Thule Audio Spirit IA 100 Integrated Amplifiers

Thule Audio Spirit IA 100 Integrated Amplifiers 

DESCRIPTION

Integrated Amplifier

USER REVIEWS

Showing 1-8 of 8  
[Oct 14, 2021]
Audiophile Music Art


Strength:

Stunning amplifier ! The sound is great especially when you play jazz, bluess, etc.

Weakness:

No Phono input, but that's not the end of the world...

Price Paid:
500
Purchased:
Used  
Model Year:
1995
OVERALL
RATING
5
[Dec 08, 2020]
DrakeAudio


Strength:

Details,power,control. This amp has it all. Run this on my Paradigm Eclipse/BP and runs them perfectly!

Weakness:

None at the price

Purchased:
Used  
Model Year:
1995
OVERALL
RATING
5
[Apr 26, 2018]
c.ioannidis@yahoo.com


Strength:

Construction: compact, heavy duty steel chassis, stylish aluminum front, remote controlled, screen, precision digital potentiometer, electronic material quality and applied technology, big 500VA transformer, extra function as preamplifier or final. All time Hi-end classic design. Μade in Denmark. Sound: With the right speakers (89-92db sensitivity and with 8-9 inches woofer) this Thule IA-100 performs very accurately the recording. You can find it at a low price today(2018) as used from250-300 Euros ,depending on its condition).

Weakness:

Some limitation of loudspeaker matching. The factory was shut down.

Purchased:
Used  
OVERALL
RATING
4
[Sep 25, 2004]
canth
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Great sound, plenty of power powerfull remote

Weakness:

remote also worked on my CD player, great, but NOT for volume. So I had to buy a new CDP

Previously I had a Pioneer A400. Great amplifier, but didn't come with a remote. What I wanted was an amplifier with a remote that sounded as good as the Pioneer. I was prepared to pay around a 1000 euros. Before I could get to listen to amplifiers I borrowed my father's Thule IA 100. I found that this amplifier certainly didn't sound worse then the A400, and decided to keep it :)

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer A400

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
[Aug 20, 2002]
Nicke
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Extremly dynamic, clear sound and very well-built.

Weakness:

Can't use headphones and you can't change the Bass / Treble.

I have had a Rotel RA-971 MkII amp for over a year and decided it was time to find something better. The three amplifiers it stood between were: Thule IA 60B (balanced), Vincent SV-226 and Thule IA 100 (not balanced). First of all i listened to the Thule IA 60B wich is a bit more expensive then the other two amps (costs about $1000). I said that I wanted to listen to it with a non-balanced CD-player (because I don't have a balanced CD-player at home). I compared it with the Vincent SV-226 wich costs about $800. I was very surprised to hear that the Thule IA 60B not even had close to as pure sound that the Vincent had! It also had worse dynamics and not at all the same control of the speakers that the Vincent had. I then borrowed home the Vincent for 3 days and played it alot to really get a feel at how it would sound. I was very satisfied with it. When I were at the store to return the borrowed Vincent I remembered that someone had told me that, played unbalanced, the Thule IA 100 would sound better then the IA 60B, due to the IA 100 having more power. I then asked if I could borrow the IA 100 to try at home, and I could. The first thing you notice while handling the IA 100 is that the build quality is great! Everything feels very solid and strong. It's also very compact since it, without being a large amp, weighs in at 13 kilos, about 29 pounds. The front is really good-looking since it only has one button and one volume controller (the one button does everything you need, press it once to start the amp from standby, press it once while on and you change the source and if you press and hold it it goes to stanby again). Really cleaver, since there are no unneccecary buttons to disturb the signal. Then I started playing my "Reference CD" (that I usually start out with when trying something new) Metallicas Black Album. I wa amazed by the great dynamics and control of the speakers! It also played with great detail and clear sound. I went on and tryed a lot of diffrent kinds of music (and quality of recordings) and it never failed me. It delivered a great sound at any kind of music. And you could also try turning the volume up extremly high and it still sounded totaly clear, no anoying distortion or anything like that. If your about to buy an amp in this price range you really should try the Thule IA 100!

Similar Products Used:

Vincent SV 226, Thule IA 60B, Rotel RA 971 MkII.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Feb 13, 2001]
Sal
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Deep, open sound, goodsoundstage

Weakness:

Tends to switch off if a/c power is unstable

Great Amp! I was hooked to it after I listened it paired with Proac studio 100 ls.

Similar Products Used:

Shearne Phase 2.5

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jun 08, 2001]
Blackie
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Decent build, price

Weakness:

Sound quality

Dull sound and difficulty driving large speakers. The NAD C340 (not without it's faults) for half the price delivers a much more realistic, open sound than the Thule and costs less than half.

Similar Products Used:

NAD C340, Krell KAV 300i/500i, ML383

OVERALL
RATING
3
VALUE
RATING
3
[Aug 11, 1999]
Zaher Khan
an Audio Enthusiast

I had the chance to listen to this amp 100w/c , in the dealer shop with the Thule CD 100 ( that I bought ) , and I did not expect that this powerful amp could deliver such cultured sound , such slam , and definition .I think if you have no much money , and you do not want to buy a boring Japanese black box , give this amp a listen , it maight be what you are looking for . I have to get rid of my old amp very soon .

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
Showing 1-8 of 8  

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