Audia Flight FLS1/FLS4 pre/power amplifiers
Italy is a beautiful country in parts, and the Italians are no strangers to the high life. I have never been brave enough to provide a home for any of the many exotic cars I often find myself drooling over, and their racing bikes tend to be too small for the taller rider. As you will read below, however, these tasty high-end Italian amplifiers fit into my life rather well. Audia Flight are yet another brand that had previously passed me by, and it is fair to say it is far from a household name in the UK. Distributor RAD (Reference Audio Distribution), the people behind Titan Audio, are keen to change that.
As is the case with many products that I request to review, I chose the FLS1/FLS4 pre/power combo after being impressed with the way it made music at a recent show. The system powered by these amps kept me in the room longer than most at that particular event. Fast Forward to the beginning of September when the large crate containing the FLS4 power amp arrived on my doorstep – I was keener to receive it than the courier driver was to bring it. Thankfully, the FLS1 preamp arrived in a more manageable box.
Audia Flight was founded twenty-eight years ago by Massimiliano Marzi and Andrea Nardini. Their range of products includes amplifiers, phono stages, DACs, and CD/SACD players. All are handcrafted at their factory in the harbour town of Civitavecchia, about 60km west-northwest of Rome. The brand’s early offerings were Class A amplifiers, but due to customers demanding more power, they developed a range of Class A/B amplifiers that meet the power requirements without sacrificing the sonic signature of their earlier Class A models.
Priced at £9,950, the FLS4 stereo power amplifier is rated at 200 Watts into eight Ohms. Crucially, this almost doubles to 380W into four Ohms and a whopping 700W into two. If this is not enough, a mono-block model called the FLS8 is available for £9,450 per side. My sample is finished in silver to match the preamp. At 34kgs, the FLS4 is a bit of a beast but there are heavier alternatives on the market.
Design, build and features
The FLS1 preamplifier can be ordered as a pure line-level analogue device in either black or silver for £7,350. Want the optional MM/MC phono stage? Then that’s £8,600. You can have a version with additional inputs for £7,900 or with an internal DAC for £9,450. There are two module slots to the rear of the FLS1 and these allow two of these three options can be fitted. The digital ready version looks well-specified and converts native DSD 512 and PCM up to 32/384KHz. I am told a version which includes a streamer module will be available in the near future. The sample I am looking at is finished in silver, which I suspect to be the most popular and is fitted with the phono stage. Although I do not have a turntable at present, this very preamp was certainly working well with an Acoustic Solid turntable at this year’s Audio Show Deluxe.
A friend remarked that the facias of these products look like they are smiling. That is not the first thing I think of, but I get what he means; I assume the facias are designed to mimic the wings of a plane. Either way, this is attractive-looking kit that is solid and well put together. The FLS1 preamp is a nice thing to operate. The blue display has an old-school vibe, but I think it looks attractive, and I can read it across the room from my listening seat, which is not always the case with other equipment. I am a sucker for large volume controls, so it gets a tick there. The 0.5 dB steps seem well judged, and the display counts back from an indicated 0dB maximum. Underneath the display are six buttons, which notably include a phase inversion toggle and another to turn the speaker output on and off, which comes in handy when you are taking advantage of the headphone jack.
Speaking of which, this output is no afterthought and with a quoted output of 12W RMS into eight Ohms, it should be enough to drive even the most power-hungry headphones. There are also display-off settings, but confusingly, the changes do not take effect until you put the FLS1 into and out of ‘standby’. Most similar products I have used will reactivate the display after a button is pressed, but not here; hence, I chose not to use this feature too often. Whilst we are on the subject of idiosyncrasies, a ‘power on’ trigger between the two products would be helpful, especially when switching the system on and off via the remote.
The accompanying remote controls most functions. It has the same brushed aluminium finish as the amplifiers and is solid enough. Be warned, if you have recently used either the ‘set’ or ‘input’ buttons, there is a short delay before you can adjust the volume, which did catch me out a couple of times. Conveniently you can configure the gain for each input to avoid nasty surprises when switching inputs. I only used the balanced input, so I did not explore that option.
Like the FLS1, the FLS4 power amp is fully balanced. Along with the phono inputs, you get a pair of XLRs. There is also an additional pair of XLR outputs for bi-amping and two pairs of speaker outputs for bi-wiring. Gracing the front facia is a single power button and LED which glows yellow to indicate standby mode and blue when it is fully powered up and ready to entertain. As hinted at by the weight of this amplifier, it contains a substantial transformer, rated at 2000VA, and a suitably beefy power supply. The brushed aluminium facia and heatsink look pleasant enough but could be more distinctive. I do like the Audio Flight logo on the top of each product, however.
Ready for take-off
I used this amplifier in an all-digital system, fed by my Moon 780D DAC, via both Qobuz and high-quality files via my Melco N1-S38 Server. When these amplifiers arrived I was still hosting the impressive Kerr K320 Mk III speakers, which proved a great match, but reverted to my usual Totem Forest Signature when they left. Townshend cables were used throughout the course of the review period. The FLS4 had zero issues with either speaker, although the being the more revealing of the two transducers, it was the Kerrs which told me more about the character of these amplifiers.
