CES 2014

It's "T plus A," not "T and A," I was told of the 35-year old German company whose products Dynaudio first began importing into the US three years ago. Supplying bright, incise sound, great bass, and really impressive dynamics was a full HV (High Voltage) Series Reference System that paired T+A's new A 3000 HV Reference power amplifiers ($37,000/pair), complete with new PS 3000 HV power supply upgrades for the A 3000 HV ($25,000/pair), with the new P 3000 HV Reference preamplifier ($15,000), MP 3000 HV CD transport/DAC/streaming client ($13,500), and new Solitaire CWT 1000 SE loudspeakers ($50,000/pair). Transparent Audio cabling enabled the system to deliver all it can.

The HV series is designed for people who love the sound of tubes but want the convenience of solid-state devices. The electronics run solid-state components at very high voltages, akin to the high voltages at which tubes run; this enables the solid-state devices to function in the most linear part of their range and, with the help of the overall design, produce a tube-like sound. The preamp offers class-A, dual-mono topology in an all-aluminum chassis designed for complete isolation. The 3000 HV power amplifiers work in modular fashion, allowing you to run either one as a stereo amp, or two in non-bridged fashion for optimal sound. In the photo, each optional PS 3000 HV power supply upgrades is positioned under an amp; the PS 3000 HV allows the amp's internal power supply to power its input stage, while it supplies the output stage. "It should work with any speaker under the sun," the company's Export Sales Manager, James Shannon, claims.