View and Download Audio Analogue A class owner's manual online. Special Edition. A class Amplifier pdf manual download. Also for: Class a se. Amplifier Audio Analogue Puccini Settanta Owner's Manual. Audio analogue srl integrated amplifier owner's manual (20 pages). The Puccini is a 40 watts integrated amplifier designed with an ultraminimalist approach in mind (just volume and input selector), entirely developed and built in Italy. Audio Analogue is a new Italian firm which is earning popularity among audiophiles because of its products (some amplifiers + a D.
Audio Analogue Puccini
The Puccini is a 40 watts integrated amplifier designed with an ultraminimalist approach in mind (just volume and input selector), entirely developed and built in Italy.
Audio Analogue is a new Italian firm which is earning popularityamong audiophiles because of its products (some amplifiers + a D/A converter, coming soon a CD player), designed to have a very high value/price ratio.
The amplifier I'm going to listen to has been successfully reviewedby several Italian *paper* mags and this has raised my interest even more.
The Puccini is a very interesting amplifier: minimalist but with someclever features: the AC power cord is detachable and the power switchis on the rear panel.
The detachable power cord allows us to use different hi-quality power cables with no need to open the component and install a IEC socket into it (operation which makes the warranty void, of course...).
The power switch in the rear forces you to keep the amplifier in stand-by, improving the life of the electronic components and overall performances (the warm-in period is *almost* non necessary).
To switch on the amplifier you just need to turn the volumeclockwise, like those old valve radios of the '50s.
This amplifier has also a MM/MC input, just to give proper credit tothe name of the brand (Audio Analogue :-)). To choose between MM and MCyou need to open the amplifier and move an internal switch.
A solid cabinet with a thick aluminium fascia and four spherical rubber feet complete the Puccini, for a list price here in Italy around 900.000 liras (600$ more or less). Please consider that when importing the Puccini in your Country your national Distributor has to pay taxes, shipping costs and has to add a little margin for the local dealers etc.
So, I've given you the price here in Italy just to give you a pale idea of the cost of this amplifier. It may be VERY different once it reachs your local dealer. As usual, your mileage may vary.
Its sound
The Puccini has a very well defined personality which puts this amplifierinto a league of its own. It sounds refined, very tube-like, if youknow what I mean: sweet and refined treble, not the usual high rangeof a transistor amplifier: the instruments shine of a very brilliant yet very natural light.
The mid range is somewhat similar -never aggressive- it treats female voices with a grace and an amazingly classy touch.
This amplifier doesn't know how to sound *nasty*, the musical programjust flows through it without any apparent *solid-state* contamination. It succeeds in making accessible even poor recorded CDs, thanks to its sweet high range response.
The bass range is good but we would have preferred more punch and depth...but please remember its personality.
When you ask for more this delicious integrated never jells nor the soundbecomes harsh: it starts reducing the overall dynamics, just to let youknow it's not the case to turn that volume knob clockwise any further.
Thanks to a very lively mid-bass the sense of rythm and swing is veryrealistic and even the limited depth of the bass range becomes inifluent if one thinks at the ideal loudspeaker one should match with this amplifier: a compact, refined and fast freestander.
Every kind of music is welcomed by the Puccini: only with electric pop and rock one could ask more *punch* and impact but one should also remember that the Puccini is a very budget-conscious integrated with a very classy sound: for that price one shouldn't ask for more.
But, if you want the Puccini grace coupled with a *punchier* sound look no further than its brother Puccini SE: a dual mono integrated amplifier which is, roughly speaking, a double Puccini.
It costs a little bit more, of course: 1000$ more or less.
The pictures above show the Puccini SE (see the two transformers) butthe two amplifiers are very similar *outside*. Actually just the aluminium front panel of the standard Puccini is less thick than the one in the SE version.
Overall dynamics
But one should interpret these features not as shortcomings but as something strongly wanted bythe designer, in order to give to the Puccini this so charming tube-like personality.
