Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: Symphonic Line RG4 Mk III Amplifier (SS) by rsjones@sdc.org

Model:	RG4 Mk III
Category:	Amplifier (SS)
Suggested Retail Price:	$8500
Description:	150W/ch solid-state mono-block power amplifier
Manufacturer URL:	Symphonic Line

Review by rsjones@sdc.org on July 17, 2007 at 23:06:40
IP Address: 24.143.165.180 Add Your Review
for the RG4 Mk III

Long overdue review of the RG4s

A decade later and another choice of speakers. They still work well.

In hind sight, I should have written this back when, so forgive the way back machine. In Albuquerque in the 90s there were a couple of really great Audio stores. Hudson's turned me on to Apogee speakers. There was another great store, no longer in business, that carried Vanderstein speakers, Aragon and Symphonic Line amps (sorry, can't remember the name). These two businesses had a policy of allowing home auditions. Thus I started my transition. I started with a pair of Apogee stages with some basic amps and in no time at all graduated to Apogee Divas driven by Symphonic Line RG4 mono blocks! I auditioned literally a ton of amps. Krells, Arogons, all the best at the time. Listened to custom installation of Apogee's courtesy of Hudson's. Still, at the end of the day. I liked my system better. The Krell's didn't quite do it. The Aragon's did not even come close. But the Symphonic Line's, now that was as close to being there as I had come with anything driving the Divas!

One night listening to Ani DiFranco playing solo guitar, that OMG response, goose bumps from feeling she was in the room with me. I could see her, I could see and feel the guitar. Deep bass, no problem. Fast, you name it. The symphonic lines did the job. Symphonic music? Try the Loiseau-Lyre Beethoven recordings with Christopher Hogwood. Talk about sound stage! Clean, clear, deep, real. Just like being in the balcony, first row.

So fast forward 10 years to today. The Divas are too big for the room. Townhouse shape listening space. Broken up and odd. New speakers. Kef 201's. New to me, but they seem to do a good job of sound stage and placement. Waiting for the subwoofers to give them some lungs. Same amps. Yet, push them with PIL's Happy, no problem, you are in the second row. Of course if you had been in the second row you would not be able to hear anything today, so the impression is that you are there. It is clear, the soundstage is wide, and deep and clear with all of the dynamics you would expect. While the volume is high, very high, every note and nuance comes through clear and detailed! High energy rock that carries weight and feel.

Dianna Krall, Ani Difranco, Bill Frisell, Joey Barron, Henrik Goreki, Ann Sophie Mutter, Lester Bowie, Kate Bush. Believable. Involving. Warm, exciting.

I am not yet sold on the speakers, but the amps leave no doubt. Strong, fast, and involving. Probably not as warm as Mac's, maybe not as powerful as Krell, but they hold their own against some difficult loads.

IMHO

Product Weakness:	Limited distribution. Expensive.
Product Strengths:	Able to handle difficult load.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Symphonic Line RG4 Mk III
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Sonic Frontiers SFPL2
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Luxman
Speakers: KEF 201
Cables/Interconnects: Purist Audio Colossys, Walker ribbon cables
Music Used (Genre/Selections): mixed
Room Size (LxWxH): 15 x 25 x 20
Room Comments/Treatments: none
Time Period/Length of Audition: 1 week current, 1 year prior
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	Symphonic Line RG4 Mk III
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Sonic Frontiers SFPL2
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Luxman
Speakers:	KEF 201
Cables/Interconnects:	Purist Audio Colossys, Walker ribbon cables
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	mixed
Room Size (LxWxH):	15 x 25 x 20
Room Comments/Treatments:	none
Time Period/Length of Audition:	1 week current, 1 year prior
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner