Leema Acoustics Pulse IV Integrated Amp Review & Comments

Nah that’s not a good reason. A product should be reviewed on its own merits not potentially boosted by the use of another product.
technically by doing what they have done it takes out any potential changes in the noise from the power to start with. So each component has a more 'standard' supply of 'clean' power. Better baseline for comparisons to be drawn.
I don't have a fancy power supply either though.
 
technically by doing what they have done it takes out any potential changes in the noise from the power to start with. So each component has a more 'standard' supply of 'clean' power. Better baseline for comparisons to be drawn.
I don't have a fancy power supply either though.

No I haven’t checked but is this power supply used with all review samples?
 
Doesn’t plugging it into a very expensive power supply skew the review?

No because;

No I haven’t checked but is this power supply used with all review samples?

Yes. The IsoTeks are here principally because they protect my house from review equipment and review equipment from my house. They are a baseline presence in all reviews but listed for transparency.
 
Any specific reason @Ed Selley for giving the audio only an '8' which is below par with your particular rating preferences as most of the stuff ends up being '9' at least in the audio department it being the primary objective for your review gear.
 
Any specific reason @Ed Selley for giving the audio only an '8' which is below par with your particular rating preferences as most of the stuff ends up being '9' at least in the audio department it being the primary objective for your review gear.

This is where the copy is more relevant than the numbers. As an amp- the category that the Pulse IV is placed in- it is less capable than the Naim Nait XS3 and Rega Aethos that straddle it. As noted, it does more than those devices do so the score needs to be taken into account while considering how much less it would potentially cost to build a system around it.

And, while I take on board the feedback about the mains conditioners, they have been present in every* review for over five years so removing them now would largely be more disruptive to continuity than keeping them. I also had to repair my old house after mains damage from a (non AVF) review product failing in truly spectacular fashion and have no wish to do so again.

*For the sake of pedantry, portable players and non mains products obviously excluded.
 
Thanks for coming back @Ed Selley. I would have liked it the other way around if I am being honest. DAC and Headphone amps are additional features, fundamentally it's an amp and I would like it to be the top performing feature.

Personally I feel the power supplies in this expensive gear should take care of all the pollutants. I don't want to be paying another big chunk of money in trying to address these issues which should have already been put into the design practice at the manufacturer's end.

These are my opinions though.
 
@Ed Selley, as always an interesting and entertaining write up - thanks. Im looking for an amp able to drive ATC SCM40s, which I bought after reading your review on the forums, and then demoed. As the 40s are ‘difficult’ to drive, would the Leema be up to it, or would the Aethos be more suitable with its higher power rating?
 
Have to agree: reviews should be undertaken under real-world conditions.

The problem is there is no such thing. Your real-world conditions will be completely different to Ed’s, mine or any other forum member. His review, his system, his point of view, it’s that simple.
 
The problem is there is no such thing. Your real-world conditions will be completely different to Ed’s, mine or any other forum member. His review, his system, his point of view, it’s that simple.
You've missed my point. Nevermind.
 
@Ed Selley, as always an interesting and entertaining write up - thanks. Im looking for an amp able to drive ATC SCM40s, which I bought after reading your review on the forums, and then demoed. As the 40s are ‘difficult’ to drive, would the Leema be up to it, or would the Aethos be more suitable with its higher power rating?

With the SCM40, the extra grunt of the Aethos is probably your best bet- it's not that the Leema won't get the job done; 80 watts is plenty, but the Rega has effortless extra power.
 
A conditioner doesn't change the sound character of a product so don't worry too much about it. I used a fancy one in my set-up and couldn't even hear a difference. It's indeed mostly not to harm the review samples.
 

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