Running In
As the amplifier was freshly unpacked and still brand new, I decided to let it play music continuously while checking in periodically. After a couple of hours, I had not yet noticed any differences, so I left it playing for the remainder of the day while tending to other matters.
Lo and behold, when listening again at the end of the day, it was an entirely different story! The sound was still crisp, clean, and fast, but now, the music also possessed fluidity, flow, expression, and emotion! The effect was so enormous that I doubted my observations and wondered if it was merely the current music selection, but that was not it. All the tracks in the play queue, including the ones played first, now sounded so much better.
At this point, the amplifier had been switched on for several days but had only played music for about 8 hours. The manual does not state anything regarding running in, but 8 hours is admittedly still far from the usually suggested number of hours for running in a serious audio component. So, I kept it playing during dinner and while watching television, and only turned off the music when I finally went to bed.
The next day, I feared the sound might have reverted to pre-playback levels, but the accumulated hours had stuck, and the sound was still musical and engaging, as well as technically excellent. The amplifier continued to perform beautifully, and I did not notice any further changes during this listening session, nor in the multiple successive listening sessions on the following days.
At this point, it seemed that the amplifier was either already close to being fully run in after a full day of use, or its further development would occur at a much slower pace. In any case, it sounded great, so I prepared for serious listening.
Serious Listening
The U-588 is easily the most well-balanced Aavik amplifier I’ve heard so far. It’s neither lush and relaxed nor upfront and spicy, but positioned precisely in between. In contrast to the previous range, the U-588 has almost no inherent character or discernible coloration. It is accurate, neutral, and transparent, with a nearly subliminal dose of smoothness and warmth, so subtle that it does not come across as thick or sluggish. However, it ensures that there is always substance and body to the sound, and it does not veer over into being clinical.
I’ve long used the relatively affordable Accuphase E-270 as a benchmark for integrated amplifiers, not just for equipment in its price class, but also for much more expensive equipment. Although more costly amplifiers have frequently bettered it in one area or another, or even in multiple facets, only a few have exceeded it in terms of sheer musical pleasure. The Aavik is more controlled, yet still matches it in musicality, while being undeniably superior in every single aspect. It has the Accuphase’s earthiness and solid bass, but with a tighter grip and better articulation. It also has a similarly meaty midrange, but with higher resolution. And as we move up the frequency range, the Aavik’s quality stands out even more. The E-270’s weakest area is its treble, which is rough, dry, and lacks openness. Conversely, the Aavik provides a more open, more finely resolved, and more fluid treble.
In the recent Bryston review, I explained how the Bi-200 outperformed the Accuphase; however, the Aavik takes it a step further, similarly overtaking the Bryston in very nearly all aspects.
Before I delve into the sonic differences, I would like to briefly address the issue of perceived neutrality. Bryston amplifiers are renowned for their neutrality, and the Bi-200 is undoubtedly one of the most neutral amplifiers I’ve heard. When listening to the Aavik, I also feel that it sounds very neutral. Yet, the two amplifiers sound very different when compared directly to one another. How can this be?
Although the Aavik is even more detailed, articulate, and precise than the Bryston, it is most definitely every bit as neutral, and subjectively perhaps even more so. This is because the Bryston has a higher degree of laid-back smoothness in its presentation, with a “riper” and more relaxed bass, whereas the Aavik is crisp, tight, and precise in the bass, as one might expect from a Class-D amplifier. Indeed, in this respect, the Aavik is more similar to how the LAiV GaNM mono power amplifiers sound, although the latter are crisper and more direct still, whereas the Aavik retains a super-gentle amount of bloom and fullness. In essence, the Bryston trades a bit of tightness and crispness for more lushness, whereas the Aavik trades a bit of liquidity for more control and precision.
In terms of imaging, the Aavik is not only very precise but also features a large and wide soundstage. It actually sounds more spacious than the Bryston, which surprised me given its Class-D amplification. Then again, enhanced soundstaging is one of the benefits of the coil technologies used inside the amplifier.
