostatic loudspeaker. My first exposure was at a friend's house many decades ago. I walked into his living room, when I heard a startlingly realistic voice behind me. After I completed a 360, I was shocked to discover that a speaker was actually reproducing the voice… the QUAD. I am happy to report that the Audion gets it right. It is QUAD like in its ability to weave a magical midrange.

The corollary to the above discussion is DO's audio rule No. 2: man does not live by midrange alone. Tonal balance is also a priority and relates to how seamlessly the treble and bass ranges blend with the midrange. The upper octaves sounded subjectively open and extended, at least in terms of SET benchmarks. The Audion managed to adequately brighten up the treble, in stark contrast with the Cary Audio sound, which derives its dark, gothic perspective, from a limited frequency extension. The output transformer is often the limiting factor in SET designs. If you'd like to visualize what a -3dB at 17kHz bandwidth does to the sound, imagine stage lighting that turns from a natural color temperature to a yellow-red hue. Textures turn overly liquid, the midrange warms up excessively, and the upper octaves lose brightness. Coupled to a bright speaker, such a balance makes for a more pleasant sound, but with a neutral speaker the resultant balance could prove to be musically depressing. Kudos to the Silver Night for maintaining a reasonable tonal perspective through the upper octaves. At the other frequency extreme, bass control was just OK with the BassZilla loudspeaker.

In common with most SET amps, the output impedance is fairly high so expect only moderate cone damping and speaker dependent tonal balance variations. If speakers had a perfectly flat impedance magnitude this would not be an issue. However, real-world impedance magnitudes are far from flat, often varying by a factor of 1ten from the minimum value. When driven by high-output impedance devices, the end result is an inevitable alteration of the loudspeaker's frequency response. This highlights the need to partner and audition SET amps with prospective loudspeakers.

The Silver Night's owner's manual should include instructions for buckling up and holding on for a roller coaster ride. Tonal conviction and harmonic bloom were coupled with excellent dynamic modulation. The music's emotional content resides in micro dynamic details. The feelings singers and instrumentalists inject into the music, their personal imprint, is embedded in subtle modulations of pitch and volume. The Silver Night delivered the goose bumps. Although I have no direct proof, I suspect that it spins the midrange more effectively than its 300B cousin. That also seems to be Audion's own in-house assessment, based on comments posted on their website. The cathode biased output stage clipped softly, and gave the impression of greater power than its modest 6 wpc. I had no trouble whatsoever in achieving realistic volume levels with only moderate levels of distortion, at least in the context of 96dB+ sensitive loudspeakers.

Final Thoughts

The Audion Silver Night PX-25 sets a very high standard at its price point. It is a balanced performer with no major weaknesses. Its expressive midrange is hard to walk away from. It images well and can generate stupendous dynamics in the context of a high-efficiency speaker. Need proof? Spend an evening with the Silver Night. You'll be glad you did.

 

MARK KATZ'S SYSTEM:

LOUDSPEAKERS
Soundlab A-1s

ELECTRONICS
Melos 402 Gold Triode monoblocks with MAT 1000 circuit boards. Kora Triode preamplifier.

SOURCES
CEC TL-1, Marigo Reference 3 Digital Interconnect, and Museatex Bidat DAC. Day Sequerra FM Reference tuner.

CABLES
Goertz AG2 or FMS Black speaker cables Goertz Triode Quartz and Clarity Custom Connections interconnects.

 

The Audion Silver Night is a small 300B-based integrated amp.It weighs about 20 pounds and has an attractive appearance, with a mix of black paint and gold plate, two small input/driver tubes, and a pair of apparently high quality Chinese 300B tubes sitting in front of a pair of output transformers.The binding posts, along with two pairs of covered-up holes (possibly the chassis is used for another product) and the on/off switch are on the back. Power is through an IEC connector and detachable power cord.Five pairs of inputs and a set of tape monitor jacks are on the left side.The volume control, along with buttons allowing one to choose inputs, are on the front.The thick soft feet provide good vibration dampening, but raise the height of the unit so it wont fit in my rack, which has eight inches between shelves but would need ten.The clever remote control was a surprise, since one doesn't associated high tech with a 300B amp.It allows one to choose inputs, adjust volume (with a motorized pot) and balance, and use the recording jacks.The Audion puts out about seven watts into an 8-ohm load.

300B single-ended amps are notoriously finicky about what speakers they can drive, needing fairly high (at least 6 ohm, but 8 or more is better) impedance with no impedance dips, and relatively high efficiency, usually about 90dB/watt/m or higher.My first test was with a pair of Tannoy Saturn 8 floor-standing speakers. Their impedance is 6 ohms, efficiency 91 dB/watt/m with a dual-concentric 8-inch mid/tweeter combo and an 8-inch woofer. A Pioneer Laser Disk 701 in CD mode was used as the source. Connections to the Tannoys were with eight-foot Luminous ladder type speaker cable.The first thing I noticed was that the amp was very quiet ”no noise, no hum ”and the time from turn-on to sound was less than 20 seconds. The amp settles down in a couple of minutes, then performs consistently.

I use the "Polonaise Op. 40, No. 1" on the Naum Starkman Chopin CD on Pope for checking out an amplifiers clipping behavior. Mr. Starkman vigorously pounds the keyboard, and the recording is very clattery.The Silver Night drove the Tannoys better than I expected, with only minor softening of the extreme transients and no loss of composure or gross distortion.The Eagles "Hotel California" on their Hell Freezes Over CD has an exaggerated kick drum that gives a nice test of midbass impact. Compared to my Kora Triode preamp (with reduced gain) combined with the 30-watt Music Reference RM 10 amplifier, the impact was solid, though noticeably diminished. The midrange with the Audion was more detailed, with more transparent vocals, and guitar passages sounded sweeter and more "liquid." The amp also worked in the unlikely role of an AV amp for providing signal amplification for videotapes, laserdiscs, and cable TV. Dialogue was quite articulate and the remote was very handy. I doubt that the amp was designed for this in mind, but it worked.

I didn't intend to use the amp with these speakers as a primary listening test. In my bedroom I have a pair of homebrew Tannoy Monitor Gold 12" dual-concentric speakers mounted in Lockwood Studio cabinets made for these drivers in the ˜70s. They have about 92dB/watt/m sensitivity with pretty flat 8-ohm impedance, making them a good match for single-ended amps. I am currently using them with a pair of Angela 91 300B monoblock amps, modified by Cy Brenneman to make them a bit more full range and much quieter than the original design. The preamp is a custom-made line stage using 6DJ8s with dual Genrad power supplies, made by John Wiesner from an Arthur Loesch design. A Cal Audio Lab Icon Power Boss is the digital source; a Luxman T117 provides FM reception. I substituted the Audion for the Loesch/Wiesner preamp/Angela 91 amp combination. I kept the same sources, AHT speaker cables, and Wireworld Eclipse II interconnects.

How did it sound? On the Chopin, again no gross clipping, with some improvement in dynamics compared to the other, slightly-harder-to-drive Tannoys. Flaws weren't smoothed over, either.The clattering of the piano came through, along with the power.Bass impact was decent, good for a single-ended amp. It seemed to be relatively extended in the treble, too. After it passed this test, I tried the system with had decent, but not exceptional impact. Overall tone was on the dark side. Imaging wasn't as spacious as with the monoblocks, but was more solid and focused. The beautifully-recorded CD of J.S. Bach's Secular Cantatas on Dorian has been a long time favorite, with the Coffee Cantata sung by a tenor introducing the piece, then a baritone singing the role of the distraught father and a soprano portraying the coffee-addicted daughter. A period orchestra and a harpsichord accompany them. I found the voices well defined in tone and space, though somewhat less round and smooth than with the preamp/amp combination. Dynamics were preserved, with the harpsichord having good energy and a nice balance between the orchestra and the soloists.The Sony CD The Guitarist John Williams has the Satie "Gymnopedie #3" for guitar and small orchestra. The guitars tone and its transients came through clearly, with excellent presence, and a sense of the body of the guitar resonating and projecting the sound.

The very best tube amps seem to give a sense of the music almost breathing from within, giving naturalness and realism and helping one forget that one is listening to a recording. A few do this at the expense of "thickening" the sound, adding too much warmth, others just let you hear the music with the instruments and vocalists portrayed in a lifelike fashion. Its been called the "goosebump" factor. The amps that have this seem not only to have good power supplies but high quality output transformers, like the better Audio Notes, Tangos, and Electraprints. The quality of the output transformer can be the limiting factor in the quality of the sound. Some reviewers have referred to this effect as "euphonic distortion."Perhaps, but if this distortion allows recordings to sound closer to an actual performance, Ill take it. With this amp, there is a hint of this. Id characterize the sound as more liquid than a low-power push-pull tube amp like the Music Reference RM 10, but with less bass impact.

