Thanks Bill. I'll update after having a chance to form some initial impressions.
Circle Labs A200 Integrated amplifier review - It will appeal to both tube and SS lovers……
This review is a reflection of my desire to help those looking for purity of sound in the convenient package of an integrated amplifier. In other words, an amplifier that transcends the usual boundaries of tube vs solid state. The A200 integrated is a unique design and one that I don’t recall seeing before--more on that in a moment. I called my local dealer here in the Nashville area, Colin King of Gestalt Audio Design, and told him I wanted to look into an integrated amplifier. I had too many boxes with several LPS’s, switches and such on the floor next to my Sound Anchors rack. It did not look good in our living room, and since I live with THE Audiophile’s Wife, I decided I better simplify and tidy up our space before she took to the blogosphere and wrote about my slovenly ways.
I also liked the integrated amp concept, in general, as they can offer stellar sound at lower prices than competing separates. I knew Colin carried the Luxman brand, and it has always intrigued me, but to my surprise, he suggested the Circle Labs A200 made in Poland. I had not heard of it, but he felt it would fit my sonic priorities better. In a nutshell, I like beautiful tone and realism and am less concerned about sonic feats of strength that impress initially, but over time don’t immerse me in the music. I guess, for me, an integrated amp appeals to the heart and soul--not just the mind.
Prior to the A200, I had a wonderful sounding $15,000 Mark Levinson 532 preamp and two nice amplifiers. Here’s a little backstory on that:AMPS: One of the amps was a 50-watt per channel, pure class A solid state Clayton Audio amplifier. The other was a 1200-watt per channel, unique class D amplifier. Both appealed to me in different ways.PREAMPS: I recently built a very robust 6sn7 tube preamp that I enjoyed but ended up giving to my stepson as a housewarming gift. In addition to that, I owned a highly modified/upgraded Audio Valve Eclipse tube preamp that was also quite enjoyable.
Suffice it to say the integrated had a significant sonic hurdle to clear to make it onto my audio rack. On paper, the A200 seemed ideally suited to my sonic preferences. The design combines a tube preamplifier and a single ended, pure class A, solid state output stage. While hybrid integrated amplifiers are not new to the scene, one with a single ended, pure Class A output was unique in my experience. In addition, the builder was passionate and intensely focused on short signal paths and keeping the parts count to an absolute minimum. The end goal was sonic purity, in other words, the accuracy of the tone and overtones needed to be precise to the vocals and the instruments. It needed to correctly address the nuances of the recordings like the inflections of the voices, the emotion of the vocalist and the subtleties of each instrument.
The A200 is rated at 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms and doubles to 200 watts into 4 ohms. It uses the rather inexpensive Siemens ECC8100 tube--one per channel and they will last some 10,000 hours. You can read more about this amp online at the Circle Labs site as well as viewing several online reviews of the unit.
This design goal, in my estimation, delivers the sonic purity I find elusive in many pieces of audio gear. This hybrid is different from other hybrid amps I have owned from Blue Circle, Monarchy Audio and Aesthetix Audio. Their designs are wonderful in their own way. They have sonic strengths in areas like warmth, stage size, high power and such. In my opinion, the A200 stands out from the other hybrids in purity of sound and inner detail. The sound reminds me of the “illuminated from within” sound I heard on my past pair of 2a3/300b monoblock SET amps from George Wright. The A200 sonic strengths boil down to a wide open sound, purity of tone and a positively arresting revealing of inner detail and nuance. The bass of the A200 is stellar in both articulation and fullness. If the recording has a meaty foundation, the A200 delivers it, and this is a must for me to enjoy music. The amp does not homogenize recordings based on my experience. Every recording is delivered with its intended sound and personality.
Another aspect I really appreciate is how engaging this amp is at low to moderate volume levels. I think this is simply a reflection of its sonic purity. In the end, the A200 cleared my sonic hurdle, and then some, because it drew me into the performances time and time again. One additional note is the A200 is just plain fun. My wife joins me for pleasure listening, and it scores very high marks on the fun factor.
I have heard amplifiers with more exacting leading edges and crisper highs. I have heard amplifiers with more gut-hitting dynamics at high volume levels, though I suppose if you pair the A200 with highly efficient speakers you would achieve this. I have not often heard the purity of sound and overall illumination of the performance that this integrated delivers. Approximating it would typically require SET tube amplifiers of the 2a3/845 and OTL variety-- at least in my experience.
Colin is the importer and dealer located in Nashville. The retail price is $8995. He is easy to work with, no-pressure and very laid back. I liked my experience with him greatly, and The Audiophile’s Wife has said, and I quote, "she plans to adopt him into our family if one of our biological children goes missing."
System notes:
Circle Labs A200 on Townshend Pods and with QSA blue fuses installed
Dali Epicon 6 speakers with highly upgraded crossovers
Mojo Audio Evo dac with most all the upgrades including Lundahl Amorphous chokes
Innuos Zenith 3 server
Hapa Audio ICs and Aero USB cable
Acoustic BBQ power cord and speaker cable
Purist Audio jumpers
Network Acoustics ENO ethernet cables and filter
English Electric 8Switch
Several linear power supplies for modem, router switch
Puritan Audio 156 and Groundmaster conditioning/grounding
Townshend Pod products under speakers and gear
Sound Anchors rack
Dedicated twin 20 amp lines
Various tweaks from Mad Scientist, PerfectPath Audio
Link to Circle Labs site,
http://www.circlelabs.eu/a200_en
I should add I listen to most every major genre of music including jazz, folk, female jazz vocalist, classical, acoustic instrumental, solo piano etc…. I love Van Morrison and Rickie Lee Jones and would say they are my top two favorite artists.
Hope you find this helpful fellow Agoners.
Bill
Showing 40 responses by whipsaw
Thanks @grannyring I am using an older Shunyata design, the Black Mamba CX-HC. I admittedly haven't done much comparing, but it was, and remains highly regarded, and they don't even appear on the secondary market very often. I had to wait months to find one! The Hijri cords look superb, but I would probably be inclined to upgrade my speaker cables next. |
Congratulations, @hchilcoat , and thank you for your interesting impressions. I've never heard your speakers, but on the basis of some quick research, they appear to be excellent. I wouldn't worry at all about any differences between the A200 and your separates, as I am sure that they are very close in SQ. The designer suggests ~200 hours of use before the A200 can be expected to sound its best, so you probably have further blossoming to enjoy over the coming weeks. I continue to be impressed with the A200, but am awaiting a set of FinkTeam Kim speakers, and an impending move to a new home, before writing a review. |
Thank you. Anyone interested in the KIMs will likely find this (pdf) review by Martin Colloms to be very interesting: https://www.finkteam.com/wp- I am excited about them, and will of course will report on them, and their synergy with the A200, after they arrive. |
Thanks. It is interesting, and apparently serendipitous how you came to the separates! I agree that the Circle Labs amps appear to be fairly versatile in terms of the speakers that they match well with. I have no worries about the KIMs, but do agree that those speakers which are designed to excel with low-powered tube amps would likely present the greatest challenges. |
@jjss49 If you move to Europe, it'll be cheaper! 😄 |
@facten Colin can answer your other questions specifically, but the (two) linestage tubes and associated batteries need only be changed once every several years. The tubes have a ~10,000 hour life expectancy, and the batteries should be replaced at the same time. |
re: ^^ I did an image search for Audiomat amps, and the (aesthetic) similarities are very superficial. The A200 is far more elegant, and the detail are finer, and more impressive. Having said that, virtually all industrial designs are derivative to some extent. The A200 remote is very similar to the remote that came with the Jeff Rowland Concentra, though cased in aluminum, rather than plastic. |
Like any good (sick?) audiophile, I like to peruse reviews of components even if I am not in the market for them. Somewhat like men having their heads turned on the street, even if they are very happy with their partners. So today, I stumbled across this review of the Riviera Levante hybrid integrated: and couldn’t help but notice some striking similarities between its topology, and that of the A200. There are differences, for sure, not least of which are the option to run the Levante in pure Class A, and a built-in headphone amp. But looking at the internals, and reading about the designer’s approach, there are both interesting and obvious parallels, including the use of very similar tubes. Those interested can read about the designer’s thoughts on the topology employed here: It would certainly be interesting to compare the two amps, though keep in mind that the Levant is roughly three times the price here in Europe! |
