This review is for the Atoll Electronique Aoll Electronique Integrated IN100se. An earlier version of this amplifier is also reviewed on Audioreview. I was trying to drive my Totem Hawk speakers with my 100 wpc Onkyo surround sound receiver. It was not up to the task. Enter the Atoll amplifier. It is a heavy beast weighing 22 pounds. Underneath the cover, you will find 2 massive transformers, one for each channel. It has a clean, minimalist look in silver or black. Now the sound. It has what seems like limitless power.My Totem speakers now have thunderous bass. The midrange is clear and natural. Highs are evident, but not too accentuated. Overall a balanced, neutral sound. A great amp for speakers that are hard to drive. At $1300, what's not to like? Highly recommended.

I picked up the Atoll IN100 in 2011 based on the recommendations of the owner of Audio Oasis in Toronto. I was looking for an amp to match up with my Totem Acoustic Staff speakers. After a year of satisfied listening I loved the sound enough to add the CD100 to the system. The IN100 has loads of power for my needs and has rarely seen the mid point on the volume control (if you have a limited space and friendly relations with your neighbours you might want to stick with the 80 and save a few bucks). Me, I wanted the 100 power and it delivers pushing my speakers with ease. It has plenty of bass and delivers equally on the high end of the spectrum. It was designed to reproduce music as it was recorded so if I had to characterize the sound I would say balanced and neutral. Love it.

The in 100 and cd100 combo that I bought around 2008 has an uplifting, flowing sound with a fortified mid-range that just keeps coming at ya. This was with my dcm-1000 speakers. I loved the sound so much (on almost all styles of music--save rap) that I decided to pair them with my newly built Quad esl-63's. Bad idea. The in100 couldn't handle the electrostatic "surge" of the quads and it fried the whole motherboard/heatsinks of my lovely atoll. I would love all suggestions relating to what speakers are best suited and sound best with this duo that I don't want to sell or gift away.

This Atoll amplifier has now made me happy for a cople of years.
What you first have to realise about this amp. is that it has a warming up period for about 15-30 minutes. You can not differ from this. It uses about 30 Watt by normal use and 15 Watt in stand bye, so don't be afraid of your bill for electricity.
First of all, the amplifier has rhytm, meaning it is very fast of producing music out of the speaker, or dynamic you might say. It is doing this without being hard to listen at.
When you play acoustic music on it, the highats sounds big and natural, the bass is tight and goes very very deep.
It is also playing rock and pop fine, with rhytm, but maybe not the biggest party maker.
This is not a cheap amp. but you get value for money, as it is much much better then normal average amps.

PRO : timing, goes with all kind of music
CONS : warming up time needed

System used : Snell E3 / Cambridge cd 500

I bought this amp, because of all this fine reviews it has. I paid 300 Euro.
My first impression was, that this is really a high-end amplifier.
Detailed sound, deep non fluppy bass, nice voices.
The Atoll IN100 is just magical, it takes away all the bad sounds from the recordings.
Fantastic !
After listening for more then one week, I am extremely disapponted.
The problem with this amp. is, that it makes every recoding sound, as it is produced by the same producer.
You maybe know, that when you have some new hi-fi product, you want to test all your recordings, and this amp simply failed.
Try e.g to listen to hi-hats from jazz recordings, they all sounds the same, no matter what recording you try.
Listen to some recordings where you know, the voices are not ovreproduced, e.g.J.J. Cale.
Yes, the voices sounds "big" and "smoothy".
But all painted with a caracteristic brush. The choir in the behind is very disappointing, absolut no perspective.
Do not be treated by someone who tells, this amp. has a great perspective. The true is , that the amp, is blowing every thing up, trying to be a tube amp.
The perspective / ambience is artifical made, and you can not place the instruments distinctive.
The old record "T.B. sheets" with van Morrison has a very heavy and powerfull bass. But what happens, when you play this record on the Atoll In100 amp ?
The bass sounds nearly total equal to all other rock records you have.Distinct with no personality, so to say.
Treble is detailed, but also here painted with the same brush.
Again, everything sounds the same way.
Why have this amp, which is not a cheap one, been produced at all ?
I think, only the french can make such "funny" products.
They have focused just on one property : easy listening.
Like with the old Citroen cars: You have to drive smooth and comfortable, only the french can produce so strange things.
I was so happy when I plugged on my arcam Alpha 6 again, what a superior sound quality compaired to ATOLL In 100.
A piano sounded again like a piano, and not like a tiny electric piano thing.
I could again distinguish an electric guitar from an acoustic guitar and so on.
My advice is :
I do not even want to tell you how the ampfier plays classical music, guess your self.

