Desire, Passion, Hunger (Duh)

By Stephen Mejias • Posted: May 20, 2009

Fans of Shindo's gorgeous green and gold tube amplifiers will be excited to know that the Japanese manufacturer has just introduced (or re-introduced, I'm not sure) a new (or re-new, as the case may be) integrated amplifier.

Oh shit, an integrated amp? (That's a power amp and preamp united in one compact chassis.) And, oh shit, it is called the Apetite.

The Apetite! And I was all like, "It's called the Apetite?! OMG, did they make it just for me? I need it."

I wrote immediately to Art Dudley, proud owner of Shindo gear. "Art," I said, "have you, did you, are you, it's called the Apetite! Ahh! Um, I think you need to request a review sample like immediately. Oh, what? You've already got one coming in? Excellent! Way to be on top of things, sir!"

It should cost around $5500, and I'm wondering what I can sell. (A kidney, maybe?)

In the meantime, I'll be looking forward to Art Dudley's review. (Assuming that it actually happens, of course. All sorts of things can get in the way, you know, and I don't want to jump the gun.) Can you imagine the things Art Dudley might say about a 15Wpc 6V6 push-pull integrated amplifier with a name that connotes desire, passion, hunger (duh)?

Oh, I can. It's going to be pure poetry.

Matt Rotunda over at Pitch Perfect Audio has more info on the Apetite. And so does Jonathan Halpern over at Tone Imports.

Comments

Submitted by rvance on May 20, 2009 - 11:30am.

Bon, Apetite.

Submitted by paul basinski on May 21, 2009 - 4:05pm.

If only they'd spelled appetite correctly, I might be hungrier for it...

Submitted by Trey on May 20, 2009 - 10:06am.

Wow, that amp sure looks, delicious! And I agree with you that Art's writing about stuff makes me want it. It has since I used to buy Listener. I like what he writes, even when he is grouchy. He had it wrong about Steve Simmels though. Steve eschews Bowie's work because he says that Bowie has never expressed a true emotion, he is always playing a part. It was not the androgeny, Steve wrote a book about that. Shameless plug time, check out Simmel's great blog at http://powerpop.blogspot.com/

Submitted by Trey on May 20, 2009 - 3:04pm.

Good one Rvance, that was was a good pun and it was multilingual at that. Outstanding.

Submitted by smittyman on May 20, 2009 - 3:36pm.

As the owner of a mint condition copy of Tonio K's Life in the Foodchain, I can attest that Art was not wrong about Simmels.

Submitted by selfdivider on May 20, 2009 - 6:10pm.

Delicious, that thing. It's got your name all over it, SM! ;-) I heard Shindo used to make Apetite integrateds years ago, nice to see it's revived; I always wondered how it sounded...

Submitted by Trey on May 21, 2009 - 3:47pm.

Hey Smitty, I have that record too, but I think I like it a bit more than you do! I thought it was someone else who said that was the greatest record ever made. Simmels likes it, and has referenced it once in the last couple of years, but I am not sure he was the one who said it was the best. If he did, boy was he wrong!

Submitted by Wes K on May 22, 2009 - 12:54pm.

WOW!!! Count my kidney in too.

Submitted by Jonathan on May 24, 2009 - 7:37am.

Hi Selfdivider,Thanks for your enthusiasm. I just want to make you aware that this is not a revived product, it is a brand new design. The "Apetite" is a completely different amplifier than the "Apetite 6V6." The Apetite was a kit product for the Italian market about 15+/- years ago. I only mention this since I just received a email asking if the Apetite 6V6 was still in production. Obviously some confusion there. Shindo very often recycles names. Paul- um, it is spelled correctly...

Submitted by Smittyman on May 26, 2009 - 7:59am.

Hey Trey - sounds like you like it a LOT more than I do. I bought it based on Simmels original review in Stereo Review way back; I don't know if he said it was the best - ala Corey Greenburg with Hasell Adkins - but it was definitely a rave. I remember becuase that was the reason I bought it in the first place.