NEWS

DICK OLSHER OF THE ABSOLUTE SOUND REVIEWS THE AUDIBLE ILLUSIONS L3A LINESTAGE AND HAS THIS TO SAY:

“To say that I was surprised by the musicality of the L3A would be an understatement. I don’t think that the engineer in me expected what is after all a “plain vanilla” audio circuit to sing so beautifully. Of course, it is probably a common misconception to prime oneself to anticipate great sound only from complex new circuits.”

The Absolute Sound/2016-Equipment Report (Dick Olsher)

An All-Time Classic Still Going Strong

“The L3A line preamp distills the best attributes of modern tube sound: swift transients, a detailed presentation, and natural yet non-euphonic textures. It is its insistence on the sonic truth that defines it as a true reference line preamp. The L3A’s ability to retrieve the music’s rhythmic drive and drama make it one of the most sonically persuasive line preamps on the market and one of the best I’ve auditioned over the years at any price. If your goal is to conjure up audible illusions on a grand scale, this is your preamp!”

AUDIBLE ILLUSIONS M3A PREAMPLIFIER SELECTED BY THE ABSOLUTE SOUND MAGAZINE AS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PREAMPLIFIERS OF ALL TIME.


We are honored that the senior writers of this prestigious magazine selected our M3A as one of the few preamps that had the most impact on high-end audio.

“The Audible Illusions Modulus series of preamplifiers had a long history, with more than 19,000 units sold since 1981, according to Art Ferris, the company’s founder and current guiding light. The Modulus 3A (M3A) is selected here for its sound quality, ubiquity, and longevity. The unit had been in continuous production from 1996 to 2011 ($1895-$2995). The latest version, the M3B, is still in limited production.

The M3A helped define as well as refine modern tube sound, first of all, by adopting the 6922/6DJ8 frame-grid dual triode for both line stage and phono amplification. The precedent had already been set by Audio Research with the SP6E, SP8, and SP10 preamps, all of which started a chain reaction toward displacing the ubiquitous 12AX7 in most high-end preamp designs.

With emphasis on a simple dual-mono signal path, devoid of buffer stages, and complemented by a low-impedance sophisticated power supply, the M3A delivered reference-caliber sound quality at an affordable price point. It wasn’t just that it excelled in transient clarity and soundstage transparency; its textural liquidity was also a most satisfying testimonial to a classic tube heritage.” Dick Olsher (TAS #223, 2012)