Review: Acurus RL-11 Preamplifier


Category: Preamps

Excellent. Competitive with significantly more expensive devices I auditioned it against, this pre really does its job well. Very fast and powerful, nice and quiet, it does everything a good SS pre should. It's not the most romantic sounding device, but so long as the rest of the system is good, it produces lovely music. I play a broad variety of music in my system, and the pre never sounded strained or clouded. Its bass is really tough to beat, it has a tight, powerful sound that most tube pres I've heard fall short of. It's simple, has plenty of connectivity options, and simply does its job well. I really like the super-simple remote too, and the fact that the volume and balance controls are motor driven rather than electronic. The knobs and visual appearance are super slick aluminum, and the chassis is sturdy and spartan. I couldn't ask for more from a relatively low-priced SS preamp.

Associated gear
B&W DM 605 s2 loudspeakers
Acurus A100 Amplifier
EAD DSP-1000 DAC
Marantz CC-67 transport

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