Listener Magazine

Of course at the same time, Listener is happily on record as a pro-integrated amplifier publication. We don't condescend to such things around here: sometimes they really are the best way to go.

But that has also left us, editorially, somewhat vulnerable: not just to criticism but to suggestions from the distributors of English integrated amplifiers nobody has ever heard of that we put the fruits of their efforts in these pages. What's an overburdened nice-guy of an editor to do?

Well, when an amplifier in question is as decent as the Magnum-not much. This one was actually a pleasant surprise!

The first part of that surprise came when I removed the Magnum's cover for a glance inside: The build quality is actually very, very good for a product at this price point. Most significantly, there's a clean and quite hefty double-sided circuit board (no, you don't get point-to-point at this point), well dressed lead wires, and some good parts choices where it counts, especially a real top-shelf Alps volume pot. I also found a quite large and apparently specially-made toroidal transformer and a couple of power supply reservoir caps that were, again, robust for a sub-$1000 integrated.

The only real parts criticism I or anyone else could level at this thing-and, in actual fact, it's anyone's guess as to whether this affects performance at all-is that, when struck even gently, the Magnum's outer casing rings like a dinner bell. (corrected on later models~~Magnum)

There are lots of nice touches on the outside of the box, too. For instance, the Magnum makes bi-wiring easy with a second set of output connectors paralleled to the first. There are a full five line-level inputs, plus phono. And everything on the back panel is labeled twice-a row of lettering above all the jacks and connectors, and a second row of lettering upside down below the jacks. This makes it easy to identify things once the amplifier is already installed, when the user is limited to peering at things with his or her head hanging upside-down behind the top edge of the amplifier. A very nice touch.

And the front panel? You'll find a balance control...and a mute switch...and a mono switch!

Well all right! As someone who owns and listens to more than a few mono LPs I find this feature genuinely useful, and I wish more designers included them in their integrated amplifiers and preamps.

For ease of use, apparent) ease of construction, and general overall quality, somebody really thought this product through. I'm impressed.

By the way, some folks may not like the looks of the Magnums faceplate, which is done up in stainless steel so highly polished it appears at first glance to be chrome. Personally, I thought it was pleasantly distinctive-a nice standout in this sea of black boxes-and my only objection in the department of looks is that the plastic escutcheon (see-I do too know how to spell it) looks kind of tacky.

There is similarly much to praise the Magnums performace. This is an up-front but never overbearing performer with a great deal of musical control-in which sense it reminds the listener of great solid state amplifiers from the likes of Levinson and even Naim. As to the latter, my memory of their Nait 3-and how well The Band's remastered box set sounded through it-was fresh enough in my mind that I tried the same through the Magnum. I was not disappointed: on "Tears of Rage," to choose but one example, I noted how the bass was full and tuneful through the Magnum, with much of that same rounded quality I associate with the Nait. At the other end of the spectrum, the sibilance in the recording (audible in every version-original LP, Mobile Fidelity LP, Capitol CD, box set CD) prods the Magnum into just a touch of treble uncouthness-bit not to a distracting extent.

This little amplifier is timbrally quite good as well, with at least some degree of sonic transparency. No, oboes and clarinets don't pop out of the music on the Kennedy/Handley version of Elgar's Violin Concerto as they do with good tube amplifiers. But then, on that record in particular, lots of musically important information comes across unscathed-an abundance of "fingering insight," for instance, allied to what are actually quite good dynamics.

So how does the Magnum stack up against the competition? Until recently, I had Rob Doorack's sample of the $380 NAD model 304 on hand (okay-I was a little late sending that one back, I admit). And let's not mince word: The 304 remains the bargain amp of the field for sheer musical pleasure and insight. I haven't heard a thing that can touch it for the price-and if you have $400 max budgeted for an amp, that's the one to buy.

But if your budget can stretch to a little more, there's at least a little more musical pleasure a-waitin'. The choices are a lot less easy, though, what with Onix, Rotel, Arcam, Creek, Onkyo, and Denon all fielding noteworthy entrants. (And wouldn't it be nice if some North American firms like Bryston, B&K, and Sunfire-not to mention c-j and Audio Research-decided to take a whack at this category some day?)

But the Magnum seems hard to beat in at least the area of construction quality-and if its commanding sonic signature meshes with your musical expectations, it could be the one to take home. In any event, I suspect that the Magnum is going to start popping up in good dealers' showrooms everywhere-making it a snap for you to hear this very worthwhile product for yourself.