Pre/Power Amplifiers

When asked what was lost from the Relentless Epic 1600 to develop the half-power model reviewed here, CEO Dan D’Agostino told us, ‘Rather than sacrificing elements from the original Relentless, the development of the Relentless 800 served as a catalyst for innovation, ultimately leading to the creation of the Relentless Epic 1600. Every major section of the Relentless design – PSU, input, driver, and output stages – is enhanced in the new 800 mono amplifier’.

So what are the sonic differences between the 800 and 1600? Dan feels that, ‘While both amplifiers offer similar tonal characteristics, it’s during lower volume listening where we find the Relentless Epic 1600 truly shines’ – an observation echoed by the amplifier’s importer, Ricardo Franassovici of Absolute Sounds.

As for the Relentless Epic 1600’s claim of double power, ‘With nearly 100 output devices, it delivers Class A operation for the vast majority of people’s listening. In our experience, this translates to a remarkably nuanced and detailed presentation beyond anything we have built before. But when the music requires it, nothing compares to the dynamic and transient capabilities of the Relentless Epic 1600’. Not that the 800 is a slouch .

If you’ve been considering a Relentless system but space is a concern, Dan confirmed something which you need to take on board if you’re holding out for either a Relentless Integrated or a Relentless Stereo: ‘At this point, we are not planning to offer either’. No time like the present, then.