Also, the Puccini can sound really loud, especially if you avoidlow efficiency (less than 85 dB) partners. I've tried to force its driving capabilities coupling it to a pair of bigfloorstanders (Opera Terza) which are not exactly an easy task: the little Puccini has been able to drive them with autority even if it feels much more at home withcompact freestanders.
The virtual soundstage
This is a little bit strange since normally LPs deliver a better soundstaging than CDs.
I don't know the reason for this strange behaviour, I just knowthat with the Puccini Mark Knofler (on LP) now sings as it was re-scaled.
Taking into proper account the price of this amplifier and the presence of a classy MM/MC input which sounds exactly like the line inputs except for its re-scaled soundstage, I think the Pucciniis a bargain and its minimal drawbacks are easily forgiven.
How to get the best out of it
As already pointed out, this amplifier is always in stand-by mode, that is to say its circuits are ready to work well without long andtiring warm-in periods.Audio Analogue Puccini Se
This notwithstanding I'd recommend to turn onthe amplifier (with the volume knob) at least 15 minutes before listening to it seriously.
The Puccini doesn't overheat, even under heavy working conditions (highvolume with low impedance loudspeakers) but usual carehas to be taken during installation, especially to minimize resonancies.The four spherical rubber feet do have a function so replacing themwith tip toes or other fancy devices is not recommended.The detachable power cable is a very useful feature. I'd recommendreplacing it with our diy shielded power cable Merlino.
Speaker and signal cables need to be fast and refined, dynamically involving, unless you want to underline the tube-like sound of this integrated. In this case sweet and smooth sounding cables are the way to go.
Conclusions
Audio Analogue Puccini Se User Manual Free
A budget Italian amplifier that shows once again that our HiFiindustry is capable to design clever and good sounding products ata reasonable price.
At the same price you can buy a 80 watts Japanese amplifier with tons of knobs and facilities with without the Love for Music the Puccini has. Actually the Audio Analogue Puccini is more than an electronic circuit: it's more like a musical instrument.
I won't say it is the *best amplifier ever built* as the otherHiFi mags would say. There are several good sounding amplifiers out there and each one of them sounds different: if you're lookingfor a punchy and dynamically involving amplifier please DON'T buy the Puccini. But if you'relooking for a sweet and smooth Music lover...look no further.
Now available the listening test of the new Puccini SE Remote (2000 ed.)
Copyright © 1997 Lucio Cadeddu - http://www.tnt-audio.com
Audio Analogue Puccini SE Remote
Good things, done better
Prodotto: Puccini SE Remote - ampli integrato 55+55 w
Produttore: Audio Analogue srl - Italy
Approx. price: 1,295 $ / 1,100 Euro
Reviewer: Lucio Cadeddu
Reviewed: January 2001
There's no need to introduce Audio Analogue, the Italian brand located in Tuscany which has earned a very good reputation among audiophiles mainly thanks to its integrated amps, the Puccini and the Puccini SE. Recently the A.A. guys broke new ground even in the digital field, with the introduction of two innovative CD players, the Paganini and the Maestro, recently reviewed here on TNT-Audio.
The secret of their success is undoubtedly due to the sano design and to an uncommon care for finish and aesthetics, not to mention the quality/price ratio which has always been very high.
Now, after several years of success worldwide, the Italian Maison Audio Analogue has decided time was come for new versions of their famous and renowned integrated amps. So here they are, the new Puccini Remote and the Puccini SE Remote (under test). Instead of adding just few touches to looks and finish, the designers have decided to start from scratch and design totally new units. So....
What's new?
Let's start from the outside looks: first of all, as the new name suggests, the new Puccini's now have a remote control, one of the coolest remotes I've ever seen at any price. The picture can't reveal the jaw-dropping beauty of this solid milled metallic remote control: heavy, ergonomic and carefully polished, this unit is something that should be seen to be completely understood. Way COOOL, period.
It includes volume control (up and down), the input selector (by means of 2 switches - up and down) and a centrally-placed MUTE switch, very useful to temporarily silence the amp.
