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Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: Bluenote Steroid 1 Signature Integrated Amplifier (SS) by drshrewsbury

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REVIEW: Bluenote Steroid 1 Signature Integrated Amplifier (SS)

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Model: Steroid 1 Signature
Category: Integrated Amplifier (SS)
Suggested Retail Price: $1,295
Description: Dual Mono Integrated Amplifier
Manufacturer URL: Bluenote
Model Picture: View

Review by drshrewsbury ( A ) on May 23, 2004 at 11:24:49
IP Address: 24.118.57.8
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for the Steroid 1 Signature


Almost on a whim, I bought a Bluenote Steroid 1 Signature integrated amplifier. It was being sold as a demo by Jerry Raskin's Needle Doctor. I have known Raskin’s for years and actually had a couple of courses from Jerry's father Leo at the University of Minnesota. It is almost a matter of Gospel: If the Needle Doctor carries it, it has to be very good or better.

The Steroid 1 Signature is a very strange looking integrated amplifier. The front face is a single piece of black acrylic broken only by the input selection knob on the left and the volume control on the right. The off/on switch is on the back panel which discourages me from turning it off and on with each use. I just leave it on, and have never felt any heat from the box to suggest that that does any harm.

The amplifier is a dual mono setup and is rated at 25 watts rms into 8 ohms. I will spare you the rest of the specs but you can see them at www.needledoctor.com if you are interested. Driving my Athena AS-F2 speakers, the Steroid 1 shows a lot of guts and I have never felt it was strangled for power or over-driven. Bass extension is very good. Efficient speakers are a must though. One of my correspondents owns one and it is apparently not quite up to driving his Pavarrotti's.

Bluenote has apparently taken a unique design approach. Their goal is to get tube sound from a solid state amplifier, and they have succeeded. The sound is open, smooth, even sweet comes to mind. Raskin’s describes the sound as “open, natural and realistic.” I can’t argue with them. Every time I put music on the turntable or CD player, I am simply thrilled with how good it all sounds. I simply love this piece of equipment.

To prepare for this review, I took out some of my favorite music and listened. First up was The Solti Mahler 8th on Decca CD. This a challenge to any stereo system. It is very complex with huge chorus and orchestra with soloists soaring above it all. On the wrong system this recording can sound shrill at the top. Not with the Steroid 1. Most revealing part starts with Rene Kollo’s “Blicket auf” through to the end. This passage was opened up in a way I have only heard one other time at a high end store here in Minneapolis. That was on their $22,000 a pair B&W speakers, driven by very expensive esoterica. The chimes in the same passage came through with delicacy. I could clearly tell the difference this amplifier made over the Rotel that preceded it. Of course, my enjoyment of this is still limited by my speakers. As good as they are, they can not compete with the really top line stuff.

Turning to the Vinyl shelf, I put on the old Columbia collection of Russian Folk Songs. My favorite is the Pyatnytsky Folk Chorus doing the hymn to Lake Baikal. This is full throated singing at its best and the recording is not too bad. Once again reproduced naturally, openly.

Erich Kunzel’s recording of Big Band music on Telarc shows how quick this amplifier really is. Listening to the drums in “Sing, Sing, Sing” the responsiveness and timing appears to be just right.

The single recording that most revealed the weakness of the Rotel 855 receiver I was running before the Bluenote was the XRCD recording of “The Four Seasons” by Accardo on Philips. I had loved these performances for many years and had cherished the standard Philips CD. I had thought that nothing could be better than and XRCD version. Wrong. The sound was harsh and shrill in the violin. I was disappointed. When the Bluenote arrived the recording sounded terrific again. The harshness and shrillness was gone.

Finally, opera is glorious from the Bluenote producing very true sound in the operatic voice. Wunderlich is right on. Bergonzi is ringing. Gheorghiu is unique and beautiful; Casta Diva, indeed.

Equipment used: See my Living Room System in inmate systems.


Product Weakness: Power. Efficient speakers are a must.
Product Strengths: Tube like sound with superior bass extension.


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Bluenote Steroid 1 Signature
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): None
Sources (CDP/Turntable): VPI Turntable; NAD CD Player
Speakers: Athena AS-F2
Cables/Interconnects: MIT
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Jazz, Classical; Opera
Room Size (LxWxH): 32 x 10 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: None
Time Period/Length of Audition: one year
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Aural Thrills Power Box
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition): None




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Topic - REVIEW: Bluenote Steroid 1 Signature Integrated Amplifier (SS) - drshrewsbury 11:24:49 05/23/04 ( 0)