Simaudio MOON i-1 User Manual download pdf (Page 3)

Australian Hi-Fi

equipmenT review Moon i-1 Stereo Integrated Ampliﬁ er

Power Output: Single and both

channels driven into 8-ohm, 4-ohm

and 2-ohm non-inductive loads at

20Hz, 1kHz and 20kHz. [Mi-1]

Newport Test Labs

CO N TIN U ED ON PAG E 76

LAB

Readers interested in a full techni-

cal appraisal of the performance

of the Moon i-1 Integrated Ampliﬁ er

should continue on and read the

LABORATORY REPORT published on

the following pages 76 & 78. Read-

ers should note that the results

mentioned in the report, tabulated

in performance charts and/or

displayed using graphs and/or

photographs should be construed

as applying only to the speciﬁ c

sample tested.

acoustic, is stunningly clear, so that every note

is separated from each other, yet blended as

necessary when harmonic complexity is re-

quired. The generally slow pace with which

the disc proceeds allows you to savour every

single note—and every single sound—as well

as admire the complete absence of background

noise both on the recording, and from the

Moon i-1. The unampliﬁ ed, unadorned female

voices also highlight the superb accuracy of the

Moon i-1’s midrange sound, not to mention its

smooth, completely uncoloured delivery.

From there I decided to move slowly for-

ward in musical time, and span up Fauré’s

Requiem (Op 48) which is a sentimental favou-

rite of mine by virtue of having been ﬁ rst per-

formed (in 1988) in the church after which my

daughter was named. It’s beautifully serene in

all its incarnations (several signiﬁ cantly differ-

ent versions are available on CD, but I rather

like the one on IMP with the Choir of the

Westminster Cathedral and the City of Lon-

don Sinfonia) but perhaps most notable for its

harmonic richness, particularly for vocals, and

on this disc, the choristers are outstanding,

both ensemble and solo. Again, the record-

ing quality is outstanding, with the acoustic

of St Judes hovering omnipresent in the back-

ground, but never overpowering the perfor-

mance. The depth of sound that this acoustic

adds to the string sound is truly magical, with

an underlying majesty that has to be heard to

be believed. What I was listening for here was

how well the Moon i-1 could render the entire

musical canvas, and I was not disappointed,

with the choral swells surging like long ocean

waves and the brass fanfares punching though

effectively, yet not overly stridently. With this

disc, the entire audio spectrum is being used

for much of the time and the Moon i-1 deliv-

ered in spades.

Skipping more than one hundred years

forward to Tiësto’s new Kaleidoscope album

(Liberator), the Moon i-1 proved that it’s

also up for modern electronica. The trance-y

title track that leads off this CD has so many

sounds multi-layered over each other that

lesser ampliﬁ ers can lose track, both with tone

and timing, but the Moon i-1 kept right up

to the mark in both departments, and I could

hear how precisely the amp was maintaining

the balance between the left and right when

the cymbals cross around 4:15 in. This is also

a great track for appreciating the bass delivery,

and the fact that even while it’s delivering the

high-powered engineered bass, the vocals and

other higher-frequency sounds (of which there

are many) are completely unaffected. The

highlight for me is a toss-up between I Will

Be Here, which features local talents Sneaky

Sound System (I’d be surprised if you haven’t

heard this track already on radio or TV) and

I Am Strong, which features Priscilla Ahn. But

then there’s Feel It in My Bones (Tegan and Sara)

and LA Ride (with Tiësto intoning ‘don’t steal

this’ in the background) as well, and then, well

it’s all great actually… totally engineered, of

course, but completely infectious.

Conclusion

This is a very impressive ampliﬁ er in many

ways. Yes, it has a high swing-tag for what is

essentially a fairly basic 50-watt stereo ampli-

ﬁ er, but when you factor in the superb build

quality and superb after-sales support, plus

that fact that it’s made entirely in Canada by

people who enjoy excellent working condi-

tions and are actually being paid a living wage

to put it together, I think the price is more

than fair. Peter Croft

LAB

Readers interested in a full techni-

cal appraisal of the performance

of the Moon i-1 Integrated Ampliﬁ er

cal appraisal of the performance

of the Moon i-1 Integrated Ampliﬁ er

should continue on and read the

of the Moon i-1 Integrated Ampliﬁ er

should continue on and read the

50-56Mooni1 HFSep09.indd 52 3/09/2009 9:08:26 AM

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