Atoll CD 200 CD player and Atoll IN 200 integrated amplifier, review

atoll in 200 signature reviews

For acoustics Focal Aria 926, room 40 sq. m. What are the pros and cons of these amplifiers? Does anyone have experience using it?

Answers

Atoll is a good device, but I don’t know what will happen with Focal. As for Shiit, the exhibition demonstrated a truly adult sound, but they were included as mono blocks. Again, it’s not clear how they will play with Focal. You need to listen to both options or rely on luck.

I just came from there. There I listened to Schiit. An attractive option is that at first you can buy one and use it, and later you can build up a second unit and connect it as two monoblocks.

I’ll give you a seditious thought - take 2 pieces of Atoll AM 100 SE.

At the level of circuit design, Schiit seems very controversial to me.

Well, it’s difficult for me to briefly formulate, but I can say that there is a constant feeling that something is missing, and the description and praise from the brand does not correspond to everything that you see under the lid. Although at the exhibition they succinctly answered me with a counter question - what is the alternative?? Let me explain using VIDAR and Atoll AM 100 SE as an example:

— three transistors in parallel versus one (for me, three is worse than one).

— one power transformer versus two

- “regular” transformer versus toroidal.

Atoll also has its drawbacks. But I just can’t understand from Schiit why they indicate: Power consumption: 700 W max, but its transformer is only 420 W (or 600 VA). This is misleading, or am I wrong?

The main difference is that one has mos-fet, the other has regular bi-polar ones. Hence the different implementation of circuits and different transformers. This is not the first time you’ve given strange assessments of the quality of circuitry, finding shortcomings that I, for example, don’t see. Please share your knowledge

Thanks for the detailed answer

I’m also waiting for Black Friday to order Schiit vidar, bifrost and freya

Do Shiites reduce prices for Black Friday?

Nov 16, 2016, 4:26 PM

“We get asked all the time about deals, sales and other incentives, such as Black Friday specials, EZ credit, trade-ins, monthly payments, purchasing with 2 cards, and a whole raft of other “can I get a better price” questions.

Description

The Atoll IN 200SE integrated stereo amplifier has an audiophile dual mono design, with separate toroidal transformers to power each channel. The total capacitance of the capacitors in the power supply is 62,000 µF. The device develops 120 W per channel when connecting 8-ohm speakers, and increases the output power to 2 x 200 W when operating on 4-ohm speakers, which indicates the good energy potential of its power supply.

The amplifier circuit is completely symmetrical, and the output stages contain dual MOSFET transistors selected for identical parameters. The device has five linear outputs, a direct input for inclusion in a home theater, as well as preamplifier outputs for the possibility of implementing a two-amplifier circuit for connecting speaker systems. There is also an output for connecting a recording device. Instead of one of the line inputs, Atoll IN 200SE can be equipped with an optional phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. All sockets on the rear panel have gold-plated contact surfaces.

The amplifier has digital control implemented on a specialized microprocessor, and the audio signal is switched using precision relays. Using the buttons on the front panel, you can configure the operating modes of Atoll IN 200SE, in addition, the device is equipped with a full-featured remote control. You can control the operation of the amplifier using a display with a large and clear indication. The front panel of Atoll IN 200SE is made of 8 mm thick aluminum sheet, and its steel chassis is 1.5 mm thick. This, combined with anti-resonance supports, provides reliable protection of the amplifier's electronic circuits from external vibrations.

Thanks to high-current output stages, Atoll IN 200SE is compatible with almost any speaker system, and is capable of delivering serious sound pressure even when working in large rooms. This device is perfect for listening to music of almost any genre, and is a good choice for music lovers seeking high-quality sound without unnecessary material costs.

Peculiarities

• 8mm thick aluminum front panel and 1.5mm thick anti-resonance steel chassis
• Fully symmetrical circuit with discrete components
• Two pairs of MOSFET transistors per channel in the output stage
• Toroidal transformers 330 VA each, dual mono configuration
• By-pass input
• Remote control included

Characteristics

Atoll CD 200 CD player and Atoll IN 200 integrated amplifier, review

When the French sculptor Auguste Rodin was asked to reveal his creative secret, he replied: “I just take a piece of stone and cut off everything that is unnecessary.” These words come to mind when getting acquainted with the products of Rodin’s compatriots, the Atoll Electronique company. The players and amplifiers of this company are traditionally distinguished by their laconic design and design minimalism. Atoll Electronique, founded in September 1997, occupies the "budget" sector of audio equipment and offers high-quality sound at reasonable prices. Realism, transparency and depth of the sound stage, accuracy in transmitting dynamics. And nothing extra.

The Atoll CD 200 player and the Atoll IN 200 integrated amplifier are new representatives of the Atoll family on the Russian market. While adhering to a moderate price, the company, however, does not skimp on the production process. The devices are assembled by hand in a factory in Breseuil, Normandy. The main components are supplied by French and European manufacturers. Thus, the steel chassis is made in Brittany, the front panels are made in Lorraine, the printed circuit boards are made in the Haute-Loire department, and the power supplies are supplied from the Rhone department. Industrial patriotism is one of the main principles of Atoll Electronique's activities. True, our “autopsy” showed that the “stuffing” of French devices also contains components made in Asian countries.

