There are not always great reviews which actually compare one less expensive piece to something which is two to three times the price and the reviewer has the honesty to say that the less expensive product is as good or sometimes better than the much more expensive one.
In the case of the Positive Feedback review, reviewer compared the $21k T+A integrated to the $45k D'agstino Momentum, and came away with the conclusion that the T+A was as good for half the money.
Plese read the review for yourself. Oh I see you own the D'agastino gear, and thereby are threatened by the truth, that the D'agastino gear is way over inflated for the sound quality compared to T+A.
As per the Devialet there are many people who like their sound and many who don't remember the Devialet is a Class D amplifier we had the Devialet gear and tried to sell it unsucessfully as it always sounded super impressive but was never musically involving.
And again as per the Persona's "killing the Kharmas, we will be happy to show you a picture of the $120k Kharma packed up and leaving.
For $120k a set of speakers has to be playing on a different league than a $35k set, and in this case the Kharmas weren't.
Again Gpr4blu, go ask Musicfx, who purchased a T+A after comparing it to a Pass Labs product, by the way we didn't sell him the T+A amp either!
Again why should this be a surprise, T+A is the largest electronics manfactuer in Germany with a full time staff of 14 engineers, how big do you think Pass Labs is or D'agastino.
Most of these companies have one to two engineers tops and are most likely have two to 10 employees.
This is not the latest hot brand gearing up in some Silicon Valley garage. T+A was launched in 1978 and has been a market leader in Europe ever since. Located in the town of Herford in North Rhine, Westphalia (a center for many high tech enterprises), T+A has been breaking new ground over the last thirty years with such diverse audio products as dynamic speakers, electrostatic speakers, turntables, digital to analog converters, streaming products and of course preamplifier, amplifier, and integrated amplifier designs.
Many folks are probably not aware that back in the day, T+A was a key player in active speaker research and development in parallel with Meridian, in digital audio research and development in parallel with Wadia, and with electrostatic speaker design with support from Sennheiser. Several premier companies like Soulution, Spectral and CH Precision are receiving accolades for their wide bandwidth amplifier designs, but T+A has also applied wide bandwidth technologies to their latest line of flagship components. The T+A legacy has a strong foundation.
Siegfried Amft is the original founder of the company and still leads the way as President with a strong vision and commitment to offer the very best in high end. Lothar Wiemann is the head of Research and Development and is a key contributor to many of the innovative designs implemented throughout all the product lines. Like the company name, I think you will be hearing about these two gentleman more and more often in the near future, and for good reason.
Together with a staff of over hundred employees, including fourteen graduate level hardware and software engineers, T+A continues to roll out an outstanding combination of both market and technology driven product portfolios. Make no mistake about it though, T+A is all about engineering, innovation and quality. The musicality and emotional connection that these products provide are the additional icing on the cake.
Performance:
Paired with the Strads, the PA 3100 HV ($21,500) quickly reminded me of my two favorite integrated amplifiers, the D'Agostino Momentum ($45,000) and Vitus RI-100 ($13,200). Yes, I realize from a price perspective that this is not an apples to apples comparison. On the other hand, we all know that price is not always an indicator of sound quality and system compatibility. Of the dozen or so analog integrated amplifiers that I have reviewed over the last four years, these three are clearly the premier performers based on my ears and biases.
For me, the T+A PA 3100 HV integrated amplifier and the PDP 3000 HV SACD/CD/DAC are two of the top players in their respective component categories. Depending on compatibility and specific system needs, maybe even the gold standard for now. Of course, I have not heard everything and there seems to be something new announced every day—especially in the digital world. But, compared to some of the very best, there is no question that they perform at an elite level and will provide enjoyment for years to come. When you take into account the engineering, technology and quality that is implemented throughout, these two are an absolute must audition. Highly recommended!
And as you usually do by casting aspiritions and doubts about my character, just remember VAC, BAT, Nordost, REL and many other products that went into SBS and Innovative Audio were discovered and championed by yours truly.
Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