The amp. is transient but not dynamic, so to say

If you want a "non problem" amplfier, buy this one.
If you want a hi-fi device, stay away.

Summary..

PRO:
High degree of details.
Problem less sound.
Does not become warm

CONS:
Every thing sounds the same
Bad ambience/ Pespective
Much, much to high price

System used:
Loudspeakers : Heybrook Quartet
Music source : QNAP server, streamed by a logitech Squeezebox and converted to analog by Cambridge DAC 3.

Bottom Line.

After trying different amps and most latley Nad in different power, even the bigger ones i was never quite satisfied. I use B&W685 which never quite came alive.
Finally i found this wonderful amp. It was clear from the first test it have all the power,
detail and attack that i could ask from an amp.
I am even thinking about selling the sub a use, its not really needed anymore.

I love it and can strongly recommend it!!

Atoll Electronique IN100.... what to say .....it reproduce the sound of the CD you are listening, or the EP you
put on the turntable, as it was recorded. No bass +/-, no treble +/-, no balance, no loudness, no treble expender, nothing exept the wolume and the nob for the unit you want to listen to. And I have those KEF 104aß Reference speakers, 1972. Well, the speakers never sounded that good. And I tried it with a lot of speakers.
So, I recommend this Amplifier to anyone who wants to listen to music, AS IT IS !
No Fla-Fla !
One thing: Only 1 output for speakers !

Beautifully smooth and musical sounding amp. Really powerful and punchy. Bass is really tuneful. Soundstage is ridiculous. You get the smooth tube sound while retaining depth and scale and volume!

so far not many. not the reference amp on neutrality, but who cares. sometimes neutral is boring.

I just got this amp a couple of weeks ago, but I've been familiar with the Atoll brand for a few years. A couple of years ago, I tried out an Atoll in80 and absolutely loved it, just magical. However, as it turned out the amp had a defective part and had to be returned. Suffice it to say, I didn't go back to that hifi shop and got an NAD instead. Wow, was that a big mistake. I got it because I just wanted something that would be reliable and offer a laid-back sound. Well, for a few years I was just dreaming about how much I loved the sound of that french Atoll amp! So, finally I got the in100 used on audiogon. It sounds beautiful. It is so smooooth. Voices just flow out of the speakers effortlessly and naturally - kind of like tubes, except with punchiness of 180 watts of dynamic power! The bass is excellent - it goes down so deep and has so much grip, you really hear the pitch in the bass, not at all boomy - thank God! And the soundstage, ooooh the soundstage. Never have I heard instruments placed so clearly between, in front and behind the speakers - really awesome and special.

Any way, I love it and have no problems with it. However, I have to listen more - I really can't stop listening to this awesome and musically special amp. Do yourself a favor and get one. It is guaranteed to put a big smile on your face.

Have fun and enjoy the music.

Similar Products Used:

nothing similar to this baby

Power, details, soundstage, etc

Nothing at this price range

Hi everybody!

This little french integrated surprised me in a very good way. I tried so many mid class integrated in a few years and some power and pre amplifier too like rega mira ( very good for the price too), cambridge 640, rotel 1072, arcam diva, Sugden power au41 and pre 41 ( they cost 2600$ in 1996), Jolida 502B, etc.

The Atoll it's in another class. Blow away all the integrated in the 1000-1700$ ( canadians) price range.

You have nothing to lose to try one used in the 600-700$. You will be shock by in how good it's sound.

I will change everythings before this integrated in my set up and I use it with a sugden cd players (1800$) and a pair of proac ( 2000$) speakers. It's mean everythings.

Buy one if you can in a used market and you will be in business for a couple of years.

ps: sorry for all the mistakes, I'm french;-)

Similar Products Used:

Rega mira, arcam diva, cambridge 640, sugden Au41,

Lots of power. Great and clean sound.

Chassis cover and rear panel are rather thin and cheap. Phono input and remote control are extra cost options.

Very smooth sound. Loads of power. Effortlessly drives my Monitor Audio Gold G60 speakers. Bass is good and highs are clean. No harshness to the sound. Open sound stage. Great sound for all types of music from drum & bass / techno to female vocals and acoustic guitars. A great deal over a pre-amp and power amp setup. I doubt I would get a better sound for triple the price. As an added bonus it looks great especially in silver. A very minimalist and well designed front panel.

Similar Products Used:

NAD 2200 Power Amp