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REVIEW: Fountek Altitude 3500 Integrated Amplifier (Tube)

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Model: Altitude 3500
Category: Integrated Amplifier (Tube)
Suggested Retail Price: $1350
Description: 25 watt PP el34 integrated
Manufacturer URL: Not Available
Manufacturer URL: Not Available

Review by Kloss ( M ) on May 30, 2006 at 07:31:54
IP Address: 63.17.15.26
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for the Altitude 3500


I go through much gear voicing loudspeaker designs. In some of the more recent designs I have been using ribbon tweeters by Fountek. These I do like so when I heard that Fountek a Hieff ribbon manufacter was building a amplifier it got my interested. Since Founteks known for hieff and tweeters I thought that this amp should have extended smooth detailed hifrequincy and little too no noise it would be used with founteks hief ribbons. And I wasnt wrong the integrated is dead quite. Has a very wide frequincy range they claim 10hz-35khz this seemed to be my finding for on my hieff designs with very deep bass the 3500 drove them to good levels without much bloom it did have a wee bit of the tube bloat when having to drive hieff designs with 28hz bass responce this was only in the truly deep bass.And I have found most all tube amps lose it here and smaller power ones have more problems with deep bass. Since most hieff designs are bass challenged many folks probly dont hear any problems with small tube amps but I sure do.But with all things audio YMMV. The altitude use Electro harmonix el34 a match quad and 2 12au7 2-12at7 not my favorite tube brands I listened for a few days with the EH 12au7 12at7 then changed to RCA left EH el34 in for review. After the 1st few days I changed PC to a heavy DIY PC this made a slight dif in sound. The 12au7 12at7 rca made a big improvment in sound quality more air arround image better detail. Unit has 4 inputs, case work in stunning and of very high quality, packing material was a bit weak, amp arrived with slight scuffing on trans covers, minor but should be mentioned, amp came without manual but am told its availble online. Amp is very heavy uses weird binding posts with plastic covers once one gets used to these you can tell they dont want spades to fall out posts are designed to keep this from happening. Amp runs warm, tubes hot but what PP integrated doesnt get warm? Sound is very good for the price, power is about what most hieff loudspeakers would need, amp has 4ohm 8ohm tapes but the 8ohm always sounded best dispite loudspeakers load. I have owned many tube integrateds and the 3500 is about as good as all dispite cost. In my home when 3500 was reviewed had a arcam fmj32 a $2500 retail SS integrated the 3500 bested it in all ways except deep bass responce the arcam had more heft and defintion to bass notes but its about 2x the cost and the 3500 had a much more musical sound. The midrange is not = to the best SET designs but is good none the less and you get well controlled frequincy extremes I have owned 30 SET amps I stand by this statement. So over all a great 1st effort from a trusted transducer manufacter.I contacted fountek in China to find out how they are made was told by fountek that they pay much higher wage and give better conditions for they are small and a new company I hope this is true for sometimes buying from china bothers me. Please forgive my many spelling and other errors I build loudspeakers not gifted with the written word like others on AA. Amplifier is only availble at www.madisound.com


Product Weakness: poor packing, no manual, supplied tubes are cheap
Product Strengths: build quality, sound quality ,fair price


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: FI-X ,arcam fmj, Von Gaylord starlet
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Art audio
Sources (CDP/Turntable): regga apollo,Poineer DVDA SACD
Speakers: hieff ribbon designs ,back horns, front horn systems
Cables/Interconnects: Phy ,Pursist audio design,Tara
Music Used (Genre/Selections): punk ,polka, pop, pomps ,many types
Room Size (LxWxH): 28 x 20 x 11
Room Comments/Treatments: 2nd room 15ftx13ft 9ft H
Time Period/Length of Audition: 3 WEEKS
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition): Heard at madisound before purchase




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Topic - REVIEW: Fountek Altitude 3500 Integrated Amplifier (Tube) - Kloss 07:31:54 05/30/06 ( 17)