And now for something completely different, Part 3.

Ever heard of a monophonic integrated amplifier? An amp that includes a single amplification channel along with its single channel preamplification stage? I hadn’t until I visited manufacturer Eon Art’s room, which was demoing a pair of such a rare, in fact, one-of-a-kind, beast, called the Boson ($72,537/each).

This 250W amp is particular in other ways, including that it’s a dual hybrid: it’s both a tubed and solid state design and a linear and switching one, employing a combination of class-A and class-D circuits. And if those things weren’t peculiar enough, you can also slide out the front panel of the unit, like a drawer, to change your preamp or power supply tubes. What a great idea, but keep the coffee away!

Centered around the Bosons were an Oracle Delphi Reference MkVI turntable/Turbo power supply combo, fitted with a Reed 1H 9.5 tonearm and an Oracle Corinth low output MC cartridge ($24,485 total), while the rest of the system included an Oracle PH200 MkIII ($2750) phono stage, Gershman Acoustics Grand Avant Garde speakers ($16,995/pair w/IsoAcoustics feet), and Cardas Clear cabling throughout.

As soon as the music started I jotted down three words: touch, touch, touch. There was a filigreed quality to the sound that was tactile, nuanced, transparent, and sumptuous. It sounded rich, tonally, but also in the sense of fancy. The system also delivered large-scale dynamics and lower bass extension without breaking a sweat. Long live the Boson! (And the rest of the gear, of course.)

(All prices in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.)

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