van den Hul Array Amplifiers and Preamplifers
Audiophiles, particularly vinyl fanatics, know A. J. van den Hul of the Netherlands because of his justly-celebrated line of phono cartridges, including state-of-the-art offerings like the Grasshopper and Black Beauty. REALLY knowledgeable audio types will also know that A. J. is responsible for two highly-regarded stylus shapes, the vdH Type 1 and Type 2 (which, naturally, are present on his own cartridges as well as several other high end brands). You might even be aware of his work with audio cables, especially his carbon fiber hybrid interconnect designs (just beginning to make a splash here in the US) like The First and The Second.

But you probably don’t know this: He’s been quietly producing his own line of high end electronics for many years. The reason you don’t know about them is that, up until now, he’s mostly targeted them for use in professional applications, i.e., recording studios and the like, where they’ve been slowly accumulating great “buzz”.
So it came as something of a surprise to walk into a booth at the 2001 Consumer Electronics Show and see the van den Hul Array Series electronics on display from their new US distributor! We listened for only a few minutes, but were impressed enough to request evaluation samples when they became available. We're glad we did.
Bear in mind: We're tube-aholics. We usually refer to solid state amps as “those things with the funny three-legged diodes” and other such derisive jibes. Most of the time, we think music is better served by the warm glow of our beloved “fire-bottles”. But keeping an open mind has, over the years, proven to be worthwhile, so we approached these components with as much of an absence of preconception or bias as we could muster. We do try to be fair...

From the first notes, the Array components reveal a spacious soundstage, with remarkably well-defined depth, width, and superb transparency. Percussive attacks, like those of Tibetan tingshas and shimmering chimes, are presented with astounding clarity and presence, but without a trace of the the solid state upper-midrange “glare” all too common among other solid state amps and preamps. Resolution of detail is amazing, with upper octaves clean and natural, and instrumental timbre so lifelike that it's often startling!

The amplifiers provide a solid, controlled foundation for low frequency information. Vocals are more intelligible and seemingly “of a piece” with the overall sonic presentation and strings, plucked and bowed, have a presence very close to that of real life.

The van den Array Series electronics are among the select handful of the most natural, “neutral” (in the best sense of the term), and, yes, MUSICAL solid state components we’ve encountered.

The Array preamplifiers come in two flavors: active and passive. The passive version, the P-1, goes for $2,595.00, whilst the active A-1 is $3,895.00. Both versions are designed so that ALL functions are accomplished with the included remote control. (NOTE: neither preamplifier includes a phono section, though it's rumored that A.J. will be introducing a separate, outboard phono stage for use with the Array series at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show - we'll keep you informed!)

The M-1 monobloc amps are priced at $3,675.00 each, so the pair will set you back $7,350.00. Not inexpensive, but not insane, either. The stereo version of the amp, the S-1 lists for $3,795.00.

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