Coincident Speaker Technology

Dynamo 34SE Power Amplifier

The Absolute Sound - Ultimate Buyer's Guide - 2016

 

The swanky Dynamo isn't your typical 8Wpc single-ended triode (SET) design. There is no 300B triode in sight. A 6SL7 dual-triode drives a triode-connected EL34 output stage. There is no global feedback and the power supply is tube-rectified. The 5U4G rectifier arc'd briefly on DO's sample when the amplifier was powered up. Coincident considers this to be a normal event, but any arc'ing is cause for concern when it comes to the rectifier's lifetime. The input signal is routed through a 100k-ohm pot allowing a direct connection to an external line-level source. Expect a sweet midrange, an exceptionally dimensional soundstage and a dynamic presentation belying the amp's minuscule power rating - at least when driving a high-sensitivity loudspeaker. Harmonic textures aren't overly liquid, implying decent-bandwidth output transformers. Treble textures can be improved via judicious tube rolling. Here's an amp that shouldn't be defined on the basis of its cost. It captures much of the magic of SET's at an entry-level price point. Because of its high source impedance the Dynamo may not always yield the most accurate tonal balance, but the crux of the matter is foot-tapping musical bliss. coincidentspeaker.com (250)