Friday, March 29, 2024
Home Review Advance Paris A12 integrated amplifier – Frivolous Frenchman

Review Advance Paris A12 integrated amplifier – Frivolous Frenchman

0

Pros

  • Delightful amp
  • Looks cool
  • Lots of connectivity

Cons

  • DAC could be better
  • Flavourful appearance

Price: € 2695

Build quality
Usability
Sound
Price
Advance Paris X-i180

Intro

We vividly remember seeing this new Advance Paris at the High End Munich 2022: a brute beast with loads of connection options. At the time – May 2022 – it was still named Advance Paris X-i180. But this has since been renamed Advance Paris A12. The reason is that this is more in line with the new naming scheme. Oh well… the beast must have a name. Let’s go see what this brutal, hefty integrated amplifier sounds like!

We do love the wacky French. Where virtually all brands come with similar enclosures, Advance Paris just takes a different approach. Why not use big VU meters, blue LEDs and a shiny front? Does everyone like that? No. But it is distinctive AND just plain fun. Hifi is a hobby. And a hobby can also just be fun.

Advance Paris A12

Fortunately, they don’t just go crazy at Advance Paris. The new A12 is definitely a serious thing. We don’t just see that on the back where it’s a “connnection feast”; even on the inside we see that an engineer has gone pretty wild. We see two thick transformers, thick cooling blocks on the left and right and six thick transistors. That should get that power output of 180 watts into 8 Ohms and 285 watts into 4 Ohms. You can see our measurements below.

For the digital part – and of course this also plays an important role in an integrated amplifier – Advance has deployed a TI PCM1796. A fine chip in this class. However, the chip tells part of the story. More important is the implementation. Again, you can find our measurements further down or under the specification tab.

Advance Paris has filled the cabinet quite nicely. That’s what car manufacturers also do these days: everything is rammed full, because there has to be more and more luxury in a car. It’s a bit the same with audio: we want to be able to connect more and more. So in addition to a series of analog inputs – single ended and balanced – we want digital inputs and nowadays: hdmi. And since the competition is cutthroat, it’s a matter of “you ask, we build.” We find really everything at the back of this amp. From phono to hdmi arc. And everything in between. You can see it in the pictures, too. If this is not enough…. The MC phono input is even partially adjustable. That is quite unique in this class of 2500 Euros.

Finishing touch

The Advance Paris A12 is an amplifier with a typical design. It is unlike anything else. That makes it a little “hate it or love it. We think it’s cool, though. Two glowing tubes in the middle and a pair of blue VU meters on the left and right. Lovely. The plastic, glossy front is not always convenient, but on the other hand it does finish it off. A matte finish would be better (less greasy fingers and easier to read). The question is whether that is technically possible.

Amplifier type
Integrated
Amplifier technology
Class AB
Bridgemode
No
Amplifier inputs
  • Analog RCA
  • Analog XLR
  • Analog Phono MC
  • Digital Coaxial
  • Digital Optical
  • Digital USB
  • Digital AES
  • HDMI (ARC)
  • HDMI (Audio)
Amplifier outputs
  • Analog RCA
  • Analog XLR
  • HDMI (ARC)
  • Subwoofer
Power
Specification #1
  • Resistance: 4 ohm
  • Value specified: 285 watt
  • Value measured: 255 watt
Specification #2
  • Resistance: 8 ohm
  • Value specified: 180 watt
  • Value measured: 173 watt
Dimensions
  • Width: 43 cm
  • Depth: 37 cm
  • Height: 17 cm
Weight amplifier
18 Kg
Build in dac
Yes
Production country
China
Sound Samples
Measurements
Imaging - filter - 192 kHz
Imaging - filter - 192 kHz
Imaging - filter
Imaging - filter
Imaging 44kHz
Imaging 44kHz
Advance Paris - Harmonics - 10 kHz - 500 KHz
Advance Paris - Harmonics - 10 kHz - 500 KHz
Frequency Response - 192 kHz
Frequency Response - 192 kHz
Crosstalk via speaker out
Crosstalk via speaker out
Dynamic range - speaker out
Dynamic range - speaker out
Noise - interference - speaker out
Noise - interference - speaker out
Noise - interference
Noise - interference
Interface jitter - jtest
Interface jitter - jtest
Imaging - filter
Imaging - filter
THD vs Freq
THD vs Freq
Imaging - filter - 192 kHz
Imaging - filter - 192 kHz
Dac lineairity
Dac lineairity
Dynamic range
Dynamic range
Frequency Response - 192 kHz
Frequency Response - 192 kHz
Crosstalk XLR out
Crosstalk XLR out
Advance Paris - THD 10 watt
Advance Paris - THD 10 watt
Advance Paris - THD + N vs Freq
Advance Paris - THD + N vs Freq
Advance Paris - Power - 8 Ohm
Advance Paris - Power - 8 Ohm
Advance Paris - Power - 4 Ohm
Advance Paris - Power - 4 Ohm
Residu - 1 watt - 8 Ohm - normal bias
Residu - 1 watt - 8 Ohm - normal bias
Residu - 10 watt - 8 Ohm - high bias
Residu - 10 watt - 8 Ohm - high bias
Residu - 10 watt - 8 Ohm - normal bias
Residu - 10 watt - 8 Ohm - normal bias
Advance Paris - Freq response
Advance Paris - Freq response
Residu - 1 watt - 8 Ohm - high bias
Residu - 1 watt - 8 Ohm - high bias
10 watt over 8 Ohm - noise - High res
10 watt over 8 Ohm - noise - High res
1 watt - 8 Ohm
1 watt - 8 Ohm
50 watt over 8 Ohm - noise - High res
50 watt over 8 Ohm - noise - High res

Winkels met Advance Paris

Sint-Antoniusstraat 15
2300 Turnhout, BE
Joseph Bensstraat 21
1180 Ukkel, BE
Bredabaan 1031
B-2930 Brasschaat, BE
Pelikaanstraat 126
2018 Antwerpen, BE
Schoenmakersstraat 19
6041EX Roermond, NL
Grotestraat 23
5931 CS Tegelen, NL
Parkweg 23
8084GG 't Harde, NL
St. Ceciliastraat 28
5038 HA Tilburg, NL
Geldropseweg 105
5611 SE Eindhoven, NL
Breestraat 146-148
2311CX Leiden, Zuid Holland, NL
Beethovenstraat 9-b
1077 HL Amsterdam, Noord Holland, NL