Audion is a name that is already well known to our public; this British brand started its business around the mid-80s, coming immediately into evidence as one of the few manufacturers of tube devices that could deliver an affordable price along with outstanding performances. Products like the Silver Night 300B, a delicious single ended equipped with one of the most appreciated direct-heating triodes, have made this manufacturer extremely appreciated both in Italy and abroad, laying a foundation for a stable and sound image. Today we have under test an even more peculiar and fascinating object, a hybrid amplifier scoring about 30 WRMS, a still affordable price, and lots of curiosity. The Platinum has a very understated look, an almost austere one; the front panel bears the volume knob only and just below it three round input selector/tape monitor small buttons. A narrow window shows a row of red LEDs highlighting the selected input. That’s all. Only just the essential, one could say; but this is nonetheless enough to carry out the job. A set of tone controls are likely to be useless (better, harmful) in a device of such a breed, and never have I regarded as sensible coping with environmental acoustic troubles through the balance control. If something brings to your listening room an asymmetry that damages the soundstage, the only path to follow to recover a correct and balanced soundstage is a targeted and selective intervention, such as moving pieces of furniture, installing absorbing – diffusing panels, moving the speakers. On the rear panel we can find input and output connections, the mains plug, and a bridge connector that in the normal use links the pre unit to the power sections. It will be therefore possible to operate the two units separately, for instance in a multiamp configuration or for forthcoming upgrades. Plugs are very well crafted and easy to handle. The usual interior inspection shows a largely atypical, counter-current oriented layout, clean and well structured. Some circuits are located over a circuit board while others are hand-wired. The input stage uses two double triodes with noval sockets, while the output stage is a solid state, transformer output coupled unit. Curious about this peculiar hybrid layout (you couldn’t find a… more hybrid one) I asked the manufacturer some further information. Here’s what I got:

 

"The Platinum amplifier has been developed from the famous AMP transistor range utilising a proprietary transformer coupled output stage to provide only 1 gain stage and 1 output stage, the use of the output transformer contrary to criticism actually provides enhancement to the circuit enabling the removal of any loop feedback from the circuit.
The gain stage is a symmetrical balanced driver utilising the robust 6922 for low noise and high linearity.
Short circuit paths, optimised components and a 300VA mains transformer all help to enhance the circuitry.
Proprietary Audio grade FET transistors are utilised for their extreme linearity. The specifications without any loop or local feedback is as follows:
Output 40 watts into 8 Ohms @ < 1% THD distortion

- Sensitivity Line Level 600mv for full output
- Frequency response 10hz - 80KHz +- 1db
- Bandwidth 10hz - 80KHz +-1db
- Recommend load 6 - 16 ohms (can be internally adjusted for 3 - 10 ohms)
- RIAA +- 1db sensitivity MM 3mv, MC 0.3mv (Dealer internally switched)
- 5 line level inputs or 4 line and 1 Phono
- Pre - Power loop through for effects loop etc
- Full remote control on all channels plus volume."

To recapitulate, the transformer coupled output stage (transformers are designed and manufactured in-house, of course) allows the implemention of a two-stage, zero-feedback circuit. The double triodes used in the input stage are 6922 (aka ECC88). Well this is a really uncommon layout, especially when adopted by a brand that has made of vacuum tubes its own flag; in a word it’s the way Audion interprets the solid state technology, that is to offer better driving abilities and higher power, without giving up the peculiar tube sound. As it was supposed to, the sound of this unit shows a character completely of its own that makes an absolute outsider of it, laying on a very uncommon setup. First of all, I suggest those who wish to test the Platinum at their dealer’s shop to check that the unit they’ll be listening to has had a good run-in (at least fifty hours) and that it’s been properly warmed up.

TJust on switching on, the Platinum shows a rather ungraceful, sharp, poorly dynamic sound. That is, exactly the opposite of what one could reasonably expect. As minutes and hours pass by the situation comes to a reversal, so that I had the impression that it would be a good thing to keep the unit always switched on, in order to achieve its top performance in a short while. This practice is obviously not advisable to those who will make a normal usage of the Platinum, but I suppose it’s logical to expect this peculiarity to decrease in time, allowing satisfying operations half an hour after switching the unit on. It would be a pity to hastily evaluate the Platinum, because it has several virtues, and a character that is very distinguished in an ocean of rather boring me-too sounding devices. And that’s not as easy as one could think, since what we’ve got here is not a mere sum of the advantages of vacuum tubes and solid-state machines. The Platinum assimilates and reprocesses the technologies it’s been realized and tuned upon, producing something completely peculiar and unique in its own class (as far as I know). The sound has physical presence and shows remarkable consistence; it is also well scaled and dynamic, with that bit of guts in the lower frequencies and a slight stress on the top of the range. We are neither talking of a simple Loudness effect or of stressing a part of the frequency band, but of a character of thickness and consistence. This makes the unit sound like if there was a high quantity of available energy, a thrust capable of turning into physical sensation the music message present at the frequency range ends. The available power is all but unlimited, and I had the sensation that with my Primaluce (DIY three-way, floor-standing de-coupled cabinet loudspeakers), an undoubtedly tough load, my Galactron 2060 solid-state amp had something more to say. In a word the Platinum found itself more at ease with less demanding speakers. Under these conditions it’s possible to listen to a bass range that is deep, modulated, warm, rich in shades, dense and palpable; a high frequency range that is present and incisive, quite extended and once more rich, full of temper. My general sensation is that of a wide chromatic palette, and of a sound that is never flat or still, but rich in contrast and dynamics. Now Bjork, “The anchor song”, is playing and I am taken by surprise by the fullness of the winds at the beginning, that stand well out on the soundstage and are well defined in their harmonic content. Human voice might be regarded as a bit backward, but it’s well centered between the two speakers, just incisive like it is supposed to be. Very beautiful the start of Jamina, Creuza de Ma, with its light, delicate and precise percussion and lots of air around them defining their dimension and nature. The bass range is deep and powerful. The mid range always stays slightly backward, I do not mean veiled or jammed but simply a bit shifted towards the background. In some situations I had a sensation of slight fatigue, of lack of breath, when the volume knob had risen over the “twelve hour” position, and when large amounts of power were being required. Obviously the Platinum is not an amplifier that can rock a New Year’s Eve party, and it requires speakers that don’t have a tormented impedance module; in a word, they must be an easy load, possibly with a 90 dB or even higher efficiency. The interfacing with room acoustics should be tuned up with extreme attention, just to take advantage of all the value that this peculiar product is capable of delivering; I insist in this matter because I think it is the key issue to state a judgement on the Platinum.

I Nowadays mismatching a system, or assembling an unbalanced and graceless one has become very rare. The average devices sold in our shops deliver at least decent, standard performances, so that it happens quite easily to find oneself listening to music machines by different manufacturers that show actually equivalent sound characters. If on the contrary one is searching for something different and peculiar, something that can better fit some specific need, (s)he will have to provide him/herself with the necessary patience, look for a skilful and dedicated dealer, and test, try, listen as much as (s)he can, looking for her/his own ideal sound. Audion Platinum, for example, does not suit me: too exacting, not that handy, too little versatile. But my specifications are completely of their own, I need an amplifier capable of making any prototype play without being naughty, while I do know some people that could get enthusiast for it. The price is not cheap, but it’s consistent with what the manufacturer asks in its domestic market. I am nevertheless sure that, if you were seriously interested in the deal, it would be possible to find some room for negotiations, anyway a try costs nothing. Have a good listening time.