Amp No. 2 từ Fern và Roby | Đánh giá sản phẩm

After Christopher Hildebrand shipped me his brand new Fern and Roby Amp No. 2, he called me to see if I had any preliminary impressions. I had one: “It’s as if someone made me an integrated amplifier to my custom specifications.” He laughed and said that’s what he was going for, an amp that had all of the features most people need.

Words and Photos by Marc Phillips

When I review an integrated amplifier, there’s usually one or two features I’d add to the design, and there’s usually a couple of things I could live without. My tastes toward both integrated amps and preamps are similar–I like it to be simple, but not too simple. There was a time when I did not need a remote control, for example, although I appreciate them more as I get older. There was also a time when I didn’t need balanced inputs or a pre/subwoofer out, but once again my reviewing needs take priority over my personal preferences.

But if you ask me what I truly want in an integrated amplifier, the list of features shortens considerably. I don’t need it to have a lot of power, but I do want to run a variety of speakers if required. (Usually a minimum of 25-50 watts per channel amps fit that bill for me.) I don’t need more than three or four inputs, but reviewing is far easier when you have at least one XLR among them. And, most importantly, I want it to sound fantastic. For most of my audiophile journey, I’ve been able to satisfy this criteria by keeping the design as simple and purist as possible–the Naim NAIT 2 and LFD Mistral integrated amps I once owned are perfect examples.

The Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 ($8,500) appeals to me for those same reasons. It’s a “simple” 25 wpc solid state integrated. It’s easy to set up and use. It has a winning sound, as I witnessed when I first heard the Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 at AXPONA 2024. Christopher had the No. 2 paired with his Raven III speakers, along with a Weiss DAC and his Montrose turntable and cabling from Black Cat Cable. Now I’ve reviewed all three of Fern and Roby’s Raven speaker models, with all sorts of amazing amplifiers, but I never heard the Ravens, any Ravens, sound as good as they did with the Amp No. 2. That’s how I knew this integrated was so special, and I told Christopher that I really really wanted to review it ASAP.

Once it arrived, I noticed a few of the features for the first time. First of all, there’s an internal MM/MC phono stage. I reviewed the Fern and Roby Maverick phono stage a few years ago, which was designed through a partnership with LTA, and it was a bare-bone unit that also sounded extraordinary for the money. (A shade over $2K.) In other words, Christopher knows how to design and manufacture an excellent phono stage. In addition, there is a balanced set of inputs. Just one, but I think that would work for me in most situations. And the machined remote control is my new favorite listening chair accessory just based on its looks. You would expect no less from Tektonics Design Group, machinists extraordinaire and the larger parent company to Fern and Roby.

But there’s a twist to this story. I’ve known for a while that Christopher wanted to build an integrated amplifier. Fern and Roby has worked with Linear Tube Audio many times–the Maverick phono stage was a joint effort–so I assumed LTA had a part in the Fern and Roby Amp No. 2. When I first saw the No. 2 in that AXPONA exhibit room, I thought it looked a lot like an LTA amp–with a beautiful walnut faceplate, of course. Then I remembered that it’s Fern and Roby asserting its influence on LTA since Christopher and Tektonics Design Group designed the casework for them.

The new Fern and Roby Amp No. 2, however, was a joint effort between Christopher and Michael Bettinger. If you know the work that Michael Bettinger has done with companies like Luminous Audio Technologies, and their streamlined and built-for-speed preamps and phono stages, you’ll start to understand why the No. 2 is so special.

Inside the Fern and Roby Amp No. 2

A large part of the Fern and Roby design aesthetic is based on being comfortable and relaxed in your own space. That’s often referred to as lifestyle products, a term that has mixed connotations in high-end audio, but I’ve always felt this company makes products that become extensions of your own personality. That’s why the Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 is so simple, compact and easy to live with–it’s intended to be a seamless part of the musical experience without bringing too much attention to itself. At the same time, the fit and finish of the unit–centered around that beauty of a faceplate–is a new benchmark for integrated amplifiers under $10K.

The faceplate is the first thing you’ll notice about the No. 2. It’s American walnut, just like every solid wood Raven enclosure I’ve had in my home. (Fern and Roby recently introduced a lighter ash wood for the Raven line, which is equally rich and lovely.) It’s funny, but every time I’ve reviewed one of Christopher’s products, I imagine having a full Fern and Roby system in a rustic vacation home where it would immediately add to the wood-accented charm. Now that I’m living in a rustic house on a lake in the middle of nowhere, I can report that I was right. The Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 looks fantastic on my Fern and Roby equipment rack, especially with the Fern and Roby Isolation Feet underneath some of the components. I can imagine an interior designer coming in, looking at this system, and deciding to design the rest of the room around these elements.