The U-588’s sound is so well-balanced that it made me rethink some of my long-standing convictions, particularly regarding Pascal. Among the popular switching amplification methods, I always found ICE, nCore, and Hypex to sound more pleasing and “musical” than Pascal, precisely because it always imparted such an evident mark on the music. However, and this is a big one, the U-588 is by far the least “Pascal-like” amplifier I have heard to date. In part, this is probably a result of Pascal’s ongoing refinements to their amplifier modules. Still, I do not doubt that Ansuz’ Tesla Coils and Dither Technology also play a significant role in this.
The only sonic aspect by which I can still recognize the Pascal ingredient is the subtle sobriety. There is an element of immovability in the lower registers, combined with very well-behaved higher registers, which creates impressive solidity and stability without ever being splashy, harsh, or coming across as boastful. This makes the amplifier very easy to listen to, but it also makes it less airy and free-flowing than the CH Precision A1.5, and slightly less crisp and direct than the LAiV GAnM power amplifiers. But that is all that can be said about the U-588’s nature, which is honestly not a whole lot compared to most amplifiers I come across. Otherwise, the amplifier gets out of the way and lets the music speak for itself.
The U-588’s strongest selling point is that it manages to do this from a single, small, and beautiful (but surprisingly heavy!) enclosure, bypassing the need for a separate Streamer, DAC, preamp, and power amp, along with their associated interlinks, power cables, rack space, and equipment support.
Timbrally, too, the U-588 ranks among the most neutral amplifiers I’ve heard. Please don’t read that like it is devoid of color or saturation. It renders everything in the recording, whether wooden, metal, string, vocal, or otherwise, just as it is supposed to be. The pacing is also perfect, neither slow nor hurried, but precisely in between, and moving along with the music. Likewise, the U-588 is dynamically very capable, scaling precisely as needed by the music, neither undercutting nor bragging.
As I proceeded to listen to various tracks, I realized that the U-588 has a stealth-like musicality. By this, I mean that amplifiers that are usually found to be “musical” and engaging are typically warm or lush, or in some other way veering from purity or neutrality. With the Aavik, there is simply no added warmth, thickness, or coloration. Nevertheless, it does not devalue the emotion or reduce the warmth embedded in the recordings. In short, it is earthy and neutral, yet natural and musical.
Streaming
Conveniently, the U-588 switches to the streaming input automatically when a stream is directed its way. Using the Oladra server again, but now streaming directly to the Aavik instead of using coaxial digital, the sound is beautifully clean, transparent, and precise. It’s less voluptuous and not as juicy and meaty as when using the Oladra’s player engine and its Reclocker output, but more articulate, and arguably even purer. In direct comparisons, I preferred the Oladra, but the embedded streamer still conveys the soul of the music and is so good that it made me forget about the differences after playing a few tracks.
The U-588 does appear in Roon under the “Roon Ready” header, but is listed as “Uncertified”, indicating that the certification process has not yet been completed.
While awaiting certification, this zone cannot be enabled yet.
Next: Analog, Support, and Conclusion
Hi, could you provide more details regarding sound quality and sound signature compared to Aavik u580 (apart from neutrality/resolution as u580 is also very good in these areas)? Currently, I do not understand how u588 compares to more serious amplifiers.
January this year I bought the U-588 after a period of more than 4 weeks of “testing” the device in my own home.
Generally speaking and apart from a lot of “apples and oranges”, I can only concur with this review.
I’m surprised though that you did not test it with Ansuz cabling.
Right now I am using Darkz C2T control footers, but in the nearby future I am going to test S3T Darkz. The T3W you mention is a bit too rich for my blood.
(well, in fact more than a bit).
And yes, this device does give me “peace of mind”…
The sound is terrific, without the rat’s nest of cables (hooray) behind my audio rack that I had in the past ! Now only 2 utp cables, 1 for the Aavik, 1 for my server.
The AGD app works fine, but after your rave review I decided to buy the jPlay app. That turned out to be a wrong decision.
jPlay does not cooperate well with the Aavik at all; a lot of errors, alas
So, buying it was (for me) money down the drain. I’ll stick to the AMG app.