Integrated Amplifiers

That might not make it sound like a good fit for your rock 'n' roll collection, but Def Leppard's 'Let It Go', the opening track from their 1981 album High 'n' Dry [UMC 7779319], had the snarl and slam I'd wanted, plus a fine, luxurious portrayal of the running bassline favoured by the NWOBHM movement. And the A100 Titan, in lieu of sheer transparency, added a little colour of its own, fattening up the riffs and the guitar solo, all while ensuring Joe Elliot's voice remained as distinctive as ever. This 'sound seasoning' was less welcome on In Flames' 'State Of Slow Decay' [Foregone; Nuclear Blast 306533], a heavy metal track with a multitude of distorted guitars and ferocious drumming that's more suited to a leaner, more direct sound, but it didn't have me lusting for another amplifier altogether.

Running With Richie
The lengthy, undulating bass guitar intro on The Bluetones' 'Talking To Clarry' [Expecting To Fly; Mercury 5316570] left me in no doubt of the amplifier's low-end proficiency, as it found the texture of Scott Morriss' playing, the individuality of the notes, but kept it sounding warm and fluid. On this piece the bass is joined by plenty of cutting, major 7th guitar chords, and opaque vocals from Scott's brother Mark, for a mixture of tones that the A100 Titan conveyed with skill.

Better yet was Lionel Richie's 'Running With The Night' [Can't Slow Down; Motown 96kHz/24-bit], a poppy/funky piece that – rather unexpectedly – finishes with a mind-melting electric guitar solo from Toto's Steve Lukather. The opening bars were unfurled by the A100 Titan with delicate hi-hats, an attacking feel to the funk guitar, and smooth, liquid synth. It then acquired a driving, dancefloor rhythm, and Richie's vocal oozed from my speakers. The drumming is playful, with plenty of out-of-nowhere beats, and the amp nailed these too, showcasing a dynamic gait that might surprise owners of more low-powered valve designs. Indeed, the ability of the A100 to kick my B&W 705 S2 speakers into action suggests this is one tube amp not destined for use solely with high-sensitivity enclosures.

Rapid Fire
'Living Over', from the American band Greensky Bluegrass [Shouted, Written Down & Quoted, Big Blue Zoo Records; 44.1kHz/16-bit], is a delicate, complex track, and its rhythmic drive comes from guitars, banjo and mandolin rapidly strummed and plucked, rather than a physical drum kit. Without decent detail retrieval it can become something of a blurred mess. Yet the A100 Titan's presentation made it easy to focus on its constituent parts, including the harmonised vocals, and when the song drifted along as a happy instrumental for a few minutes, I found myself drifting along with it, absorbed.

Confident that the A100's input stage was ably handling music fed by a PS Audio DirectStream DAC MK2, I switched to using the unit's own USB-B connection, and music via Roon/Tidal from a MacBook. The amplifier continued to show off its power and honeyed tones, but Synthesis's onboard DAC module is no match for the best of today's outboard USB solutions. The intimacy of the Greensky Bluegrass piece, particularly the evocation of the quintet on stage, close together, became less apparent.

That said, used in this almost 'just add speakers' guise, the A100 Titan is still highly enjoyable. Even with what I'd usually consider vanilla mixes, it finds a way to sweeten the deal. This was certainly the case with 4 Non Blondes' hit (and only hit)song 'What's Up?' [Bigger, Better, Faster, More! Interscope 44.1kHz/16-bit], a repetitive, basic composition with an absolute earworm of a melody. Through the A100 Titan it gained new stature and nuance; the painting of Linda Perry's vocal, which segues from falsetto to throaty, was noteworthy, as was the impact and volume brought to the snare drum.

On A Mission
There's bass weight and a full-bodied demeanour on offer here, as well as the sort of smooth, enveloping tonality that can make a grown audiophile weep. But the Synthesis A100 Titan doesn't stop with that, demonstrating admirable soundstage width and scale with Lalo Schifrin's theme to Mission: Impossible [Geffen Records; 44.1kHz/16-bit], where the percussive elements and iconic bassline are set back from the track's up-front brass, itself well separated from the descending string motifs. This amplifier made it sound far more engrossing than mere 'made-for-TV music', aided by a beguiling mix of low-end power, midrange resolution and silky top-end. To sum up in one word: bravissimo!

Hi-Fi News Verdict
Even if you consider the A100 Titan's DAC functionality as just 'nice to have' rather than a reason to buy, that shouldn't diminish the appeal of this powerful – and heavyweight – tube amplifier. Synthesis's mantra of 'art in music' is reflected admirably by a sound performance that blends warmth and upper-register smoothness with an undercurrent of bite. Criticisms? Well, it's only available in black…