The Sound
Contents
Followers of Alpha Audio actually already know what we’re going to say, since we previously posted a video about this amplifier.
Pass sound!
What immediately stands out is the incredibly fine and clean midrange. It is so smooth, tactile and beautifully layered…. we don’t hear this very often at this level. It is truly high-end… Particularly impressive. Especially in an integrated model where there are challenges to overcome.
Both on the TAD and the Aretai Contra 100S we hear this beauty / quality, where the Aretai accentuates it even more, because this speaker focuses on openness, rhythm and looseness. The TAD is a bit rounder and more calmly tuned.
Rhythm
We played all kinds of music on the system. And time after time, the super tight and throbbing timing stands out. Songs with numerous layers the Bladelius puts down flawlessly, with the rhythm and tight timing ensuring that the whole thing flows through the speakers without any stress or effort.
This all seems very easy to those who don’t know any better. Seasoned enthusiasts know that many systems struggle with this. Some systems make it too round and sloppy, others too tight and analytical. The Bladelius is truly spot on.
Unfortunately
Saying goodbye is never fun. Especially not when you enjoy a system immensely. That is certainly the case now. The Bladelius ASK is one of the few all-rounders where we just haven’t been able to observe any concessions. Hats off to Mike Bladelus….