The latest addition to the brand’s amplifier range, the Advance Paris A12 Classic builds on the hybrid concept of the A10 Classic to bring even more power and finesse to the brand’s signature sound. With a tube preamplification stage and transistor amplification, the A12 delivers a very comfortable 190 watts per channel into 8 ohms, and above all offers a plethora of connections to integrate into all environments and possible uses.
The largest hybrid amplifier from the brand, the Advance Paris A12 Classic sits between the impressive X-i1100 and the already powerful A10 Classic, from which it borrows most of its design. With an additional 60W of power, it peaks at 190W per channel into 8 ohms and 280W into 4 ohms.
Designed in class AB, it can be used in class A on the first few watts thanks to a High Bias switch located at the rear, which has an immediate effect. With the left and right sides managed separately on the amplification stage, the A12 Classic incorporates two vertical toroidal transformers, just behind the information management boards on the front panel. Another board handles the amplification via push-pull bipolar transistors.
On the rear panel are two large heat sinks, between a first printed circuit board for the analogue inputs and a second for managing the plethora of digital inputs, converted from digital to analogue using the Burr-Brown PCM 1796 chip already used on the manufacturer’s aforementioned devices, with signals processed up to 192 kHz at 24 bits.
Unsurprisingly, the designers at Advance Paris have taken the preamplification model from the A10 Classic and integrated two ECC81/12AT7 double triodes into the A12, which are of excellent quality thanks to the use of JJ Electronic products. It should also be noted that some components are sometimes connected by cables, but when you open the device, you will notice two high-quality secure connection bridges, the one on the left being wider than the second.
On the front panel, the two tubes are discreetly highlighted by a subtle orange light, placed in the centre between two backlit VU meters in a beautiful blue colour that is easily recognisable as the brand’s signature colour. At the bottom, three knobs are framed by a subtle white light, which is also visible on the Power button at the bottom left.
In the centre, the largest knob controls the volume, while the smaller one to its left adjusts the analogue inputs and the one on the right adjusts the digital inputs. Opposite the start button, two sockets allow you to listen to the amplifier through headphones, either via a 6.35 mm jack socket or simply via a small 3.5 mm socket next to it.
A PLETHORA OF CONNECTORS
Separated by a few millimetres from the metal chassis, the smooth glass plate on the front contrasts with the casing, which is then perforated to allow the components to breathe, before reaching a copper-coloured plate on which an impressive number of digital and analogue inputs and outputs are integrated.
After a mains socket and an on/off switch, there are two pairs of terminals on each side, available for two pairs of speakers or for bi-amplification. Two RCA connectors also allow you to connect subwoofers, and a pair of RCA connectors offer integration with the power amplifier section alone, alongside a Pre and a Rec Out.
Five other pairs of RCA connectors are provided to connect as many unbalanced sources, which can also be connected in balanced mode thanks to two XLR inputs – compared to just one on the A10 Classic. An XLR Pre Out output and an RCA phono input with ground and cartridge management switch (MM, low MC or high MC), impedance and gain controls complete the impressive analogue arsenal, rivalled by an almost equivalent array of digital inputs.
Located at the top, four groups offer two Trigger inputs (for turning on multiple devices at the same time), two HDMI inputs including one ARC (Audio Return Channel), two USB-A inputs including one for a USB stick, and one USB-B input to improve connectivity with a computer. A final group offers three S/PDIF coaxial inputs and three Toslink optical inputs, as well as an AES/EBU XLR input.
Last but not least, Bluetooth is not standard, but can be added via a socket to integrate a module from the brand, X-FTB01 (aptX) or X-FTB02 (aptX HD), which are even better than the WTX-500 and WTX-Microstream modules that can be connected to a pair of RCA inputs, the latter having been very useful for years due to their compatibility with most competing electronics. The very long plastic remote control is functional, as it allows you to remotely control not only the inputs and volume, but also the treble, bass and balance, as well as a CD player when paired with another Advance Paris product.
INSTALLING THE ADVANCE PARIS A12
Tall and wide, the A12 Classic weighs in at a hefty 18 kg, so you need to know where to put it! With its hybrid configuration, it also gets relatively warm, so we think the ideal solution is to integrate it into an audiophile shelf, on its own on a shelf, which will also have the advantage of limiting vibrations.
Once connected to as many sources as you wish via its digital and analogue inputs, as well as to the mains and speakers, of course, simply flip the switch on the back and then press the Power button on the front. Initially red, this turns white and lights up the entire front panel of the device: the VU meters in blue; the tubes in orange; the knobs outlined in white.
