Great review Thomas and thanks for the Qobuz playlist. Will definitely give it a spin in my next listening session. This amp is definitely on my radar now thanks to your thorough review.
Hi Tom , another great review. Just wonder and curious what would be your reaction if u were to play 'Dire Straits Your Latest Trick track'. This is my favorite track where i would use whenever i'm doing audition on a system.
I so appreciate the English review. I am trying to decide on an amplifier right now. I have the mola mola makua preamp with dac and pmc speakers. I'm considering just 3 amps. The a3000hv, mola ossetra monoblocks and luxman m10x. I heard t+a at axpona and loved their sound. It was airy and engaging. How did molas new monoblocks sound in the vivid room at high end?
hi Tictocdoc, with the Mola molas, it is very difficult to say. I was impressed that they drove the big Vivid flagships with them in the HighEnd showroom. but it was an untreated room, and an entirely unknown chain. what I can say is that they did not lack any power. but to me, with my piegas, the a3000hv is a very special power amplifier. I am right now listening to another 20-30k range speaker with the a3000 and it is just fantastic. never had the opportunity to hear the m10x but the 509x integrated. it was top notch for an integrated…
Thank you for these English versions of your videos and please keep them coming! Did you use bi-wire with the A3000 utilizing all those speaker terminals on the back of the amp? If so, I'm wondering if you heard any difference.. The A3000 would probably be overkill for the smaller Piega 411's I am still interested in, though I love your enthusiasm for the A3000 and its synergy with your particular Piega's. Piega uses T+A gear in their own listening room from some of the photos I've seen online, and I always think that is useful information for consumers trying to find a great pairing with their gear: It's not a requirement to purchase what the manufacturer uses (they have a different room and maybe different music tastes to yours), but it's helpful to know what they use with their own speakers (or amps etc). I was considering the T+A A200 as a future amp for the 411 Piega's, because I can then add another one when I have saved enough money and then I'd have mono amps (and I can bi-amp which I'm interested in trying). But maybe the A3000 is so much better than those mono amps that I should just save (much more money haha) to purchase one instead? Your enthusiasm for the A3000 and the fact that you purchased it, makes me think there is quite a big difference in the sound quality of your system with that amp. That is so cool Oh, I also love that you have some wide musical tastes, like me! I like aggressive music as well as mellower and everything in-between. But I don't listen to the aggressive music at higher volumes because it can become grating and harsh. I love all kinds of music, and for my system to be able to play the music effortlessly at any volume is a huge goal. Cheers to you and thanks again :)
My apologies for taking so long to respond! My job kept me very busy the last weeks… Piega and T+A work extremely well together. Indeed they use T+A gear to develop their speakers as far as I know. Regarding the bi-Wiring: I haven’t tried that yet. You see my system developing and cables while definitely making a difference are at the stage of fine polishing in my opinion. Before playing with cables, get the components to match. I do plan on upgrading my cables but honestly don’t intend to do reviews on them. Much more interesting stuff out there… 🙂 Now on the A3000 vs. M200 question: they are at entirely different price points and therefore very hard to do a fair direct comparison on. I had another German made power amplifier in which is similarly priced as the M200 and I would have preferred the M200 in that comparison. They delivered excellent control and work well with the Piegas, but so did the other power amp. The key difference was in how engaging the music was. But now comparing the A3000 given the fact that it’s more than 2x the price, the performance is equally in a different league. As there are no proper technical terms I am aware of ill use fluffy language. The musicality, the flow, the tonal richness, the emotion in voices all while being super relaxed and still perfectly detailed is just stunning for me. Having said that, I don’t know your budget and the rest of the system. So let me say, that DACs do also make a significant difference. And the 411 are not super power amp critical(impedence for example)and I am sure the A200 would have sufficient power to drive them. Paired with a DAC200 i would expect that to sound magnificent. And if you don’t have to connect more than one extra source, the DAC200 can be your preamp as well. It definitely outperformed the one I had in the McIntosh MA6600. Curious to read about what decisions you took or will take and the results you’re getting! Enjoy the music!
