Conclusion. Nearly 300 hours of break in is now a reality.
I got an e mail from a friend who is well respected in the industry that has been following the thread. He simply said " you really put it out there in the wind didn't you " ? I had no earthly idea what he meant. I e mailed him and his response was that its unusual for a non professional reviewer to review a benchmark product that absolutely no one had heard yet much less reviewed. The theory was that most who did reviews had at least a few professional comments to base their conclusions on . The danger was that if the product was widely panned in the critic press , my comments and my reputation would go swirling down the toilet quicker than you know what through a goose. I commented to him that I trust one thing... my own ears.
There is not a single area that the Act 2 Series 2 does not improve upon over the Act 2. As good as the Act 2 is , the 2.2 has better dynamics { both micro as well as macro } , better accuracy in timbre reproduction , plumbs deeper in the bass region , has more richness in the midrange and is more open and clear on top with out sacrificing decay and ambience retrieval.
It plays a wider variety of musical genres better as well. The polite , sophisticated Act 2 was not a rock and roll preamp. The 2.2 s attributes make Rock , Electronica and World music come alive with weight and slam . The improved top end and its ability to capture nuances of the recording space made Ambient recordings like Hearts Of Space positively enriching . Especially late at night when the wife was asleep.
Classical aficionados will sink into the massive soundfield and layered tapestry of the recording with a sense of ease that allows the listener to relax and concentrate on the performance and forget about the sonics. This is also a medium that benefits from the improved micro and macro dynamics and the 2.2 will not disappoint!I am simply addicted to two aspects of musical reproduction . The human voice and capturing the entire recording atmosphere in a given song. Lose the first and you lose touch with the humanity of the recording , lose the second and the suspension of disbelief you are experiencing a mechanical event is lost. Here are two critical areas that the Act 2.2 has significant advantages over the Act 2. I assume its a combination of attributes but it seems to me that the improvement in the midrange is directly attributable to the former and the later is something I can only describe without explaining.
I am an audio cannibal. I am addicted to the flesh and bones of the recording. Its what drives me into the Conrad Johnson camp. The Act 2 was not something I could readily sink my teeth into. The 2.2 is bloody tasty. Rhythm , vocal immediacy , space ; its all here in spades. Connecting to the music is the holy grail in my view. I am as close as I have ever been.
I am not a reviewer and this is not a formal review. I am a passionate lover of many genres of music and I need gear that will allow each to showcase its strengths.
Finally , I must admit that it is gorgeous to look at night with its Lucite rings and soft glowing tubes . The modern design is somewhat of a departure for the company but the look is retro at the same time oddly enough.
The magic in audio is all about the midrange and it is the cornerstone of Conrad Johnson designs. If you believe this then you will crave what the 2.2 does .
Brent Rainwater
