T+A PA 3100 HV Integrated Amplifier

“good enough” is never good enough: we insist on the optimum solution

T+A provide high quality precision German engineering that goes well beyond the stereotype. Their approach to manufacturing and quality control is almost obsessive. Everything is designed and built in their Herford facility, which allows T+A to maintain complete control over their entire production process, rare in a world many companies source components globally and assemble wherever costs are lowest. When they do work with outside suppliers, it’s with carefully selected German companies that share their quality standards.

T+A’s flagship range is called the HV Series, HV is an acronym for ‘High Voltage’. This series is comprised of 10 different products, all of which deliver exemplary performance and implement cutting edge technology.

This range was developed as a result of the experience gained during the previous 30 years of designing world class solid state and valve based amplifiers. HV Series incorporates a revolutionary concept combining the sonic and technical advantages of both technologies simultaneously, whilst avoiding the various disadvantages you can get with valves.

HV build quality is second to none as is the level of engineering – it took T+A over 3 years to design, develop and launch the first HV product.

It is a range of products that generates real interest from customers, especially when they experience it first hand in the demonstration room, the design, build and quality of the finish is exquisite and they always impress, even before any music is played.

The HV Series includes a CD/SACD player and transport, pre and power amplifiers, a power supply and a couple of streaming DACs, but there is only 1 integrated amplifier in the HV Series, the PA 3100 which is the focus of this blog post.

Power With Purpose

The PA3100 HV is a statement amplifier in every sense, as with the other HV models the integrated is rather substantial measuring 460mm wide by 460mm deep and 170 mm tall, it weighs in at just under 40kg so it’s not exactly lightweight either.

The build quality, fit and finish is exquisite, with T+A’s signature brushed aluminium casework and that distinctive pale blue display that has become synonymous with with the HV Series.

The PA3100 HV has enormous power output and current delivery, it is conservatively rated at 300 watts per channel into 8 ohms, increasing to 500 watts into 4 ohms. This power isn’t just brute force for the sake of it, it is intelligently applied power that remains completely stable regardless of the load presented to it. In practical terms this means the PA3100 HV will drive any loudspeaker you connect to it with complete authority and control.

The ‘HV’ designation refers to T+A’s High Voltage technology, where the amplifier operates with significantly higher internal voltages than conventional designs. This makes the amplifier much more linear in character compared to many other amplifiers, it also brings about several other benefits – increased dynamic range, lower distortion and crucially, the ability to maintain that power delivery into the most challenging speaker loads.

All HV products are designed on the dual mono principle and their construction is fully discrete without the use of op-amps. Mechanical construction is based around a 10mm thick aluminium framework and no ferro-magnetic components are used.

Every element has been chosen for sonic performance rather than cost considerations and this philosophy permeates through the entire design, the front panel controls are beautiful. The volume control and source dial are perfectly weighted, recently an industry veteran of over 30 years came to visit me and the 3100 was in the demonstration room, he adjusted the volume and he said that it was probably the best quality dial he’d ever felt.

It’s an all analogue world

When you look around the back of a large integrated amplifier it’s not unusual to find a selection of digital inputs including a network connection for streaming, T+A has eschewed any form of DAC or streaming options with this amplifier. It is a straightforward analogue design, physical space constraints and performance compromise being the primary reasons why this amplifier doesn’t have an onboard DAC, but there are ample single ended and balanced inputs available for connecting a source to.

Musical Performance

The first thing that strikes you when you listen to the PA 3100 is just the effortless nature of its presentation. It’s an amplifier that never sounds like it’s working hard, regardless of the volume level or musical complexity. The huge amount of power it has on tap manifests itself sonically as complete composure, even when you push the amplifier hard. It images beautifully and is incredibly transparent as well, vivid and precise but without any edge, grain or artifice.

The bass response is simply outstanding – it is at once powerfully deep, articulate and incredibly tactile. Whether it’s the subtle low-frequency work from Christian McBride in Trilogy 2 or the impact of the beats and rhythms from Jon Hopkins or FKA Twigs, the PA3100 HV delivers bass energy with texture, weight, poise and precision. There’s no bloat, overhang or slowing down, just clean, authoritative low-frequency weight that provides the perfect foundation for everything else to build upon.

