RMAF 2013

I walked away from Diana Krall only to run into Elvis Costello, this time thanks to T+A's new MP3000 HV digital media player ($12,500). (A couple of weeks ago, I saw the couple walking along Prince Street in SoHo. Apparently, they’re stalking me.)

In addition to the MP3000, this small, attractive system was made of Dynaudio’s Confidence C1 loudspeakers ($9000/pair), driven by T+A’s new PA3000 HV integrated amplifier ($16,500).

The PA3000 is rated to deliver 500Wpc into 4 ohms, and operates in class-A mode for the first 50W. T+A’s Jim Shannon explained that the amp was designed to run on four times the voltage of the typical solid-state component, to provide a “tube sound” while employing solid-state devices. The MP3000, meanwhile, combines a high-performance CD player, USB DAC, streaming client, and AM/FM tuner. The unit’s attractive remote control features a small display which allows the user to browse cover art and associated metadata.

I noted a sound that was sweet, detailed, and dramatic; and, though the overall stage size couldn’t match that of some of the larger systems I heard at the show, the smaller scale had no adverse effect on the music’s emotional impact.