In high-end audio, however, looks only take you so far. The Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 has a beauty that extends far beyond the surface. First of all, it’s a high current class AB design, not too different from my Naim NAIT 50. I know there’s a trend of bashing AB in favor of pure class A or class D, but I’ve always had an affinity for high-current class AB amps that can drive far more loudspeakers than the power rating would suggest. My experience with low-powered, high-current amps is that they surpass expectations when it comes to the amp/speaker interface, and the overall sound is linear, natural and without surprises.

Set-Up

I have to be honest for a second. The Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 was the first amplification I used in my review system after I shipped out the YG Acoustics Sonja 3.2 loudspeakers and the Burmester 909 MK5 and 088 preamplifier. (The YG and the No. 2 did share a couple of dances together, as I’ll explain in a bit.) I’m not saying that the big system was unusually complicated, but it was rather immovable. It was an unexpected pleasure to take the No. 2 out of its box and place it on the Fern and Roby equipment rack with such little effort. This class AB amp isn’t as light as one of those OTL amps from LTA; it’s heavy and solid with top-notch fit and finish. Still, it’s very manageable in all the right ways.

Christopher sent me some of his newest Fern and Roby Isolation Feet, which have been reduced from 3″ to 2″ and seem optimized for placement under the No. 2. (They’re available for an extra $325 per set of four.) When I reviewed them separately, I found that the Isolation Feet were very effective in reducing the noise floor of my system, and I still use them constantly throughout my system because they’re attractive, effective and affordable. The new, smaller devices are less noticeable in the system, which may or may not be to your liking. I enjoyed putting the No. 2 up on a pedestal, so to speak.

Changing the phono stage from MM to MC requires popping the hood, something that a reviewer might find annoying, but before Christopher shipped the No. 2 he pre-set the phono to MC at my request. I’m sure that he’ll do that for you as well. He has very specific reasons, however, for doing it this way:

“I have had some feedback about the lack of easy, ‘on the fly’ loading and gain adjustments for the phono pre so I thought it might be helpful if I explained our reasoning behind this simpler design without the convenience of on-the-fly calibration. Michael’s design approach to this issue reduces the impact of loading and he also feels strongly that introducing switching into this delicate stage of the input path is an approach that reduces the more robust quality of the signal path when it is weakest. I believe these are both valid positions but understand the value of the convenience factor to most audiophile’s to tweak aspects of their system.

“My own reasoning behind this approach is that we wanted to essentially put the quality of a $3,500 phono stage into our first integrated amp without adding to the cost substantially. This is an important aspect of my own approach to delivering the best single component value for people who are entering the market for a high-quality system or people who are scaling back and trying to put together the simplest, cost-effective system possible. As you know, I am a vinyl guy so a stand-alone phono preamp with easy adjustment is an important part of my life. That being said, I love this phono preamp, and I am always happy to turn this system on in my daily life. Lastly, we have a stand-alone phono pre with controls in development in the near future that will be a significant step up in quality. The phono stage is designed to deeply satisfy and improve the vinyl playback experience for people who cannot afford an additional expensive phono preamp. In this context, I know it would be pleasing to have such great quality in the phono section and for those who are more settled into a single cartridge this approach delivers exceptional quality at the lowest cost we could deliver on. Product development always involves choices. I would love to be able to deliver everything, but sonic quality in the phono stage was more important to us than convenience in this design so I stand by that decision.”

I used the Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 with three different pairs of loudspeakers: the Genesis G7 Minuets ($8,000/pr), the GoldenEar T66s with active subwoofers ($6,900/pr) and the YG Acoustics Talus ($14,500/pair) that just arrived. Speaker cables included the Ansuz D2, AudioQuest Robin Hood and Moon-Audio Black Dragon, and the rest of the system focused on the J. Sikora Initial Max turntable with the KV12 arms and the ZYX Ultimate Airy X and Aidas cartridges. Phono stages used, aside from the inboard unit, included the Manley Oasis and the Allnic Audio H-10,000 OTL/OTC.

Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 Sound

Some of my favorite integrated amplifiers of all time have one thing in common–they asserted themselves quickly in the system by offering an engaging yet distinctive sound. Sometimes that engagement is the result of the right amount of warmth as with the Lab12 Integre4, or the Allnic Audio T-1500 Mk. II I just reviewed. Sometimes that engagement is merely the result of a modest little amplifier that somehow presents the music in a realistic way that is uncharacteristic at the price point, such as the Naim NAIT 50.

If the Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 reminds me of another integrated amp I enjoyed, however, it might be the LFD NCSE Mk. 3 I reviewed a couple of years ago. The NCSE is low-key in its approach–it’s a small box with the usual knobs and it doesn’t seem like anything extraordinary until you sit down and take a listen. The Amp No. 2 has a few more useful features than the LFD, but the LFD has a bit more power. Both are around the same price, which is a little more than you might expect for a simple solid-state integrated with less than 100 watts per channel. Both amps place a priority on excellent sound rather than specs.