On the face plate, you encounter a new input selector, served by relais and a series of leds that indicate which input has been chosen (something seen, for example, on Audio Research preamps). Cool, smooth and easy to use. More or less it works like a sequential gear shift on a Ferrari :-)
And if the input selector is new, even the inputs are: now 4 'line' inputs instead of 3, a brand new 'pre out' output for using an external power amp and finally an uncommon 'tape off' switch that should silence the tape loop for improved sonics.
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Following a good and well established Audio Analogue tradition, the new Puccini SE Remote still offers a good phono input, which you can set to MM or MC just from the inside of the amplifier, directly on the circuit board.
There are double loudspeakers binding posts to make biwiring easier, the AC mains cable is detachable and near its IEC socket there's the usual on/off switch. This means the Puccini SE Remote is meant to be left permanently in stand-by. To power it on, you just need to turn the volume knob counterclockwise.
Let's have a look at the inside, where the main novelties are hidden. First of all, you can notice that the new Puccini SE makes use of discrete components, few IC's are available.
Then there's a new PSU, with two 200 VA toroidal transformers in lieu of the previous 2 x 150 units. The PSU caps remain the same (37,600 uF total, 4 per channel) while the output power increases till 55 watt per channel (8 ohm @ 1 kHz) and 95 watt per channel (4 ohm). For this reason there's a new heatsink, exactly the same of the old Donizetti power amp. Actually, the whole power section resembles to that one.
In the end, it is a totally new unit with few things in common with the older version, apart the fact of being totally dual mono, as the picture clearly shows.
The price has increased too (there's no such a thing as a free meal :-) ) but this is completely justified by better components, stronger PSU and the presence of a coooool remote control.
Remark. The old Puccini SE can't be upgraded to this new version as they are totally different.
Good things, done better
Thanks to the Audio Analogue staff I've been able to test the new unit head to head with the old one. The 'family battle' has kept me busy for a couple of months and I've used the amps inside three totally different set-ups and rooms....I'm pretty sure I've been able to pick the main differences up.
Normally, I'm very skeptic about 'mk II' editions as they are, very often, rip-off's. The market asks for 'improved' units year after year and you aren't allowed to offer the same old design for more than 5 years, otherwise you're history.
For this reason, the head to head test of the two amps has been very, very interesting. A nice surprise, indeed.
Yes, despite the amp is almost totally new, its sound is very close to the general 'mood' of the old unit.
In some areas, though, it has been substantially bettered!
It still offers its Music gently, with that velvet tubey touch that has made it a worldwide success. BUT!!! The mid-high range is now smoother, cleaner, harmonically richer and it helps moving the whole sonic performance into the league of integrated amps that cost 1,500 $ and more.
If you think your old Puccini SE is smooth and refined, well, think again. This new unit wins hands down, bar none. It even seems the new unit can go higher in the frequency spectrum, thanks to the increased harmonic content.
The same happens in the mid range, now more polished and precise. Voices appear more natural and less grainy, for example.
In the bass department, something has changed, and - again! - for better. Do not let a quick listening test fool you: the new Puccini may appear less solid in the 150-200 Hz region but listening carefully and comparing the two amps to a reference unit you suddenly can notice the bass is now far more linear, as it was a bit 'fat' in the old version.
It had that kind of 150 Hz 'boost' to 1) make it sound more powerful than it actually was and 2) to add that old tubey 'mood' that made the Puccini so different from its colleagues in the same price range.
Now that 'boost' has gone but you won't miss it because the new unit does have deeper, more articulated and cleaner bass lines. Below the 100 Hz-taboo limit for many integrated amps the new Puccini shows authority, 'drive' and a linearity to die for.
Dynamics
The 'tubey' and velvet touch of the old Puccini is still there so the dynamic performance of this improved unit is convincing, though not exactly walls-shaking. Anyway, thanks to the beefed-up PSU and output stage the new Puccini SE Remote gives something more than the previous version, especially in terms of 'drive' and control of the woofers membranes.
