Array A-1

Array A-1 preamplifier with remote.

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Review:
With the A-1 installed in my system, I again played the Art Pepper disc, as well as some Moody Blues and Igor Stravinsky. The A-1 also offers quite a bit of performance for the money. Although I noticed more air around instruments with the tube amps, the A-1 held its own in this regard. The P-1/A-1 combo threw a very spacious, open soundstage. From the midrange up, the A-1 sounded smoother and slightly (to my surprise) darker than my tube amps. Again, though, I felt this made long-term listening more enjoyable. I want to be soothed by the music, not hammered. As with the P-1, the details are there, but are not overly emphasized. I kept going back to the Art Pepper Blues for Blanche cut with the VdH combo because, well, it sounded so great.

If a component can bring out the subtle dynamic shifts that a drummer is doing, that's great. If it can let me hear slight pitch variations in the bass playing of Steve Rodby or Christian McBride, I'm happy. The A-1/P-1 combo passed these tests. Sure, I can hear more bass texture with the Canary amp, but we are talking four 300B tubes. The A-1 is lively and quick on its feet in the lower registers, and doesn't trip up on complex bass material. The Van den Hul A-1 and P-1 make it enjoyable to listen to music, which to me is the highest recommendation. I consistently found myself wanting to put on disc after disc and enjoy the music rather than being concerned how each disc sounded. Whether I was listening to my tuner, TV, or CDs, the Van den Hul units knocked me back into my couch, rubbed my shoulders, and urged me to listen and relax. The designer of these components knows the importance of music over sound.