SCL AMP-5522 Power Amplifier by Bakoon Products

AMP-5522 Full-Digital Control Amplifier
The culmination of years of technological innovation, this model represents the pinnacle of full-digital control amplification. It combines comfortable remote control operation, wideband frequency characteristics, and low-noise design, making it the ideal choice for audiophiles.

Model Variations

AMP-5522M:Equipped with various connection options, multiple voltage and current inputs, allowing connection with a wide range of sources.
AMP-5522P:Designed to be paired with a preamplifier, featuring voltage inputs, current inputs, and balanced inputs to achieve optimal audio performance.

Innovative Operability and Sophisticated Design

All operations are performed via a rotary encoder, allowing precise and intuitive control. The graphic color LCD display provides visual feedback so you can see adjustments at a glance. The remote control is designed for ease of use, allowing simple operation of power ON/OFF, input selection, gain control, and muting from your fingertips.

Latest Proprietary Circuit
Equipped with the HBK(I) circuit capable of handling both voltage and current signals. By eliminating traditional buffer circuits, it achieves simple and high-speed signal transmission, delivering a more dynamic and transparent sound. The SATRI circuit has been refined over many years of development, allowing delicate musical nuances and spatial expression to be reproduced more realistically, creating an immersive experience as if the performer were playing right in front of you.

Overwhelming Drive Performance and Low Distortion

• Achieves a maximum output of 70W (10% distortion) and a maximum of 58W without distortion (1% distortion).
• Effortlessly drives low-efficiency speakers of 85dB, delivering powerful yet transparent sound.
• Delivers outstanding performance in combination with a wide range of speakers.

Wideband, high-precision sound

• Frequency range:20Hz to 100kHz, providing a flat response.
• Input-referred noise:-105dB with ultra-low noise design, achieving overwhelming silence.
• Instruments and vocals are expressed extremely naturally, offering analog-like smoothness.

High-precision digital attenuator

• Equipped with a high-precision 10-bit relay-type digital attenuator, allowing for fine volume adjustments.
• Step errors are kept below 0.2dB, enabling accurate volume control.
• The balance error between left and right channels is remarkably minimal, maintaining a perfect stereo image.

A new world that expands with music

The AMP-5522 is not just an amplifier. It faithfully reproduces the breath of performers and the texture of instruments, immersing listeners into the world of music. The sound combines the warmth of analog with the overwhelming resolution unique to digital. The power of this amplifier becomes clearer the more you listen to classic records.

For example:

• Grand classical worksReproduces a spacious soundstage and intricate instrument tones with clarity.
• Jazz trio performancesExpresses the nuances of the performers and the lively rhythm richly.
• Acoustic recordingsDelivers a strong yet smooth sound for a realistic music experience.

The AMP-5522 is an amplifier that elevates your music experience to the next level.

Its sound emitted such an intense aura that you hardly even needed to listen to it. In Japanese, the word "響き" (hibiki) is written with the kanji "響." This character carries the meanings of "spread of sound" or "resonance," and it is used in the context of acoustics. It also implies "fame," as seen in Suntory's masterpiece whiskey "Hibiki," which uses the same kanji. Personally, I love the sweet aroma characteristic of Suntory, and my heart was first captured by the "響" logo engraved at the upper right of this unit.

In fact, the AMP-5522 operates on a level different from previous Bakoon products. Bakoon's lineup has included not only low-power amplifiers but also high-power models, though the introductions so far have mainly focused on low-power models. However, as the audiophile community gradually expanded and high-end users took an interest, high-power models also began to attract attention. The launch of this unit came precisely at a timely moment. Personally, I think the combination of Bakoon and Wilson Audio is fantastic, and the actual matching with the recently released The WATT/Puppy was astonishing. Considering the many Wilson Audio fans in Japan, it is a great opportunity to pay attention to this unit.

Here, I would like to touch on the meaning of the word "響き" (hibiki). It is a concept that extends from the SATRI circuit and can be regarded as the latest in amplification technology. Based on the conventional SATRI amplification stage, the previous buffer circuits have been removed, pursuing a simpler and higher-speed design, which is the "Hibiki" circuit. This technology has already reached its second generation and took four years to develop. During that time, several small models were continuously released, all of which were born from the development process of the "Hibiki" circuit. Finally, in this unit, the "Hibiki" technology has fully bloomed. Additionally, the "Hibiki" circuit uses one IC per channel.

Additionally, the input stage is equipped with a buffer circuit called "HBFBC." This stands for "HyBrid FET input Buffer Circuit," and it is designed as if a large board has been implemented within a small chip. It is also noteworthy that two circuits are used per channel. Furthermore, the power supply of this unit adopts a switching power supply (SMPS) instead of the conventional linear method. In linear systems, a power transformer is inevitably required, making heat generation and noise unavoidable. However, SMPS eliminates these disadvantages, and by incorporating a newly designed module, it achieves exceptionally high sound quality.

This unit is the successor to the AMP-5521, which was released in 2015. The AMP-5521 had an output of 35W at 8Ω, but as a high-end model, the 5522 was expected to require at least 50W. However, by incorporating the latest technology without compromise, it achieved an impressive output of 70W. In our listening test, we connected it to Wilson Audio's Alexia V, and its commanding performance in a vast space gave a tangible sense of how meticulously this unit was designed. Additionally, dCS Elgar Plus and Verdi were used as source devices, and both CDs and SACDs were widely auditioned.

The first track was the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, performed by Martha Argerich. First, a vast soundstage is intricately woven with a variety of instruments, while the piano plays brilliant phrasing prominently in the foreground, seeming to float right before your eyes. It naturally evokes the image of Argerich in her youth, vividly recalling her intense performance, hair flowing, like a stormy whirlwind. The response in the low range is swift, punchy, yet the sound maintains a warm tone that produces a natural resonance reminiscent of analog.

Next, we listened to Tsuyoshi Yamamoto's "Misty." In a piano trio setup, Yamamoto's masterful improvisation sparkles like jewels. The overall transparency highlights the details, and an exceptional sense of rhythm is palpable. The double bass line stands out clearly, and the cymbal touches spread elegantly. The piano is brilliant, yet each note is infused with soul. It offered a richly emotional music experience, as if allowing one to imagine the expressions of the performers themselves.

Finally, I listened to Eric Clapton's "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out." This is a recently released work, featuring relaxed sessions with seasoned musicians who have shared their lives with him. The sound spreads out, matured like vintage wine. In particular, Clapton's vocals, which have not lost their power, and the clear tones of the acoustic guitar evoke involuntary admiration. It's almost as if it reaches a state of effortless nature, driving the speakers effortlessly and producing the best results. The magic of Bakoon has now entered a new phase. Monthly Audio (http://www.audioht.co.kr)