Fast but not in a hurry, the Italian amp sounds solid but not explosive. Anyway, when hooked up to 'bad guys' (for example, I've tested it even with a pair of Klipsch RF-3 98 dB/w/m floorstanders) it still can shake your floor and windows.
And yes, it feels at home in the microdynamics department, it sounds with plenty of detail and grace, though it can still give a lively kick to the most energetic rock tracks.
3D soundstage and imaging
Of course, it is still a 1,000 $ amplifier so it can't create the large soundstage the 'big' electronics have. Width and depth are good, while the height is just fair. Thanks to the fact this amp sounds with grace and elegance, the soundstage appears not exactly 'sculpted' and 'crystal clear'. The contours of the virtual images of singers and instruments appear a bit 'blurred'. The scene does contain many details, though.
Some advice
It is mostly an universal amplifier, ready to play with the majority of the loudspeakers in the market. This doesn't mean it will replace your Krell or Mark Levinson :-) but, still, it will fill your room with plenty of good Music even if your speakers are of the sub-87 dB kind. The power is enough for most applications.
Its velvet touch can make aggressive speakers sound smoother or, if this is the kind of sound you're looking for, it will be an excellent partner for a pair of smooth and warm minimonitors.
For a better sonic performance, leave the TAPE OFF switch always on and change the stock power cord with something better, such as our DIY designs. Keep it permanently in stand-by mode, unless you plan to stay away from home for weeks. This way the amp will be ready to perform at its best without long and tiring warm-ups.
The new, large heatsink allows a better cooling of the output stage so this amp stays 'cold' most of the time, there no need to leave a lot of air around it. Do not hide it into a poorly vented rack, either, as it will suffer and you won't be able to make the remote control operate flawlessly (see the Complaints section below).
The four rubber feet work fine but there's still room for some tweaking: we have reviewed many of these after-market accessories, the soft ones being the best choice for this amp, in my opinion.
The PRE-OUT output can be used if you plan to upgrade the power section with an external power amp, for example (not recommended, though).
The phono input stage is a gift for analogue-addicts, since this feature is becoming rare on moder amps and preamps. It is a very good sounding stage, with audiophile-grade components and it will allow you to save up to 500$ (i.e. you won't need an external phono preamp).
Complaints
Once again, the thick aluminium face plate has forced the designers to place the IR sensor of the remote control way too recessed inside the unit. This means that you won't be able to make the remote operate unless you point it directly to the amp. Also, though wonderful, the remote switches are too small and not so smooth to press: the 'click' isn't clear and safe and sometimes you wonder if the remote command hasn't been esecuted because you pointed the unit in the wrong way or because the switch hasn't been pressed correctly. Not good.
The Puccini SE under test had a certain buzzing noise from the transformers, nothing serious or particularly annoying, especially when listening to Music, but still audible.
Perhaps a pair of 'silent blocks' between the toroids and the cabinet would have solved the problem.
Sonically, you have to love this amp. I mean, its sound should be the one you're searching for. Otherwise, especially if you're used to crisp and brutal amps, you'll find this unit way too smooth and sweet. Anyway, do not let a quick A-B test fool you: the amp that sounds lively and sparkly for the first 5 minutes can easily become unbearable after 3 hours. This kind of A-B listening tests, especially if performed at the dealer's listening room, can be quite misleading.
With the most energetic musical program, like metal or techno, you may want to test listen something else, though.
Conclusions
This is a substantial upgrade, not a mere marketing operation. The price has gone up together with the sound quality and ease of use, so the usual high quality/price ratio of the previous unit has remained the same. Errr, I'd say that even the Q/P ratio has been bettered!!!
If you want an integrated amp which offers a (cool) remote control, a MM/MC phono stage and a sound quality second to none, the Puccini SE should be into your 'must-listen' list.
Finally, congrats to the Audio Analogue staff for bettering an already pretty good amp and a warm thank you for having let me play with the two units for oh sooo long time :-)
Copyright © 2001 Lucio Cadeddu - http://www.tnt-audio.com