ASTOR AS-KT88SGXC Tube Push-Pull Power Amplifier

The AS-SGXC series has a 2 mm thick 18-18 stainless steel mirror finish that is folded into the chassis, and a chassis with a 2 mm thick 18-18 stainless steel mirror finish and 2 mm thick oxygen-free copper for the internal mounting parts. This sturdy and beautiful mirror-finished casing alone costs nearly 200,000 yen, but it is remarkably effective in anti-vibration and noise countermeasures. The heat dissipation is also solid, so there is no problem at all even if you use it for a long time even though it is a tube amplifier. At the feet, it is carved from an oxygen-free copper round bar and sandwiched between the bottom and young cowhide leather to prevent vibration.

Circuit components are manufactured using components with good sound quality carefully selected by the company.
It is a series that has been carefully selected for all parts and improved so that music playback can be more faithful. The chassis has an output tube socket part.Since it is installed by dropping it from the main chassis, vibration countermeasures are also carefully considered, and the mounting port further enhances the heat dissipation effect and suppresses heat inside the chassis. All transformers used are made by Hashimoto Trans and Astro Electronics of the same quality. Astro Electronics' original transformer is capable of reproducing excellent high-quality sound with a more natural spread and extension in the low frequencies.

The self-biased capacitor used by the company uses a capacitor that is orders of magnitude larger than the capacitor used by general manufacturers of 200 ~ 300 micros, which has a considerable capacity of 8000 micros. As a result, even when the volume is turned down, the sound is not lost and is expressed firmly.

The carefully finished chassis is impressive. "Meyerbeer" clearly expresses majesty and power, and the sound is clear. The wide sense of authenticity with depth is impressive, and the three-dimensional effect is often produced. I was able to hear visual sounds with solid localization of sound images one by one. The voice of the bass is tense, the endings are clear and extrusion. The sense of scale and elation that raised the voice in a dignified manner in the overall resonance with depth was attractive. It has the calmness to clearly outline the sound image by securing three-dimensional localization, and at the same time firmly expresses the musical height. It has a wide dynamic range of expression. The area that shows excellent resolution in the mid and high frequencies while listening to a mature sound also made me feel the excellence of the output transformer.
"Teresa Teng" was also a three-dimensional reproduction. The voice is grainy, with a slight sweet quality and charm. The bass and other rhythm instruments support the low frequency range also have a solid foundation, and it is a reproduction with a rich atmosphere. It is different from drawing sound extremely clearly and showing a sense of resolution, and it has a sense of stability that makes you listen to the sound of a mature pyramid balance. I feel that it is a high-quality reproduction. The voice is soft and blends nicely with the overall sound, and at the same time, the sound image is localized so that the mouth can be seen. It is a three-dimensional carved voice. The recording gimmicks are given plenty of echoes throughout, and the arrangements of the songs are superb. While showing high resolution, it showed the sadness peculiar to popular songs, and made it feel like an excellent Japan amplifier.
"Harry Connick Jr." was also a reproduction with a sense of power with excellent sound stability when it sounded. It sounds a little gentle towards the highest range, and does not make many exciting sounds. I enjoyed it with an expression that was not so. The sound is clear, the piano is deeply chiseled, and there is plenty of energy in the mid and low ranges. It has a thrilling charm that builds up phrases with a touch of density and condensation. Towards the lowest end, the sound is slightly dry rather than soft and mature, but the power, clarity and clarity with which the brass instruments sharply intervene is quite appealing. The virtuosity of the trombone, which seems to speak, is also presented and expressed in a precise and analytical manner.
"Tchaikovsky" also has a sense of three-dimensionality and depth, and the quality of the acoustic instruments is skillfully expressed. It has a thick and dense midrange, and it's not something that you can explore with your ears, but it feels like you're doing everything you need to do while relaxing and listening. It made me feel that it was an amp that was carefully refined in terms of sound, such as the construction of the chassis. The orchestra forms the background on a powerful and large scale, and the sound image of the violin is clearly positioned in front of you, so you can see everything that is being done, and there is also a strong scent of a classical masterpiece. There's a kind of calm analytical power, and depending on how you listen to it, it's a little cool. However, it is informative, and has the ability to depict the clever phrasing of virtuosos, and the way in which the tension is gradually increased and the big music is built over a long period of time. I was able to hear an expression that can be said to be one of the epitome of modern sounds.
* Tube Kingdom Vol.93