I’ll admit that I focused on the inboard MM/MC phono stage of the Fern and Roby Amp No. 2, which might have been placed at a disadvantage because I was also reviewing the $45,000 Allnic Audio H-10,000 OTL/OTC phono stage at the same time. As Christopher told me at the time, he doesn’t feel too bad that his inboard unit came in second to the Allnic–the more expensive and ambitious phono stage had a three-dimensionality, coupled with an exquisite sense of space and air that is enhanced by the huge external power supply, which is robust as most power amplifiers. But the phono stage of the No. 2 excelled at tonality, with a speed that reminded me of the $7,995 Luminous Audio Technology Arion phono pre I reviewed a while back. That phono stage was unbelievably fast and capable of retrieving so much detail and nuance in my favorite reference recordings. I wish I had spent more time with the Arion, uncovering more of its hidden talents, but I have the definite impression that Michael Bettinger’s inboard design in the No. 2 captures those same sonic strengths.

For every well-heeled audiophile who “needs” a more ambitious external phono stage to use with the Fern and Roby Amp No. 2, there’s probably two audiophiles who will appreciate having such a strong phono stage hidden inside the depths of this integrated amplifier. It goes back to Christopher’s vision of having a system that’s as simple and compact as possible, a system that fits in with the pure and unfettered enjoyment of music.

Listening Sessions

I adopted two new LP references just over the last few months–the Analogue Production remaster of Steely Dan’s Aja and Lyn Stanley’s One-Step box set of . Both LPs are so divine in terms of ultimate sound quality, with this Aja being far more natural than ever before, and Lyn’s new album showcasing her meticulous dedication to her audiophile army of fans. Up until the Amp No. 2 arrived, those two LPs were auditioned exclusively with either the Allnic Audio H-6500, my longtime reference phono pre, and that beast of a big brother–the H-10,000 OTL/OCL. Was I setting myself up to be disappointed by the inboard phono stage of the Fern and Roby amp?

Not at all. Sure, I’ve been spoiled by the big expensive stuff lately, but the Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 played the role of the scrappy upstart, the kid looking to make a name, with unexpected confidence. The No. 2 was adept at capturing all those new facets to the Steely Dan LP, the relegation of the digital glare I’ve always found troubling since Aja has always been considered a benchmark in audiophile circles. While those improvements to the pressing are rather obvious with the Allnics, as well as the Manley Oasis phono preamplifier I’m also reviewing, I could still experience all those new observations, the same ones that made me feel okay with spending $150 on an LP I already owned.

With Black Dress Ballads, which sounds so lovely even with modest systems, I was still vulnerable to Lyn’s charms, the way she assembles such a stellar line up of musicians and, most importantly, the way she insists on Bernie Grundman’s magic in the remastering studio. This is where the Fern and Roby magic makes its entrance, placing the sound of Lyn’s voice in a comfortable and realistic way that seems preternaturally easy to hear. I recently had a few visitors to the lake house, people who had very little experience with hi-fi systems like the one I had in the living room, and I knew Black Dress Ballads would wow the crowd. The massive Burmester 909 MK5 was still sitting in the room, and most people thought it was powering the system, and I had to point out the Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 on the rack and tell everyone it was the key to the excellent sound.

Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 Conclusions

I told Christopher Hildebrand, just after I heard the Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 for the first time, that he “hit it out of the park” with his integrated amplifier debut. (For some reason, I was dipping heavily into baseball analogies while covering AXPONA 2024.) It’s not often that a smaller hi-fi company jumps into a new product segment with such a confident first outing.

I mentioned that the Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 seemed like it was custom-made for me and my hi-fi priorities. The only thing I might change is the amount of power on tap, but that’s only because of my duties as a reviewer. While I did have an issue with the Allnic Audio T-1500 Mk. II integrated amplifier and its 10 watts per channel, I’ve had a lot of experience with integrated amps in the 25-50 wpc range and they are far more versatile than most people suspect. I’ve also had a lot of experience with high-current designs–Naim and REDGUM, for example–and you simply can’t go by the numbers alone. Once you get up to around 20-25 watts per channel, you’ll find that most speakers work just fine in the average listening room. With the exception of the YG Acoustics Sonja 3.2s, which require at least 100wpc, the Amp No. 2 was an excellent match with every single pair of loudspeakers I currently possess.

That said, the Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 posed a challenging question for me. The review period was right on the cusp of me stepping up to bigger, more ambitious equipment, and reviewing equipment that reflects my own personal taste in high-end audio gear over the last few decades. As with the Allnic T-1500, my conclusion was simply this–if I was a civilian, this amp would be mine. I felt the same way when I reviewed each one of the Raven speakers as well as the Montrose turntable, that this is the gear I’d own and love if left alone with my music. If you don’t believe me, simply visit the showroom at the Fern and Roby factory in Richmond VA and find out what one of Christopher’s full F&R systems can do for your mental well-being. Highly recommended.

 

Related