I had both my resident Moon 600i and Circle Labs A200 integrated amplifiers on hand for comparison, having had both in the system the week preceding the arrival of th Audia Flight FLS1/FLS4 pairing. The Circle Labs is the more airy and transparent sounding of the two, with superior micro dynamics, and was better at revealing the recorded acoustic of a well-produced piece of music. The Moon sounded a little more controlled and ‘ballsy’, especially in the lower frequencies. The FLS1/FLS4 amps, as the distributor warned me, took a good few days to settle down after their journey by courier. As the days passed by, the sound became more open, delicate and expansive.
It was nonetheless obvious that the FLS1/FLS4 pairing from Audia Flight was to my taste, sounding organic, solid, weighty, big and dynamic with just a touch of added richness. No particular frequency band is highlighted or recessed – the music is delivered as a collective whole. You get that typical full and weighty bass of a big amp, but those lower frequencies are as fast and lithe as the music demands. Dynamics are a highlight, and this amplifier effortlessly handles big hitting transients. The upper frequencies are slightly sweeter than neutral but certainly not soft. The music can sound precise when the program material demands, but nothing is pushed into your face in an unnaturally forward manner.
After a week or so it was clear that the bass performance of these amplifiers was exemplary and up with the best I have experienced at home. The Totem Forest Signature speakers at 87dB sensitivity are not especially hard to drive, but they have a reputation for needing an amplifier with good damping and plenty of current. The Audia Flight FLS4 power amp proved itself equal to the task and kept these speakers beautifully under control, with lesser amps you reach for the volume control once the bass gets busy, but not here.
These amplifiers time as well as most and engage rhythmically. The sound staging qualities are up with the best that I have had at home. Perhaps the Moon 791/761 sounded bigger and more transparent in this regard, but it sits at a considerably higher price point, even taking the Canadian pairing’s DAC/streamer stage into account. All of the hi-fi attributes we audiophiles crave, such as a 3D imaging with accurate placement, dynamics and tonal accuracy, are present and correct. However, these aspects are not pointed out to you by way of exaggerated leading edges or a forward presentation, which can be the case with products that initially impress but ultimately fail to deliver long-term listening satisfaction. Don’t doubt the speed, agility and rhythmic capabilities of the FLS1/FLS4 combo, they are amongst the best I have heard in such a product.
Do these amplifiers lack anything? Perhaps just that last degree of delicacy and transparency, but you’re not going to hear that from anything else at this price point without compromising elsewhere. For those wanting more, there is a range above these models called the Strumento.
Music matters
As the distributor that sent me these amplifiers proudly hails from Northern Ireland, it would seem natural to play some music from my favourite band from those parts, Fontaines DC – their latest release, Romance (24/96 download), is a great album but has not been mixed with audiophiles in mind. Via the revealing Kerr K320 Mk III, this proved a bad idea, even with this forgiving amplification, but it was a pleasure to listen to via the Totems. Here, the bass was firm and full, and the inherent richness of both products tamed the unpleasant high frequencies that the Kerr’s previously told me were present on the recording.
Feed the Kerr/Audia Flight FLS1/FLS4 combination with a stellar recording, such as Steely Dan’s Gaucho (24/96 download), and you will be transported to a heavenly place. Here, the music sounded sweet, rhythmic, detailed and dynamically propulsive. Another great recording, this time Dire Straights’ Love Over Gold (Mofi SACD rip), sounded smooth and velvety via the Audia Flight/Kerr combination, yet with phenomenal dynamics and focus. Whatever the character and balance of your chosen transducers, the Audia Flight FLS1/FLS4 amps are unlikely to be the limiting factor.
Back with the Totems, I played a recent release from Radiohead spin-off The Smile called Wall Of Eyes (24/44 download). Previous listens via my Moon 600i left me with the impression that this album suffered from a somewhat muddy production, which left the music sounding compressed and vague. The resolution of the Audia Flight FLS1/FLS4 pairing revealed this to be a far better recording than I had realised. It still has a dark tonal balance, but I can now hear this to be a fine creative choice, which follows the artist’s desire to create a beautifully moody atmosphere. Even during the climax of tracks such as Bending Hectic, the music always remains under control, and it does not exaggerate the nasty edges in this recording in a way that provokes a leap across the room to turn down the volume. I enjoyed listening to this album so much with the Audia Flights that I immediately purchased and downloaded their very latest release, Cutouts, which proved just as compelling.
Headphones
The FLS- preamp’s headphone stage’s promise was realised when I plugged in a pair of Sendy Peacock headphones. Plenty of current was available to drive these planar magnetic beauties, and music sounded as rich and detailed as it did through the speaker outputs. I do enjoy the Heed Canalot III headphone amp, which is excellent value for money, but the FLS-1 proved a cut above, sounding more focused and transparent. Just remember to hold the output button for a couple of seconds to disengage the speaker output if you don’t want to give the rest of the household and possibly the neighbours a shock.
Summing Up
The longer I live with the Audia Flight FLS1/FLS4 pairing, the less I want to see it go. It looks good, is well built, and has all of the features that I require, but of most importance, it makes the music I play through it sound involving and easy to listen to over long periods. The price of entry makes it a significant purchase, but you can spend far more and get less musical satisfaction. The FLS1 and, in particular, the FLS4 are not the smallest of components, so they require effort to accommodate, but for me, the sonic results have been worthwhile, and the distributor may have to remove them from my listening room by force when my time with them is up. This combination is not showy or forward like some, but it delivers the musical message like few others and hits hard when required. The Audia Flight FLS1 preamp and FLS4 power amp warrant my highest recommendation.