What did I like about the amp?Its easy to set up, has a useful remote (though a manual on/off switch), is relatively compact, and has an attractive appearance. Its also quiet, clips gracefully with fast recovery, has good extension from bass to treble, good detail, and a very nice midrange. It drives a 6-ohm speaker better than one would expect. What do I think could be better? Id prefer a more open and airy soundstage. Id also like a slightly smoother treble, but not at the expense of detail. Overall, I found the Audion Silver Night to be a painless introduction to single-ended sound. Mark Katz

DAVE CLARK'S SYSTEM:

LOUDSPEAKERS
Reimer Wind Rivers.

ELECTRONCIS
Clayton Audio M70 monoblock amplifiers. HRS unit and Taddeo Digital Antidote Two. E.A.R. 834P phono stage. Blue Circle BC3 preamp w/Amperex BB tubes, and BCG3.1 power supply.

SOURCES
EAD T1000 transport and 1000 Series II DAC with Audient Technologies™ Tactic and Audi, Nordost Moonglo digital cable. Linn Axiss turntable with K9 cartridge and Basik Plus arm.

CABLES
Nordost Blue Heaven and SPM interconnects, and SPM bi-wired speaker cables.

ACCESSORIES
API 116 Power Wedge and Coherent Systems Electraclear EAU-1 parrallel conditioner. Dedicated 20 amp ac circuit. BDR cones and board, DH cones, Vibrapods, various hard woods, etc.

I have limited experience in my system with low wattage, single-ended amplifiers.Yes, a while back I had the opportunity to review the Acoustic Masterpiece M-101, but this beauty used two KT-88 output tubes to produce a very seductive and musically powerful eight to twelve watts (depending on how the amp is configured). Now along comes the dimensionally whole and harmonically rich Audion 300B integrated amp.The English-born Audion features multiple inputs and a nifty remote, but instead of KT-88s, we have the venerable Western Electric 300B output bottles producing a whopping seven watts! Two different approaches, but very similar results. Yet, while both are very musically involving, each has an individuality that sets it apart. I am not going to dwell on the M-101 other than to say that the review was based on its pairing with our Chario Hyper Reference 2000 loudspeakers, smallish two-ways with a load of six ohms and an efficiency of 89dB.Not the best match for a single-ended amplifier, but when mated with the M-101, I was in musical nirvana.

On the other hand, the Audions came along when I had the Loth-X Ion 4 speakers (eight ohms and 94dB) and the Reimer Acoustics Wind Rivers (eight ohms and 92dB) here for review. The Loth-Xs came as both a match for the Audion and as separate review subjects.As things went, I was only able to hold on to the Loth-Xs for a week or so before they were whisked off to another aM reviewer. As such, my experience in pairing them with the Audion was limited. So, while the pairing of the Audion with a speaker of the Loth-X variety is what its all about, I am going to focus my review on its mating with the Wind Rivers. Actually, we ended up purchasing these speakers, making them our reference speakers, so in pairing the Wind Rivers with the Audion I followed standard aM policy ”use what you know best.

I already spilled the beans by saying that the Audion is a delight, but it was an unexpected one ”hey, seven watts into speakers with such significant driverage! While the Wind Rivers have a friendly load, they feature four 6.25" woofers (in two isobaric chambers), two 4" midrange drivers, and one 1" tweeter per speaker! Thats a lot of cones to move, but the Audion did it with much ease and finesse. Okay, it did run out of steam when pushed to room-rattling levels, but we are talking about seven watts here. What you get before the Audion clips is dynamic music full of life and bloom. (Before I go on, let me say that this clipping is rather polite and matter-of-fact, very British and all! Nothing objectionable, just a compression of bass and dynamics, done in way that lets you know to back off the volume a bit and leave the neighbors to their sitcom.)

The Audion is all music and beauty ”rich and warm, with an ever so slightly euphonic midrange. The Audion allows the listener to relax and be enveloped with their choice of musical drug. It will not reveal every last detail hidden deep in your discs, but thats okay if youd rather listen to music than to the bits and pieces. Sure, you give up a touch of clarity and transparency, along with some treble energy, and no, the Audion will never really plum the depths of the bass region with the tightness, speed, and clarity of our Clayton M70s, but let me tell you, the Audion never failed to amaze me with what it could do musically or sonically. Compared to the Claytons, the Audion did obscure the finer details and subtle nuances that can make music seem more exciting and tactile, like being able to see the threads woven into a fine rug. But this is a result of the Audion presenting the music with more warmth and "liquidity" than our Claytons. With the Audion you get less "perceptible" detail, but its all still there. You just have to listen a bit harder. The Audion speaks to the fun and love of music, and isnt that whats all about? Dave Clark

Audion's 4-box Preamp rated as the finest preamp ever.

London Hi-fi Show report 2002 .. Hi-fi News December 2002
The show model that made me go all misty was the Silvernight MkII....