Vocals are presented with an incredible sense of realism, they have real finesse about them and listening for extended periods free of fatigue is never an issue – from Radiohead and Rammstein to PJ Harvey and Nick Cave vocals are rendered with superb accuracy and realism.

The PA 3100 is a hugely open and transparent sounding amplifier, with high levels of dynamics, focus and purity, it’s presentation is exuberant, almost euphonic, it’s certainly not difficult to be drawn into its enthusiastic charms, I’ve lost countless hours and evenings exploring both new music and old favourites with this amplifier.

It possesses a wonderful captivating energy and focus, it is a very invisible sounding amplifier and if the rest of the system is built to the same level you’ll experience whatever is in the recording, but it is presented in a very natural, almost demure way.

Loudspeakers Choices

I’ve partnered the PA3100 HV with a few different loudspeakers from Kroma Atelier to Vimberg and our newest loudspeaker brand, OePhi and in each case the T+A has risen to the occasion, showcasing its talents and abilities.

The OePhi are fast, precise and hugely dynamic, a vast open window onto the music, they are incredibly addictive loudspeakers, we used the Immanence 2 here and the results were clean, pure and see through. They do place emphasis on every facet of the system being fully optimised and fine tuned and the rewards they can provide are truly astonishing.

For those who favour a presentation which is fuller bodied and richer the Kroma Atelier Mimi will be an attractive alternative, the Mimi possess a touch of warmth in the mid-band and upper bass frequencies and although the Mimi is a standmount they have a deceptively large sound, bass depth and articulation is exceptional given the size of the cabinet, the T+A controls them effortlessly.

The Mimi is a speaker which is so musical and engaging and when partnered with the T+A the combination has a real alluring charm and sophistication, they are a strong synergistic combination.

Not forgetting of course, we also have the Vimberg Amea, another standmount, although the Amea is physically larger and more imposing than the Mimi and the OePhi. In terms of sonics the Amea sit almost right in the middle between the OePhi and the Kroma, they work beautifully with the T+A, offering a wonderful sense of realism and purity, the presentation here is almost tactile. The Amea is more transparent through the mid-range than the Mimi, which is just sits on the darker side of neutral in comparison, a very articulate speaker.

Each speaker excelled in the demo room with the T+A . It is such a composed, elegant sounding amplifier that it easily highlighted the unique abilities of each speaker, which speaker is preferred ultimately comes down to personal preference and the type of sound you enjoy, horses for courses and all that.

Immanence 2 are £8495, the Mimi are £11500 and the Amea are £15500, stands not included.

Source Options

I used a couple of different sources with the T+A amplifier, starting with the the DAC 200 and MP200 G3 from T+A’s Series 200. This range proven to be rather popular since it launched in 2022 and it’s not difficult to see why – compact design, great performance and strong value. The DAC 200 is £5800 and the MP200 is £5142.

The MP200 is a proper Swiss army knife product, it covers a lot of ground and performance is very strong, it offers CD playback and a streaming client which supports Qobuz Connect, Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, Deezer, Amazon Music, it is Roon Ready and also has a Radio (both Internet and DAB/FM) plus Bluetooth, combined with the DAC 200 they make for a strong pairing with the PA 3100.

Sonically this pairing dovetail really well with their bigger cousin. Series 200 has a very natural, organic presentation although it’s certainly lacking detail, drive and dynamics, it is a superbly balanced pairing.

An alternative T+A option is the new PSD-3100 HV, this model is the newest HV product to be released and it is a streaming DAC and pre-amp. Take the DAC 200 and MP200 and put them in one box, remove the CD transport and you are approaching the feature set here, but the jump in performance you get with the PSD is dramatic to say the least.

The PSD power supply is incredibly complex and advanced, it requires 2 power cables to function, the analogue and digital sides of the product are completely independent from one another.

The 200 Series pair are very capable, but the jump to the new PSD is quite dazzling, it’s a visual match for the PA 3100, not essential, but it’s an important consideration for many.