@@HiFi-Tom Hi, no worries on the delay, appreciate you responding! Regarding Bi-wiring, I was more so referencing BI-AMPING, which I understand to be two different things, though I have not experimented with either so I cannot comment on them too much (and I agree, cables are more for fine-tuning later on). I see bi-amping mainly as a way of allowing me to control the output level of the drivers, like the bass driver of the Piega, without having to resort to using an equalizer. But there are other purported sonic benefits as well. And thanks for weighing in on some of the differences b/t those two T+A amps. Definitely not a fair comparison, so I appreciate you taking a shot at it haha. Sometimes I wonder if it's worth saving up for the more expensive component, if the increases in playback quality is worth it. Seems like there is quite a difference in quality b/t those 2 amps in your opinion which you would hope to be the case, considering the price difference. I don't switch components very often, so I like buying for long term use. My DAC is from Resolution Audio. Not anything new at all, but very good and has an analog volume control. My time frame for experimenting with amps etc, is slow, so trying out different amps will take some time. Hope to be able to purchase the 411's before the end of the year (maybe sooner). So that is the first step. I think you mentioned that you have some room treatments and are looking to add more. How about the sweet spot, is it wide or narrow? Thanks
Certainly there will be benefits to bi-amping but here as well, get the setup right for the first 95-99% and then take it from there. Regarding the amps, it depends on your budget and where you want to go. The A3000 is definitely the better amp, even over the M200s. But one can definitely be happy with the m200 or the a200. All are awesome. I once had Linear Acoustic LA Jet10 with an XTZ subwoofer driven by a McIntosh MA6600, Denafrips Ares2 and a Mac mini streamer. Sounded really good and brought me quite some joy. Was it as good as my current system? No. But my system is outclassed by many others as well… 🤷🏼♂️. Room treatment is vital for a successful HiFi setup, I have quite a bit of it. There is another product in delivery to me for review in that area. Once the speaker review I am doing post processing on right now is out, this will be the next t video to come… 🙂
@@HiFi-Tom Thanks Tom. Seems like someone's budget can allow them as far a journey into the rabbit hole of hifi as they'd like to go. I'm not sure how far I will go, I just don't envision constantly changing things all the time. I will quickly say that there is something that is very attractive to me as far as music playback, and I'd like to achieve it one day. I have read (and watched) others talk about how they have a system that sounds great at any volume and does not exhibit any harshness at higher volumes. So even music that is not pristinely recorded can still sound great. When I can achieve that, I think I will not seek for much more that gear can do for me. When I listen to my system now, my ears get fatigued after some time, and it's not even because I'm playing music very loudly. I think the speakers and amplifiers have the greatest contribution to this negative effect, and thus can alleviate this harshness with a change. Hense my interest in Piega and T+A. The room is definitely a huge factor in the sound, but it's effects are minimized for me right now since I listen in the near field.
Harsh and fatiguing sound is coming from (amongst others) 1. distortions from the speakers. The Piegas will do a good job there. The coax driver is awesome. 2. room reflections. Nearfield will minimize this but not eliminate. Let’s say you still had a glass table between you and the speakers. Then this would still have a negative influence. 3. distortions from the chain. Think amp and source.(see for example my video on the Holo audio red) This enjoyment of also suboptimal recordings is one of the things that put me over the edge with the A3000(after 1 and 2 were sorted and source was already pretty good with DAC200 and the Red).
Hey Tom, Which setup you would enjoy the most? 1. Single A 3000 HV (Class AB) damping factor great than 65 or 2. Two Mono M200 ? with Damping factor of greater than 800? I understand one is class AB amplification while the other is Class D Also please keep your English review's going. I am a proud owner of PA 3100, MP2000Mk2 and M200 :) Looking to expand my gear and super confused between PSD 3100 (Gen3 streamer) and DAC 200 (Trickled HV series DAC) for my next purchase :)
@@HiFi-Tom Dynaudio Contour 20i , however planning to move to Dali Epicon 6 series as when tested Dali with T+A they just played tracks like match made. With Dynaudio I feel I am fairly pushing the knob to fairly high gain to get similar out. Danke Scheon for your help !
@@HiFi-Tom Thank You and so is yours with the DAC200 :) I wish more people knew about T+A Audio. Glad you let go of your McIntosh's just not in same league in my opinion and has a slightly colored sound.
From a budget perspective, the M200 are the better match for the Epicon 6 I’d say. My recommendation is to first upgrade speakers before going on the amplification. With the PA3100 and the M200 you already have great options and could even think about bi-amping. If I were you I’d rather stick to that and go big time into speakers (whatever that means for you) and room treatment. If you want a choice between A3000 and M200, you know my answer already, as I bought the A3000. M200 are still a great choice especially if you like base heavy music. The A3000 on the other side is the more rounded package for more than twice the price…
The McIntosh is a great integrated for the price it goes on the used market… but there are plenty of options which sound better to me. But of course they are also more expensive…
Great review Thomas and thanks for the Qobuz playlist. Will definitely give it a spin in my next listening session. This amp is definitely on my radar now thanks to your thorough review.
Great to see English language reviews of T+A gear - as there are not enough people outside Europe who appreciate the quality of this brand.
