Audio Analogue Puccini Anniversary test.

The Audio Analogue Puccini Anniversary integrated amplifier constitutes a revival of the Tuscan company’s first product some twenty years after its release (1995).
This is not new since this model has been in the catalog for a few years now, yet we had read and heard very good things about it, especially from some friends whose judgment we trust.
In short, there was all the makings of an interesting video test, which is why we asked for a review sample that was kindly sent to us by Audio Analogue.
In this price range we have already tested several integrated amplifiers, and now it is time to turn the spotlight on this model made in Tuscany by a company with several years in the business.

Description Audio Analogue Puccini Anniversary

The amplifier is a significant evolution of the original Puccini, which had been distinguished by warmth, smoothness and sonic elegance, as well as refined design.
However, as already evidenced by the price, this Anniversary version is at a higher end of the market.
It is an integrated amplifier with five line inputs, one of which is balanced, with no built-in phono stage, streamer or DAC.
This choice should not be considered a shortcoming for a product of this level.
In fact, the inclusion of these modules in a single cabinet, while advantageous in terms of convenience, often involves compromises in overall performance.
In many cases external units, even affordable ones, can outperform integrated phono stages or DACs.
In addition, the inclusion of these circuits in the amplifier can affect the purity of the main design, potentially limiting its sonic qualities due to noise problems and/or power draw from the power supply section.

Technical Analysis

The Puccini Anniversary’s cabinet is made entirely of metal with a thick 14 mm aluminum front panel that contains, in the center, the large recessed multifunction knob that performs the function of volume control as well as on/off switch and input selector.
Connected to it is an encoder that interacts with four high-precision analog/digital potentiometers (two Analog Devices chips per channel) that perform the volume adjustment function.
Interestingly, there is a choice of four attenuation curves, optimized to achieve the best match with respect to the sensitivity of the speakers in use.
A theory of white LEDs located on the front panel, whose brightness can be adjusted in two levels of intensity or turned off, show all the necessary information during listening.
Unfortunately, the fact that they are recessed compromises their visibility when viewed off-axis.

The Audio Analogue Puccini Anniversary features a fully dual-mono design.
In the power supply section we find a large 700VA toroidal transformer; the active devices are six pairs of ON-Semiconductor transistors (three per channel) that provide 80W into 8 ohm impedance, which becomes 300W into 2 ohm impedance, enough to drive any type of loudspeaker, even the most energy-demanding.
All stages of the amplifier are made on separate boards; the printed circuit boards use very thick gold-plated copper tracks in order to achieve excellent electrical conductivity.
The internal wiring consists of pure solid copper 7N OCC conductors.
Passive components have been carefully selected and include the use of military-grade resistors, Audiophile Grade polypropylene capacitors, gold-plated copper binding posts, etc.

Moving to the rear panel we find five high-quality gold-plated RCA inputs and one balanced XLR input.
The Teflon-insulated connectors are soldered directly to the input board and enabled via signal relays.

Zero Global feedback

One of the technical peculiarities of the Puccini Anniversary circuit is the absence of the use of global feedback.
This technique is used to reduce distortion, and almost all amplifiers use it to a greater or lesser degree.
However, many designers believe-and with good reason we would add-that the use of counterreaction has harmful effects on sound quality and therefore limit its use as much as possible, restricting themselves to using it very little and, above all, locally and not globally, as in the case of this amplifier.

Listening

We connected the Puccini Anniversary to a pair of Marten Parker duo stand speakers, thus speakers not only belonging to a significantly higher price class, but also quite challenging to drive.
We did so because we believe that these speakers are truly excellent and – when properly driven – capable of truly exciting sonic performance.
Well: the little Audio Analogue managed to juggle them in an exemplary manner, resulting in a truly exhilarating setup in terms of balance between detail, harmonic richness and all-round musicality.
The feeling we had is that the Puccini Anniversary is not an amplifier that attempts to seduce the listener with “special effects” or pyrotechnics; its stylistic signature is a composed correctness.
However, to the ears of the refined listener, it will turn out to be a real pleasure.

In conclusion, a machine with performance far superior to what the current street price might suggest and therefore to be classified as a Best Buy and, in absolute terms, an excellent integrated.