The natural partner for the PSD is arguably the A3000 HV power amp, but it worked with the PA 3100 so incredibly well and unless budgetary restrictions prohibit it I would opt for the PSD over the Series 200 option every time. This is a product that performs way beyond its price point of £15511.

This combination has a presentation with finesse, refinement and superb levels of clarity and musical insight, the system has a soundstage which is holographic and incredibly easy to get to pulled into the music.

System Optimisation

Fine tuning the system with appropriate cabling which helps lower noise and to get the best from each component is key.

Once noise levels have been dealt with the level of subtlety, nuance and micro-detail increases and these elements are often where a lot of the magic in the music is buried, many systems simply don’t resolve this information, either because they are can’t or they are being held back by poor cables and mains power.

Unfortunately too many people don’t place sufficient emphasis on this when building a system. But, once a system is correctly optimised the level of performance you can extract will really elevate into it to a whole new level.

I used a Shunyata Typhon T2 power conditioner for all of the listening when writing this blog, a Shunyata power conditioner of some form is consistently in the demonstration room and one for simple reason, they improve the performance of everything you connect into them. They lower noise, increase clarity, dynamics, improve bass weight, bass articulation and much more.

I used an Sigma X NR power cable on the PA 3100 HV, the X variant is a relatively new model of this popular cable and is a very obvious upgrade over the outgoing V2 version. It gives the T+A a touch of warm and fullness through the mid-range providing it with a solid, natural foundation to perform on.

Shunyata’s Alpha X speaker cable and interconnects were chosen as well, Alpha X have an a slightly relaxed character and combined with the transparent nature of the HV they really allowed the music to shine.

A Melco S1 Switch was also used as was Shunyata’s flagship ethernet cable, the Omega X, this was installed between the S1 and the PSD. In the short time the new Shunyata range has been available the Omega X has been the most popular in terms of numbers sold.

If this mixture of Omega X, Sigma X and Alpha X flexes the budget a little too strongly it is also worth mentioning the Shunyata Theta range, lower priced than Alpha X and great value the price vs performance ratio is very strong with Theta, the whole range recently won product of the year in The Absolute Sound.

It is also worth pointing out that the T+A responds very positively to Entreq, a Tellus 3 Tungsten Ground Box connected to the to the negative outputs of the amplifier is a great upgrade which really develops the presentation, lowering noise levels and increasing calmness and engagement. You can use the 3rd post on this box to connect to another component in the system for a further improvement, the entry level Macro Twin Kit also work very well.

T+A PA 3100 HV vs Vitus RI-101 mk2

I frequently get asked about the comparison with the T+A and the Vitus RI-101 mk2, if you take the Vitus without it’s DAC option the 2 amplifiers are priced within £100 of each other so it’s an important consideration. They are both exceptional integrated amplifiers, end game products for most people, but they are quite different to one another, each with their own key strengths.

I’ve a soft spot for both models and I could live with either, but for quite different reasons.

They are both powerhouse amplifiers, the Vitus is also a 300 watt design and it has incredible grip and a delicacy about the way it renders music. Compared to the T+A the Vitus is more refined and has a slightly fuller, richer presentation, the T+A has greater clarity and enormous levels of resolution.

The RI is a marginally safer sounding amplifier and it is a little more reserved than the T+A which has a more slightly more flamboyant and exuberant character about it. The T+A is never aggressive or lively but it has a wonderful sense of precision.

The T+A creates a spacious soundscape, which is pin point accurate and very clean compared to the Vitus which a little darker and more measured, excelling at texture and density, the Vitus arguably has greater punch and is sweeter sounding.

It’s a privilege to have both amplifiers at my disposal to be able to demonstrate to you, which one wins out is down to the target system and the preference of the listener.

Final Thoughts

The PA-3100 HV is priced at £16,900 and is an amplifier that can be a foundation for a serious world class system. It has an effortlessly natural sound but it is also hugely dynamic with exceptional levels of resolution and realism.

When you invest in a component like the PA3100 HV, you’re not just buying an amplifier; you’re investing in countless hours of musical pleasure and emotional enrichment – some may even call that Audio Therapy.

To arrange a demonstration of the T+A PA3100 HV or to discuss how it might fit into your system, please don’t hesitate to get in touch