Fully agree. That’s why I do it 🙂
Great decision to publish in English as well🙏. I hope your work is appreciated by our English speaking community
Thanks for your support! 🙂 highly appreciated!
Hi Tom , another great review. Just wonder and curious what would be your reaction if u were to play 'Dire Straits Your Latest Trick track'. This is my favorite track where i would use whenever i'm doing audition on a system.
I so appreciate the English review. I am trying to decide on an amplifier right now. I have the mola mola makua preamp with dac and pmc speakers. I'm considering just 3 amps. The a3000hv, mola ossetra monoblocks and luxman m10x. I heard t+a at axpona and loved their sound. It was airy and engaging. How did molas new monoblocks sound in the vivid room at high end?
hi Tictocdoc, with the Mola molas, it is very difficult to say. I was impressed that they drove the big Vivid flagships with them in the HighEnd showroom. but it was an untreated room, and an entirely unknown chain. what I can say is that they did not lack any power. but to me, with my piegas, the a3000hv is a very special power amplifier. I am right now listening to another 20-30k range speaker with the a3000 and it is just fantastic. never had the opportunity to hear the m10x but the 509x integrated. it was top notch for an integrated…
Thank you for these English versions of your videos and please keep them coming! Did you use bi-wire with the A3000 utilizing all those speaker terminals on the back of the amp? If so, I'm wondering if you heard any difference..
The A3000 would probably be overkill for the smaller Piega 411's I am still interested in, though I love your enthusiasm for the A3000 and its synergy with your particular Piega's. Piega uses T+A gear in their own listening room from some of the photos I've seen online, and I always think that is useful information for consumers trying to find a great pairing with their gear: It's not a requirement to purchase what the manufacturer uses (they have a different room and maybe different music tastes to yours), but it's helpful to know what they use with their own speakers (or amps etc).
I was considering the T+A A200 as a future amp for the 411 Piega's, because I can then add another one when I have saved enough money and then I'd have mono amps (and I can bi-amp which I'm interested in trying). But maybe the A3000 is so much better than those mono amps that I should just save (much more money haha) to purchase one instead? Your enthusiasm for the A3000 and the fact that you purchased it, makes me think there is quite a big difference in the sound quality of your system with that amp. That is so cool
Oh, I also love that you have some wide musical tastes, like me! I like aggressive music as well as mellower and everything in-between. But I don't listen to the aggressive music at higher volumes because it can become grating and harsh. I love all kinds of music, and for my system to be able to play the music effortlessly at any volume is a huge goal. Cheers to you and thanks again :)
My apologies for taking so long to respond! My job kept me very busy the last weeks…
Piega and T+A work extremely well together. Indeed they use T+A gear to develop their speakers as far as I know.
Regarding the bi-Wiring: I haven’t tried that yet. You see my system developing and cables while definitely making a difference are at the stage of fine polishing in my opinion. Before playing with cables, get the components to match. I do plan on upgrading my cables but honestly don’t intend to do reviews on them. Much more interesting stuff out there… 🙂
Now on the A3000 vs. M200 question: they are at entirely different price points and therefore very hard to do a fair direct comparison on.
I had another German made power amplifier in which is similarly priced as the M200 and I would have preferred the M200 in that comparison. They delivered excellent control and work well with the Piegas, but so did the other power amp. The key difference was in how engaging the music was.
But now comparing the A3000 given the fact that it’s more than 2x the price, the performance is equally in a different league. As there are no proper technical terms I am aware of ill use fluffy language. The musicality, the flow, the tonal richness, the emotion in voices all while being super relaxed and still perfectly detailed is just stunning for me. Having said that, I don’t know your budget and the rest of the system. So let me say, that DACs do also make a significant difference. And the 411 are not super power amp critical(impedence for example)and I am sure the A200 would have sufficient power to drive them. Paired with a DAC200 i would expect that to sound magnificent. And if you don’t have to connect more than one extra source, the DAC200 can be your preamp as well. It definitely outperformed the one I had in the McIntosh MA6600.
Curious to read about what decisions you took or will take and the results you’re getting!
Enjoy the music!
@@HiFi-Tom Hi, no worries on the delay, appreciate you responding! Regarding Bi-wiring, I was more so referencing BI-AMPING, which I understand to be two different things, though I have not experimented with either so I cannot comment on them too much (and I agree, cables are more for fine-tuning later on). I see bi-amping mainly as a way of allowing me to control the output level of the drivers, like the bass driver of the Piega, without having to resort to using an equalizer. But there are other purported sonic benefits as well.
