Atoll IN200, $2900 (120×2)

Which integrated amp is the best buy of them all?

*It has to be built well so that it’s reliable. That means it can’t be built in China.

*It needs to sound warm/full/smooth- not thin/harsh.

*It has to be able to drive modest to fabulous speakers well so you don’t outgrow it quickly.

*It needs to be flexible enough to include features you want (maybe phono/DAC)

Or.. be available without these features since you might not need them. Why pay for them?

Let me introduce you to the Atoll IN200 Integrated Amp !

Build Quality

One of the biggest advantages of Atoll vs the other guys, is that it is built in its own factory in France and has a 3 year warranty. Please let that sink in for a minute. It is built in a family owned factory where the workmanship is outstanding- as opposed to being farmed out to a vendor.

Virtually all of Atoll’s competitors, based on pricing, are built in job houses in China that pump out a plethora of brand names- like different logos on golf shirts.

The workmanship under your own roof, is much superior to sourcing widgets from suppliers who make many brands- with immense pressure on speed and price.

Chinese workers typically work a 996 work week. That’s 9am-9pm, 6 days a week, 12 hours a day, for low pay and live in company barracks. You’re lucky to build consistency under these demanding conditions. Excellence, is impossible.

Atoll uses circuit boards of gold/nickel plating. They use through hole parts instead of cheap chips which can do the tasks of many discrete parts- but can’t sound as good or last as long as doing the job right with through hole components.

Atoll designs its own toroidal transformers and has them built in Spain. Each transformer has a steel housing to eliminate RFI. Chinese transformers are typically E-core, which permeate RFI all through the electronics on the PCB. Chinese toroids in this range are not housed in RF resistant steel cases. RFI running amok makes the background gray instead of black, which masks clarity.

Atoll uses a PAIR of 340VA transformers in IN200. That…gives Atoll a sturdy HEART.

The Chinese gear rarely uses a good sized single transformer, much less two, as Atoll does.

Atoll runs linear power supplies and with a high value of power supply filter caps to bolster its sound. IN200 runs 60,000uF. Atoll designs its own caps which are custom made for them in Japan, not China. Yes, there is a difference!

The Chinese look for tricks to achieve respectable performance without spending Atoll level money on the parts. You’ll see SMPS power supplies and lots of chips in Chinese gear, which deliver a sound that skews lean and bright. They can sound OK. But we want the more highly resolving sound of Atoll, with superior dynamics and bass impact.

Atoll’s sound is robust, dynamic and warm, as opposed to edgy and thinner.

Atoll uses discrete MATCHED MOSFET output transistors.

The Chinese do NOT.

Output transistors are used in plus/minus pairs. Each transistor has its own finger print, or sound.

Visualize a tuning fork tuned to middle C. Some transistors will be very close to exactly that frequency. But none will be perfect. All transistors will have SOME level of variance in overtone structure. Envision transistors working together that are not playing in tune. The result will be like looking through glasses with a foggy RX. Atoll’s MATCHED MOSFETS assure that you’ll hear the intended signal vs hearing the distortion endemic in mismatched transistors. Think… glasses with an accurate RX vs being slightly off. You’ll notice.

Atoll uses MOSFET transistors for smooth, strong driving sound.

Atoll tests all transistors that come in the door and groups them per their “fingerprints.”

By using MOSFETS in like groups, Atoll achieves smooth sound.

The Chinese mostly don’t use discrete transistors. Where they do, they don’t MATCH. THAT would require more time and money that they’re not able to accommodate. They’ll install them as they come out of the box. That’s close enough.

By using transistors of disparate performance, you’ll hear edginess or distortion as the differences among them creates harsh sound.

The Chinese typically use D amplifier modules. They are usually cheap and reliable, but sound brighter and significantly leaner (in the bass and vocals) than the discrete MOSFETS Atoll uses. The Ds are fine for delivering a fair amount of power CHEAP. But since Atoll integrateds are priced so reasonably, you can do better.

Your speaker will take on the flavor of the performance of all the parts described above. MATCHED MOSFETS are a huge benefit that you get with Atoll. Precious few companies use matched transistors. Those that do take the time and expense to do so are always much lower power than Atoll at a given price range.

Power Levels

Atoll’s IN200 is rated at 120×2 into 8 ohms. That may not sound like a lot, but given the parts described above, specifically the large dual custom built transformers and 60,000uF caps, IN200 is a beast!

It will make modest stand mounts and towers sound significantly weightier than if you drive them with Chinese amps. Running IN200 with fine speakers like Axiom M80 or M100, will make them sound much fuller and warmer than if you run a Chinese amp. With IN200 you’ll be shocked at the deep bass and dynamics of these Axioms. Run with a Chinese D amp, the speakers will sound… pedestrian.

Further, IN200 is a great companion for more hungry speakers of true audiophile pedigree. We have numerous Magnepan, Bryston, Axiom and Atohm GT speakers living happily ever after with Atoll.

The performance of IN200 is so muscular that you can compare it apples to apples with integrateds or separates costing four times more. Since you can’t compare all these competitors under one roof with controlled variables- pay attention to what’s under the hood. It’s not difficult to shop this way.

Compare

In competitors you’re thinking about:

Where is the prospective amp built? Europe or N America, or China? It matters!

Is the power supply Linear or Switching? Linear invariably sounds fuller/warmer.

Are the transformers toroidal? Are you getting two with a 680VA level?

Are the filter caps close to IN200’s 60,000uF

Are the output transistors MOSFETS? Are they MATCHED?

Most companies won’t “do it right” and spend the money on the hefty nuts and bolts as Atoll does.

Instead, they run switching supplies, with class D amp modules.

Skimping on the sound quality here, allows them to build in a streamer, DAC, phono and a partridge in a pear tree.