Soulnote A-3 Core Power Amplifier review outlines philosophy and results.

The Soulnote A-3 Core is a dedicated stereo power amplifier derived from the company’s A-3 design, featuring Soulnote’s distinctive zero-feedback approach and separate left- and right-channel grounding. It is designed with a strong emphasis on preserving the timing and spatial information within a recording.

In his latest Stereophile review, Ola Björling takes a particularly close look at Soulnote’s unusual approach to grounding and circuit design, it’s a good read for those obsessed with numbers and measurements… before turning his attention to what really matters: the music.

His listening impressions are notable for the amplifier’s sense of scale, spaciousness and precision, with Björling describing the A-3 Core’s presentation in unusually evocative terms. Rather than simply sounding technically precise, the amplifier appears to preserve the flow and intent of performances, with a natural, relaxed quality that allows the music to unfold without sounding constrained.

That combination of precision and musical ease is central to the review. Björling describes hearing a particularly strong sense of rhythmic precision and spaciousness, while the amplifier’s ability to communicate subtle timing information gives recordings a convincing sense of life and dimensionality.

The measurements also reveal a technically unusual amplifier, with distortion characteristics consistent with Soulnote’s zero-feedback design. Stereophile concludes that, within its design philosophy and operating conditions, the A-3 Core is a well-executed example of the zero-feedback breed.

A fascinating review of a very distinctive power amplifier—and another strong endorsement for Soulnote’s approach.

The reviewer concludes by saying Numbers be dammed, I want this sound forever… 

Read the review here