And thanks for weighing in on some of the differences b/t those two T+A amps. Definitely not a fair comparison, so I appreciate you taking a shot at it haha. Sometimes I wonder if it's worth saving up for the more expensive component, if the increases in playback quality is worth it. Seems like there is quite a difference in quality b/t those 2 amps in your opinion which you would hope to be the case, considering the price difference. I don't switch components very often, so I like buying for long term use.
My DAC is from Resolution Audio. Not anything new at all, but very good and has an analog volume control.
My time frame for experimenting with amps etc, is slow, so trying out different amps will take some time. Hope to be able to purchase the 411's before the end of the year (maybe sooner). So that is the first step.
I think you mentioned that you have some room treatments and are looking to add more. How about the sweet spot, is it wide or narrow?
Thanks
Certainly there will be benefits to bi-amping but here as well, get the setup right for the first 95-99% and then take it from there.
Regarding the amps, it depends on your budget and where you want to go. The A3000 is definitely the better amp, even over the M200s. But one can definitely be happy with the m200 or the a200. All are awesome. I once had Linear Acoustic LA Jet10 with an XTZ subwoofer driven by a McIntosh MA6600, Denafrips Ares2 and a Mac mini streamer. Sounded really good and brought me quite some joy. Was it as good as my current system? No. But my system is outclassed by many others as well… 🤷🏼♂️.
Room treatment is vital for a successful HiFi setup, I have quite a bit of it. There is another product in delivery to me for review in that area. Once the speaker review I am doing post processing on right now is out, this will be the next t video to come… 🙂
@@HiFi-Tom Thanks Tom. Seems like someone's budget can allow them as far a journey into the rabbit hole of hifi as they'd like to go. I'm not sure how far I will go, I just don't envision constantly changing things all the time.
I will quickly say that there is something that is very attractive to me as far as music playback, and I'd like to achieve it one day. I have read (and watched) others talk about how they have a system that sounds great at any volume and does not exhibit any harshness at higher volumes. So even music that is not pristinely recorded can still sound great. When I can achieve that, I think I will not seek for much more that gear can do for me. When I listen to my system now, my ears get fatigued after some time, and it's not even because I'm playing music very loudly. I think the speakers and amplifiers have the greatest contribution to this negative effect, and thus can alleviate this harshness with a change. Hense my interest in Piega and T+A. The room is definitely a huge factor in the sound, but it's effects are minimized for me right now since I listen in the near field.
Harsh and fatiguing sound is coming from (amongst others) 1. distortions from the speakers. The Piegas will do a good job there. The coax driver is awesome.
2. room reflections. Nearfield will minimize this but not eliminate. Let’s say you still had a glass table between you and the speakers. Then this would still have a negative influence.
3. distortions from the chain. Think amp and source.(see for example my video on the Holo audio red)
This enjoyment of also suboptimal recordings is one of the things that put me over the edge with the A3000(after 1 and 2 were sorted and source was already pretty good with DAC200 and the Red).
Hey Tom,
Which setup you would enjoy the most?
1. Single A 3000 HV (Class AB) damping factor great than 65 or
2. Two Mono M200 ? with Damping factor of greater than 800?
I understand one is class AB amplification while the other is Class D
Also please keep your English review's going.
I am a proud owner of PA 3100, MP2000Mk2 and M200 :) Looking to expand my gear and super confused between
PSD 3100 (Gen3 streamer) and DAC 200 (Trickled HV series DAC) for my next purchase :)
Hi @uprajsingh, what speakers do you run? Beautiful gear btw… :)
@@HiFi-Tom Dynaudio Contour 20i , however planning to move to Dali Epicon 6 series as when tested Dali with T+A they just played tracks like match made. With Dynaudio I feel I am fairly pushing the knob to fairly high gain to get similar out. Danke Scheon for your help !
@@HiFi-Tom Thank You and so is yours with the DAC200 :)
I wish more people knew about T+A Audio. Glad you let go of your McIntosh's just not in same league in my opinion and has a slightly colored sound.
From a budget perspective, the M200 are the better match for the Epicon 6 I’d say. My recommendation is to first upgrade speakers before going on the amplification. With the PA3100 and the M200 you already have great options and could even think about bi-amping. If I were you I’d rather stick to that and go big time into speakers (whatever that means for you) and room treatment.
If you want a choice between A3000 and M200, you know my answer already, as I bought the A3000. M200 are still a great choice especially if you like base heavy music. The A3000 on the other side is the more rounded package for more than twice the price…
The McIntosh is a great integrated for the price it goes on the used market… but there are plenty of options which sound better to me. But of course they are also more expensive…
macht doch mal video, wie stecke ich Stromstecker in die Wandsteckdose 🥳🥳