The small screen on the left displays “Warm Up” while the one on the right counts down 30 seconds. Once sufficiently warmed up, the amplifier is ready for use, and the first screen shows the volume level while the other displays the selected input.
To test this complete device, we connected RCA and XLR sources, then compared its phono preamp to our Gold Note PH-10 and the Lehmann Black Cube SE II. On the digital side, we connected the DAC of the A12 Classic to the network sections of our network players via an S/PDIF input and compared the result with the network players themselves connected to the amplifier via RCA. The HDMI section was not tested, nor was Bluetooth, as we did not have an optional module. However, we were able to try out the two headphone jacks, which automatically cut the signal to the speakers when a jack is plugged in.
THE SOUND OF THE ADVANCE PARIS A12
More powerful than the A10 Classic, the A12 Classic easily drives fairly complex speakers thanks to its 190W per channel. However, it is particularly surprising in its temperament, never abrupt or overly dynamic, but rather with very smooth attacks, far from what some might expect at first glance from such a high power level. Whether using RCA or XLR connectors – the difference is not obvious –
the sound is fluid, supple and never tense, as if the tube preamplification approach invites you to seek a supple sound, calm enough to relax at home, take the time to listen to music and forget all your problems.
A jazz album from the golden years will particularly benefit from this sound, even on the A12 Classic’s phono input, tested only with a Hana EL cartridge (the brand’s entry-level MC) and which does not fault the Advance Paris’s internal card.
Admittedly, the new Lehmann goes much further in terms of breadth and clarity, but it costs almost half the price of the A12 Classic, which not only has a selection for high or low level MC cartridges in addition to handling MM cartridges, but also offers a few levels of gain and impedance adjustment! We can therefore easily forgive the more subtle rendering compared to a standalone phono preamp, and the DAC section is completely convincing compared to those of our reference players, without going as far in terms of musicality and detail.
Tested on all musical styles, the Advance Paris rarely finds itself in difficulty and never in saturation, with little constraint from a bandwidth filter available from
10 Hz to 50 kHz. However, its character makes it a personal device, with a more refined stylistic approach than its price range might suggest. In a way, its style invites it to seek what high-fidelity listeners want: naturalness rather than showiness, but neither its price positioning nor the brand’s positioning really places it in this category.
We are therefore faced with a paradox, which is that the A12 Classic could be compared directly to a Luxman or Canor amplifier, without going as far as them in terms of musicality, but far surpassing them in terms of practicality and modularity, as well as costing two to four times less. With the same quality of implementation on the internal circuits, the headphone jacks are also totally convincing, especially the 6.35 mm one, which can compete with some high-priced standalone headphone amplifiers in terms of warmth.
OUR CONCLUSION
A true Swiss Army knife, the A12 Classic demonstrates at a very high level what the French brand has to offer in terms of high-end amplification. Somewhat paradoxically, this product seems to do it all, from fine musicality to impressive modularity, which means you can almost do without any other device apart from a streamer, a PC and a turntable.
It will meet all your expectations, without ever surpassing standalone components from higher ranges, but always offering convincing results in terms of warmth and finesse of sound, as well as its ability to drive high-efficiency speakers. This amplifier may not be perfect, but it costs £2,690 and delivers results that could easily place it in a range one and a half or even twice as high.
Author: Vincent Guillemin
TECHNICAL SHEET: ADVANCE PARIS A12
- Origine : France (conception) / Taïwan (fabrication)
- Prix : 2 690 €
- Dimensions : 435 x 195 x 455 mm
- Poids : 18 kg
- TYPE D’AMPLIFICATION : Classe AB/préamplification à tubes
- PUISSANCE NOMINALE
- 2 x 190 W sous 8 ohms
- 2 x 280 W sous 4 ohms
- RÉPONSE EN FRÉQUENCE : 10 Hz à 50 kHz
- CONNECTIONS ANALOGIQUES
- Entrées : 5 x 2 RCA ; 2 x 2 XLR ; 1 x 2 RCA phono MM/MC ; 1 x préamp RCA
- Sorties : 1 x 2 XLR Pre Out ; 1 x 2 RCA Pre Out ;
1 x 2 RCA Rec Out ; 2 x 1 RCA caisson de basses ;
1 sortie casque 6,35 & 3,5 mm
- ENTRÉES NUMÉRIQUES : 2 HDMI (dont 1 ARC) ; 1 USB-A (pour clés et disques durs) ; 1 USB-B ; 1 AES/EBU ; 1 module Bluetooth ; 3 optiques Toslink ; 3 coaxiales S/PDIF
