ATOLL ELECTRONIQUE - IN80SE.. My impressions

Sean de Silva

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Messages
1,404
Points
113
Location
Mumbai
Starting off with a few pics ..

Decent packaging
IMG_20140911_202738.jpg


The sleek remote control with separate control for DAC,TUNER, CD/DVD & IN/PR amps
IMG_20140911_202903.jpg


Face to face :D- minimal front finish
IMG_20140913_141129.jpg


Stylish and Beautiful !
IMG_20140913_141151.jpg


The motorized ALPS volume control with headphone socket
IMG_20140913_141205.jpg


ATOLL has kept it simplejust the volume dial, headphone jack, power button and source selector with the led indicators in a stylish semi circular layout

IMG_20140913_141232.jpg


The ventilating circular grille holes on top of cover
IMG_20140913_141307.jpg


Rear - AUX, CD , TUNER, DVD, TAPE IN/OUT, 2 PRE-OUTS for bi-amping, BYPASS for a HT setup ..AUX can be converted for use as a PHONO input by the P50/P100 phono card
IMG_20140913_141328.jpg


The all important phono grounding screw on top of AUX input
IMG_20140913_154831.jpg


The rugged gold plated speaker binding posts
IMG_20140911_203411.jpg


serial plate
IMG_20140911_203438.jpg


3-pin power socket & power switch
IMG_20140911_203451.jpg


couldn't resist a visual comparision;)
The modern French ATOLL IN80SE striking a pose alongside the vintage Japanese AKAI AM-U02
IMG_20140913_154532.jpg


I hooked up the IN80SE with my uncles Acoustic Research M4 Holographic mini towers & my Quadral phonologue amun gold floorstanders.

Sources used Pioneer DV300 dvd player, Marantz Direct Drive 6170 turntable

Atoll states on their site that their amps should be allowed an approx 30 mins warm up for the output stages to come into their own

My impressions after throwing a variety of music at this amp for more than 3 days ..Mr. Hrishikesh Gaitonde of Alliance 4 was kind enough to let me keep the amp for a few days so that I could get a feel of the ATOLL sound at leisure :eek:hyeah:

CDs/tracks - VANESSA WILLIAMS where do we go from here - the bass was extraordinarily rendered without a semblance of any boom

DUSTY SPRINGFIELD - in private - smooth punch to this 80s hit

RICHARD MARX right here waiting - excellent vocals and flow to the rhythm

PET SHOP BOYS - to speak is a sin - electronica produced with panache

DEF LEPPARD vault- greatest hits -very good vocal delivery, tight solid bass

MEATLOAF-Id do anything for love but I wont do that - another track well rendered allround

DIANA KRALL- the very best of -mellifluous vocals and overall soundstage

POINTER SISTERS-jump the best of - an up tempo dance albumdynamics were handled well

MICHAEL JACKSON dangerous -another unforgiving hitthe IN80SE passed the test flawlessly

LPs/tracks JULIO IGLESIAS- bel air place -the warmth on this album was ethereal

SMOKEY ROBINSON-one heartbeat articulate overall rendition

BILLY OCEAN-love zone - another favourite album which the amp did total justice to

NAT KING COLE greatest hits -lots of definition and gusto to the arrangements

MOZART symphony no.40 in g minor -handled those transient attacks with ease

BEETHOVEN- emperor waltz - concerto no.5 in e flat crisp, detailed and warm

To summarise in a nutshell, the ATOLL IN80SE is capable of :

-transparent detailed highs ( the quadral ribbon tweeters also playing their part).. not once did I pick up any hint of scratchiness or distortion even at 11am on the vol dial and shaking up the neighbours.

-warm articulate midrange and treble resolution never experienced before.
excellent width to the soundstage. smoothness and lucidity in the vocals, impressive well spaced imaging of orchestral instruments and vocal ensembles, excellent delivery of dynamic passages with an airy feel to the sound, I would have to say this amp does justice to all genres.

deep tight bass...goes very low if paired with the right speakers that can put out really low frequencies.

Vinyl never sounded sweeter.the add-on P100 phono card takes vinyl listening to a league of its own! An extraordinarily balanced phono stage with an adjustor for MM/MC cartridges. I have heard valve amps and this solid state performer comes very close to producing that signature warmth one would only associate with a valve amp.

The amp does get warm which is obviously expected driving 4 ohm floorstanders for long sessions.

Rated at 80wpc @ 8ohms and 120wpc @ 4ohm, the IN80SE will slam low sensitivity / low impedance, hard to drive, power hungry speakers with that much needed punch.

If I had to be picky about this amp, I'd have to say that apart from the simple aesthetics and the fact that this amp has no tone controls, no speaker balance control and the fact that it can drive only a single pair of speakers, I honestly didnt miss any of those functionalities that were so used to seeing on modern amps.

Id definitely recommend the IN80SE for budget conscious audiophiles!

Aesthetics 6/10

Build 10/10

Performance 10/10

Value for money 10/10

Ease of use- 10/10

ALLIANCE 4 @ GOREGAON is the official distributor for ATOLL
 
Join WhatsApp group to get HiFiMART.com Offers & Deals delivered to your smartphone!
Back
Top