Excerpt from The Absolute Sound - Issue 127
December 2000/January 2001

Golden Ear Awards
2000

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E Q U I P M E N T

PAUL BOLIN
Atma-Sphere MA-1 Mk II.2 amplifier

Today, the state of High End audio is such that few inferior products make it to the dealer's showroom. The highly competitive marketplace and the limited outlets mean that only the best and best-supported products survive. The average level of component performance is at its highest, which makes it all the more enjoyable when something comes along that stands out. The Atma-Sphere MA-1 MkII.2 output-transformerless amplifier (reviewed this issue) is just such a component.

Even though I spend much of the last two years listening to excellent power amplifiers, the Atma-Spheres proved to be a special and enlightening experience. Single-ended triode amplifiers have gained a loyal, even fanatical following primarily because of the seductive harmonic richness of their midrange. Unfortunately, this glory comes with significant trade-offs. Many SETs offer low power, loose and uncontrolled (if any) deep bass, and a soft top octave or two. Speaker options are severely limited.

The MA-1s, however, allow you to have your SET cake without those problems. The result of Ralph Karsten's patented design is an amplifier with high power (150 wpc) that can drive any speaker with a reasonably consistent impedance, ant that also has the harmonically luscious presentation associated with low-powered SETs. It combines that SET rich and lifelike midrange with superbly articulated deep bass and an open and airy treble. Its transient response is the finest I have heard at any price.

The MA-1 has worked beautifully with line stages from Plinius, Jeff Rowland, and Audio Research and brings out the best of both analog and digital sources. It has no operational foibles and is a source of endless musical joy.