And yet another new review... https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2022/02/04/circle-labs-a200-integrated-amplifier-review/ A bit too much about the aesthetics, IMO, but joins the others in terms of it being overwhelmingly positive. |
Thanks for the enthusiastic review, and congrats! Here is a very interesting review of the same amp in a Polish publication: http://highfidelity.pl/@main-1033&lang=en |
This has me thinking more about my time with the A200. It is not the sort of amp that wows the listener in the first minutes of listening with sonic feats of strength. Some amps will do this initially, but over time other imperfections begin to reveal themselves. This strikes me as an important distinction, and is well-stated. That's not to say, of course, that some listeners shouldn't prefer amp A to amp B, but I suspect that it is a goal of most audiophiles to find the sort of happiness that Bill is apparently experiencing with the A200. |
I should be receiving mine no later than next week. Bill's review catalyzed my initial interest, and I think that I've found and read all of the related Polish material. Interestingly, there is a GATO sub-forum on one of the Polish audio sites, and some comparisons were made by listeners to the same amp that I currently use (AMP-150). Some even preferred it. I am prepared for the possibility that the A200 would be a "diminishing return" purchase, but I also have two weeks to auction it at home before keeping it. I'm excited about it, in any case, and look forward to listening to it. |
@jjss49 Thanks! I am very hopeful that this will be the end of the road. The truth is that the GATO sounds very good indeed, but I was tempted by the design and feedback relating to the A200, and also prefer it from an aesthetic standpoint. I've never owned any tube gear, but like the concept of hybrid amps, and especially this execution. |
@jjss49 No, in fact, I have heard very few hybrid amps, and not owned any. But as I have always leaned a bit towards the sweet/warm side of solid state, I expect that a well-designed amp like the A200 will tick the right boxes. This purchase is out of character for me in another respect, in that I very very rarely buy new components. But I have the impression that the A200 punches above its price class, and hope to enjoy it for a long time to come. I will be moving fairly soon to a new home, but will be able to compare to my previous two amps, as I will listen to it in the same space, and with the same associated components, for at least a couple of months. |
Hi Chris, Welcome to the small, but apparently growing CL A200 fan club! I literally received mine on Sunday evening (wild, eh?), and wasn't planning on making any public commentsso quickly. However, I can say this: while the designer claims that the sound will improve noticeably over the first ~200 hours of use, I am highly impressed even at this very early stage. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions. Cheers, Tony |
@hchilcoat Thank you. I won’t be of much help regarding comparisons to the Linear integrated amplifiers, though they do look interesting. In some of the reviews I see an emphasis on tonal accuracy, and that is something that does stand out to me about the A200 thus far. Your incoming DAC sounds exciting indeed. What speakers do you use? |
@jjss49 I actually look forward to composing a fairly thorough review, but will need some time to allow the amp to reach its full potential. Having said that, there will be some qualifications, given a) my current, far less than ideal listening space and b) that I will be comparing from memory, rather than in real time |
I'm enjoying mine as well, and @grannyring is partly responsible for my having taken the leap. As I recently upgraded my speakers to a pair of (German) FinkTeam KIM, the A200 is further revealing its potential. A terrific integrated amp, and still largely under the radar! |
