Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: Llano Designs Phoenix Amplifier (SS) by Penguin

Model:	Phoenix
Category:	Amplifier (SS)
Suggested Retail Price:	$2400+
Description:	Solid state Tube hybrid amplification systems
Manufacturer URL:	Llano Designs
Manufacturer URL:	Llano Designs

Review by Penguin ( A ) on February 21, 2003 at 09:32:24
IP Address: 68.34.58.110

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OK I had the Phoenix in my system for two days now, most of you will say that it is not completely settled, but I think it is already good enough to do some serious listening. But before I jump into the deep end a brief description of the hookup.
For all the sources you can check my system at
http://cgi.audioasylum.com/systems/1846.html.
The important stuff for this particular review all happens after the preamp. The X1 feeds a single VA1 which feeds two CAS300s . The VAI connects to the CAS300s with a pair of 5â€™ long DIY silver ICs. I connected the left and right inputs together inside each of the CAS300 with a short piece of bare 30AWG 4N silver. One CAS drives the bottom and the top of each speaker with a 4â€™ flat silver 10AWG silver cable. I could make the speaker cables a bit shorter but it would make positioning the CAS300s rather inconvenient. So this way I have a pretty interesting vertical biamping setup. The VA1 has a pair or Sylvania 7308 in it at this point.
I was expecting tons of excitement from this setup, so when I first turned it on I was sort of unimpressed. It did not sound the way expected it to sound. I was expecting something bigger than life and what I got was exactly life sized. But I did not realize it right away. I was listening to cut after cut and started to realize that bass instruments were just the right size, a standing base should not fill up your whole room it should stand about 6â€™ tall and 2â€™ wide, a kick drum is about 2â€™ in diameter and I could go on. This amp does not put things to places where they do not exist. It moves you back out of the music, it gives you an onstage presence of the music. I especially appreciate this because my room setup is some is somewhat near field. I sit about 7â€™ from the speakers.
I have way more power than I need. Since I have 2*300 watts connected to each speaker, I will never run out headroom, this probably causes the apparent ease with which any music is presented. Transients are just totally amazing, no harshness no tizziness just a solid wall of sound traveling through the air, A rim shot does sound like a rim shot, metal meets wood and the skin resonates. The music does not sound as loud as it sounded on my Meiner TR101, until somebody talks to you or the phone rings. At that point, you realize that you got the thing cranked up real loud.
The amp has a very rhythmic presentation at times you just want to get up and dance. There is very distinct separation between instruments and even the melodic and rhythmic structure of the same instrument. Notes stop and start at the right places, these brutes are in full control of the speakers all the time, they never let go. They do sound incredibly convincing at any sound pressure (of course within limits of the speakers). Now if you are looking for excitement, well then maybe the Llano is not the amp for you.

Product Weakness: None sofar
Product Strengths: Inccredible PRAT, Quite protable for a system of this capable

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	The Phoenix
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Pass Labs X1
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	See my system
Speakers:	Vanderstee 3A Signature
Cables/Interconnects:	DIY
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Various
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	None sofar
Product Strengths:	Inccredible PRAT, Quite protable for a system of this capable