CD player Atoll CD 200

Atoll CD 200 is mounted on a steel chassis, the aluminum front panel is 8 mm thick, and the U-shaped steel cover is 1.5 mm thick. The areas of the body to which the cover is adjacent are covered with damping material. Additional vibration protection is provided in the transport drive. Transport - Philips VAM 1202/12, readability testing showed that it recovers data on the disk when up to 1.5 mm of a track is lost.

Power supplies deserve special attention. The player uses two transformers. The first is toroidal, with a power of 160 VA, with a diameter of 105 mm - for the needs of the sound cascade. The second is a 15 VA transformer serving the digital section. A multi-bit Burr-Brown PCM 1794 DAC is responsible for digital-to-analog conversions; a 24-bit/192 kHz converter with eight-fold resampling is also used. It should be noted that the creators of the player do not skimp on either internal space or the size of parts, using discrete elements and non-surface mounting. The display and control buttons are located on a separate board. The rear panel features two linear unbalanced gold-plated RCA outputs and a coaxial digital S/PDIF output.

Amplifier Atoll IN 200

Manufacturers of the Atoll IN 200 integrated amplifier recommend warming it up for at least half an hour before starting listening. The power key is located on the rear panel; instead of turning off the power during idle time, it is advisable to use the standby mode - it is turned on by the corresponding button on the front panel. Also located on the front panel are: a headphone jack, an input/output selector, a display and a cross-shaped electronic balance and volume control. There are no frequency regulators, which is the fundamental position of Atoll Electronique. According to this position, attempting to correct room or speaker deficiencies by adjusting the bass or mid/treble frequencies instead of solving one problem creates a new one.

As in the player, the walls of the case in the areas adjacent to the lid are covered with damping material. Each of the two amplifier channels uses its own toroidal transformer and its own power supply. The left channel transformer has a power of 330 VA, the right channel - 338 VA. The fact is that the right transformer has two additional windings for the service needs of the amplifier, which are not directly related to sound. But there is a possibility that these windings can still indirectly affect the sound: being on the same core as the main ones and located next to them, they may well cause interference - especially at peak volume levels. The inputs are switched using a Japanese-made RY5W-K relay from Fujitsu Takamisawa. There are high-frequency chokes in front of the output terminals, which is an additional protection of the amplifier from capacitive components of the load (cable and/or speakers). The total capacitance of the eight capacitors in both power supplies is 62,000 µF. The output stages use two pairs of field-effect transistors connected in parallel. Transistors are located along the left and right walls of the case. The amplifier does not have forced ventilation: each output transistor is equipped with its own radiator, and there are holes on the cover and bottom of the case that provide air flow and passive cooling of the transistors.

On the rear panel, in addition to the power button, there are six gold-plated RCA input jacks (Aux, CD, tuner, DVD, tape and by-pass), a recording output (tape REC) and a pair of outputs. Along the edges of the rear panel are gold-plated speaker outputs that accept banana, spade, and stripped wire up to 5mm in diameter. However, the close placement of the tightening nuts in each pair dictates caution when using massive cable terminals, and the absence of “wings” on the nuts makes it difficult to press them firmly.

The player and amplifier are controlled not only manually, but also using remote controls of a very archaic appearance.

Listening

Let us remind you that Atoll Electronique positions itself as a company that sells high-quality sound without embellishment for little money. Listening showed that the pair of Atolls we tested really didn’t add any sonic flair to music reproduction. We really enjoyed both the performance of the performers and the opportunity to appreciate individual differences in sound engineering.

A recording of a concert performance of Mozart's opera "Cosi fan tutte" was made in May 1994, produced by Grammy Award winner and nominee Michael Woolcock. When listening, you get the effect of being in London's Royal Festival Hall. The sound stage is presented in its entirety. Additional details inherent in concert recordings (the rustling of stage costumes, the reaction of the audience, etc.) enhance realism, but do not distract from what is happening on stage. The soloists and groups of the orchestra are clearly localized.

The nuances of live and studio recordings are also discernible when listening to the album “The Very Best of The Blues Brothers”. Musical numbers for the film “The Blues Brothers” were recorded both in the tone studio and directly on the set. And in all cases, the sound is distinguished by transparency and richness, naturalness of the brass section, tight and clear bass.

In contrast to the lush, spacious sound of the funk band MFSB, the unremastered disc of the Stray Cats sounds ascetic, but without dryness. On some tracks, the cymbals placed on the right side merge, sounding like one.

Realism and the absence of “prettiness” in the sound are fully noticeable on the “Let It Be...Naked” disc. The fact is that the Beatles were never satisfied with the sound of the original Let It Be album, mixed by Phil Specter. For decades, material from the studio sessions was distributed in the form of bootlegs and only in 2003 was it officially published in all its pristine “nakedness,” hence the album’s title. On the tested Atoll devices, archival recordings sounded rich and liberated, delivering genuine pleasure from listening to a jam session of the legendary band.

Conclusion

Despite the budget price, the Atoll CD 200 CD player and the A toll IN 200 integrated amplifier are in no way inferior to more expensive devices, and sometimes surpass them (some components of the control path). The economic and philosophical concept of the brothers Stéphane and Emmanuel Dubreuil, who founded Atoll Electronique, has proven its worth. Healthy asceticism without sacrificing rich, realistic sound and the technological reliability of French devices make their purchase a smart investment.

Prepared based on materials from the magazine “AudioMagazine”, 2007 www.audiomagazine.ru