The GATO AMP-150 was one of two favorite SS amps that I have owned, and that includes more than a few over ~40 years. The other was a 1st generation Jeff Rowland Concentra. But over the years I have also owned a Pass, Bryston, and others. The aesthetic design of the AMP-150 is not to everyone's taste, but it produces very fine, natural sound, and produces plenty of power. One disappointment that I had with it was that it incorporates an active cooling fan, something that wasn't mentioned in the reviews that I read while researching the purchase. To be fair, it is rarely activated, but I much prefer a passive cooling design. The A200 I have been very happy with thus far. I am planning to do a review at some point, but have been delaying it for a couple of reasons. First, my current listening space is very poor, and the one in my new (old) house, which is in the final stages of renovation, will allow all of my components to show their full potential. The second reason is that I have recently upgraded my speakers, which will complicate any possible comparisons. If you have any specific questions, I would be happy to answer them as best as I can. Cheers |
You're welcome! With a challenging load, I would be a bit concerned about fan noise. As you know, passive cooling simply means heat sinks, and that's a good segue to the A200. The casework is among the best that I've come across, and the heat sinks are exceptionally well designed and executed. No sharp edges, and they invite touching, especially if one's hands happen to be cold! It's a very attractive, and impressively built amplifier. In terms of sound, I did have a few weeks to compare it to the Gato with my previous Harbeth 30.1, and yes, I preferred the A200. I was not in a position to A/B them, but am inclined to say that the A200 brings out a bit more subtle detail, and also has a slight edge in tone and timbre. Whether those impressions are related to the tubes in the pre-amp, or the overall topology, I cannot say. Another complicating variable for me is that I have recently upgraded speaker cables as well. I had been using a fairly early generation of Audience cables for many years, and was very satisfied, but given the other recent upgrades, I wanted to try something different. I ended up with Inakustik LS-2404 AIR cables, and a matching set of XLRs. The improvement was, I would say, palpable, and it exceeded my expectations. I do not expect to have an urge to change again for many years to come. The A200, along with the FinkTeam KIM speakers and the new cables, sounds exceptionally good. And it is certain to improve, at least in terms of soundstage and bass, after I move into the more sympathetic space. |
A small, related coincidence. When I was first thinking of possibly buying a pair of FinkTeam KIM speakers, my local trusted dealer in Lisbon was a distributor. They were awaiting a new pair for me to audition, and word came down that they had experienced a falling out with Karl-Heinz Fink, and were no longer going to carry his line of speakers. But on the basis of a strong recommendation from one of the men who worked at the dealer, whose judgment I trust, I took a leap of faith and bought a pair of barely used, but nicely discounted KIMs from a Swedish dealer, and had them shipped. I have been using them to excellent effect with the A200 ever since, and, ironically, have had nothing but positive experiences communicating with Karl-Heinz about issues such as positioning, etc. My point being that one shouldn't assume that a falling out between a dealer and manufacturer necessarily reflects poorly on the latter. |
Thanks Bill. Yours are certainly less expensive than the Stillpoints, though I was able to get mine at a nice discount. I did a fair amount of research prior to the purchase, as I had (remarkably, perhaps) never previously used anything more expensive than Herbie's Tenderfeet for vibration control. I chose Stillpoints not only because of various reviews and recommendations, but also because Ansuz, a company for which I have a good deal of respect, also employs ceramic balls in their (more expensive) products. It was a big step forward in getting the best out of the A200, and revealing the potential of the other associated components. |
Those who own, or are considering purchasing an A200, note that I found vibration mitigation to make a big difference in performance. I belatedly added four Stillpoints under my A200, and the results were much greater than I was anticipating. I don't know if this is typical of amps which utilize tubes, and/or if there was excessive vibration coming through the solid teak sideboard on which the amp was sitting directly, but in any case, I thought that my experience might prove useful to some. |
When I purchased mine, I corresponded with Krzysztof Lichoń, the designer of Circle Labs amps. He wrote this (English is obviously not his first language):
FWIW, I would not characterize the mids as being closed in in the A200, but I have changed associated gear since the initial break-in.
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