AVID Sigsum

In the heart of the Sigsum, there is a 1,1kVA toroid with 132,000uF of filtering capacity and with four pairs of Sanken power devices per channel. The Sigsum´s block design strictly separates the power supply, preamplifier, power amplifier, and volume control, for which the amp uses  ALPS RK50 potentiometer, considered by many as one of the finest available at any money. There is a strong inclination towards anything ´analog´ in AVID, so digital ins/outs have no place here. There are no flickering lights or dancing VU meters either. This is a purist amplifier for serious listening.

Among others, I found this sentence in my notes: Don't forget to praise how great looking the amp is. So, here I am. AVID designed a really nice piece of electronics, a proof that a minimalistic amplifier can be elevated to a masterpiece if there is a good idea behind it. In the Sigsum, several elements act as those "visual elevators". Probably the most striking is the big letter “A”, milled into a 2cm thick front aluminium panel. Other than that the panel is truly Spartan, with only a headphone output jack and tiny Mono and Mute buttons besides a volume knob and an input selector. The large “A” logo thus breaks up an otherwise unused area in a highly creative fashion. Also, both the knobs are unusually shaped which adds to the amp's sophistication. The Sigsum’s top plate and sides are amply perforated, as AVID put the heat sinks inside the case. The designer used the perforations to communicate the brand and added Sigsum lettering to the right of the top panel too. For me, these all are all absolutely phenomenal design shortcuts.

The mains switch is underneath the front panel, a place shared with asymmetrically arranged isolation feet. Around the back there 2x RCA and 2x XLR inputs, a phono input, preamp output (RCA cinch) speaker terminals. AVID is a turntable company, so the built-in phono preamp has a full range of settings accessible from the bottom of the unit. The desired configuration of the phono is achieved by a combination of twenty switches that can be toggled with the tip of a pencil, for example. A full setup guide is included in a clear manual. If you'll be changing the cartridges frequently, it's a bit impractical, as you'll have to uninstall the amp from the rack each time to access the switches. The Sigsum sends 2x 220W of continuous power into the speakers into 4 ohms, and 2x 110W into 8 ohms. The peak (dynamic) power is higher, approaching 500W per channel for low impedances. If you want to take full advantage of the amplifier's capabilities and play loudly even in a large room, I recommend choosing 4-ohm rated speakers. In rooms of standard sizes and playing at standard volume levels, the Sigsum will have no issue to control any speakers.