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Hello AVM! The purchase of a new integrated amplifier / streamer
Photo 1: The AVM CS 2.2 Amplifier & Streamer seen here connected to a UPnP source
Audiophiles rarely agree on much and when common ‘opinion’ is found it is frequently motivated by the need for acceptance and belonging. Psychologists have observed that the need to belong influences human behavior. In Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, belongingness is part of one of his major needs that motivate human behavior.
The hierarchy is usually portrayed as a pyramid, with more basic needs vital to our survival at the base and more complex needs near the peak. The need for love and belonging lie at the center of the pyramid as part of the social needs.
I have long believed that a hierarchy also exists for successful audio reproduction in our homes.
At the base of the pyramid and thus the most vital to success – by far – is our listening room. Like most audiophiles I spent many years ignoring or otherwise taking for granted the importance of setting up a decent space in which to appreciate music. In naivety the only upgrades I ever imagined were related to hardware – bigger, better, more expensive etc. Naive, because I didn’t then appreciate that much of the sonic benefit derived from more expensive hardware was to a large extent being masked by poor room acoustics.
You see – our listening space in concert with our loudspeakers acts like a great big tone control, boosting some frequencies whilst attenuating others. Moreover, sound waves reflect from walls, floors, and ceilings, reaching our ears milliseconds after the direct sounds from the speakers can end up smearing and muddying the original sound. Leading Hi-Fi Magazine
Stereophile reckons 95% of the systems in audiophile homes are being degraded by a bad listening environment. Sadly for most, the room is the first thing we start with and the last thing we think about….
After the room, the next most important item in the hierarchy is what I call the system foundation. The system foundation includes clean AC mains, dedicated power lines to the audio room, high quality electrical and mechanical earthing, equipment supports and cabling.
Next in the hierarchy are the loudspeakers. Of all the components in your audio system, the loudspeakers job is by far the most difficult. The loudspeakers drivers must not only reproduce the sound of all instruments – but do so in a fashion that is convincing and real. In digital playback systems your loudspeakers will almost certainly be the highest distortion devices and consequently I’ve tended to spend more on loudspeakers than electronics.
Finally, the lowest in priority in the hierarchy is the amplification and the source. This is not to say they are not important – they are – but relative to the above less so.
The Arrival of the AVM Inspiration CS 2.2
The above introduction nicely Segway’s into the purpose of this post, the introduction of the AVM CS 2.2
Produced in Germany by Audio Video Manufaktur GmbH the amplifier with an MSRP of US$ 4995 would not be an immediately obvious candidate to mate with my newly arrived Børresen Acoustics model 01 loudspeakers….
Photo 2: The unboxing of the AVM Inspiration series model CS 2.2
In truth, the CS 2.2 may not be a long term solution but I’m interested to observe just what sonic results can be achieved using a modern “all in one” box.
Within the compact box is a Class D amplifier rated at 165 watts into a 4 ohm load, a TEAC sourced slot loading CD player, an FM tuner with RDS, a DAC, a phono stage with MM & MC input, a dedicated headphone amplifier, Wi-Fi connection, LAN connection and internet streaming facility.
Streaming wise, there is full support for Qobuz and Tidal and format support for MP3,WMA, AAC, OFF Vorbis, FLAC (192/24 via LAN), WAV (192/24 via LAN), AIFF (192/24 via LAN), ALAC (96/24 via LAN) and supported formats for UPnP, 1.1 UPnP AV and DLNA compatible servers and NAS.
Photo 3: The rear panel of the AVM. Packed with connection options including Phono and USB
Inspiration to use a modest amplifier with the Borresen speakers actually came from a Facebook post from Lars Kristensen the CEO of Ansuz Acoustics, Denmark. Lars had been visiting Lydspecialisten, a local Borresen Acoustics dealer in Aalborg, Denmark who were demoing the Borresen 01 loudspeakers with a US$1995 Primare I15 Prisma 60 wpc integrated amplifier, DAC and streamer. Lars comment in his post that “It was just playing music in a way you would not expect even from very big and powerful systems.” It was in his opinion a “giant killer” system. Of course – as all top audio dealers do – Lydspecialisten had the system foundation well sorted.
Another reason for opting up front for a low (ish) cost amplifier was I really wasn’t sure what type of amplifier would mate best – for my ears – with Borresen loudspeakers. Obvious choices might include Soulution (Switzerland), Constellation (Australia), Aavik (Denmark) or Jeff Rowland (USA).
But here’s the deal; you first match the loudspeakers to your room, then you match the amplification to your speakers – which is why the purchase of amplification should be a post script not a preamble.
Just why that sequence is important was driven home again to me this week when it dawned on me after the initial 100 hours of listening to the Borresen loudspeakers that my search for longer term amplification should also embrace valve based amplification, perhaps VAC (USA) for example.
Initial opinion on the AVM CS 2.2
Some caution is needed with the initial opinion because everything is breaking in; amplifier, speakers and accessories; but nonetheless, colour me impressed.
I’ve connected the AVM CS 2.2 to my NAS drive; an InnuOS ZEN (United Kingdom) dedicated music server / CD ripper and streamer which is loaded with my CD library and has ROON support.
My Android mobile phone (iOS also supported) acts as a remote control for all the AVM functions and provides access to the NAS library to.
Photo 4: Android or iOS phone used as a remote control for the AVM, seen here are source selection, track options on a NAS stored album and specific track controls including volume.
Using CD’s played via the inbuilt transport which proved to be the best source tried the AVM CS 2.2 sounded refined, dynamic, detailed and smooth.
The smoothness of the reproduction caught me somewhat off guard because of a prejudice I carry against Class D. I’m no fan of Class D amplification which in times past I’ve found dull, dry, unpolished and lifeless, lacking in warmth and emotion. Yes, Class D can muster iron fisted grip on unruly bass thereby providing a cleaner window for the mid-range to function but if the overall presentation leaves one feeling detached and uninvolved with the music then where is the profit?
Photo 5: CD was the best source tried so far. The reality was the same CD ripped, stored and streamed doesn’t sound as good as local playback. There are just too many variables in the path.
Thankfully the Class D implementation here has turned the corner. Play a demanding track like Christine and the Queens “tilted” [Christine and the Queens, Atlantic, 552198-2] you are greeted with a low end which is taut and well defined and a top end that is open and strikes a nice balance between liveliness and smoothness.
Soundstage reproduction is impressive. No doubt aided by the Borresen 01 speakers which particularly excel in soundstage depth, reproduction of various orchestral recordings portrayed excellent dimensionality and sense of space around and behind instruments.
And what about heavy metal you ask? In “Los” by German industrial metal band Rammstien [Rammstien, “Reise, Reise”, Universal, 06024 9868150] the blend of pulsing acoustic guitar in drop C tuning and incessant bass beat were well managed by the amplifier – even at loud listening levels – which also kept the growling gravelly bass vocals of lead singer Till Lindemann nicely articulate and separate.
In summary, initial listening observations hint that the AVM CS 2.2 is not just another “add speakers and you are done” lo-fi solution for modern space constrained households. A more detailed review of the product will take place later in the year once we have more hours of use on it.
What’s next?
Having introduced the system foundation and electronics, in my next update I will discuss the high lights and low lights of my first 100 hours with the new Børresen Acoustics model 01 loudspeakers.
