Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150)
3 lost · Vocals-First
Against the Vocals-First brief, the Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150) keeps the slot by a whisker.
On its own merits the Sugden A21 Signature is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.
Sugden A21 Signature
Integrated amplifier
Relative price
above typical
Among the 59 integrated amplifiers in the catalogue, this one is above typical.
A band places a component against its peers and carries no price. It is deliberately the only price indicator on this page: a second one, measured against a different set, would narrow the two together far enough to give the figure away.
What it is
A21 lineage: world's first commercially produced pure Class A solid-state amplifier, launched 1967 — included in The Absolute Sound + Hi-Fi+ "ten most significant European Amplifiers of all time" list (2011). Still Heckmondwike-built 58 years later.
Speaker pairing: Spendor 4/5 Classic (84dB) + Salk Song 3 Encore (87dB) driven "with ease" per Head-Fi review. ProAc Tablette Reference 8 Signatures + Quad 2812 also documented successful pairings. Class A 30W is much louder than typical AB 30W due to lack of clipping transition character.
A21SE Signature variant adds 50% larger PSU + sophisticated preamp stage — separate catalog entry Sugden-A21SE.
Competition record
Assessed against 12 rivals across the sixty systems: 2 head-to-heads won, 17 lost.
Where it gives ground
The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.
- low-level clarity ×2
- timing and drive ×2
- bass control ×1
Who it comes up against
EAR Yoshino V12
3 lost · BBC Sound, Vocals-First
Against the BBC Sound brief, the EAR Yoshino V12 keeps the slot clearly.
With the Rega Aura Reference MC, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.
With the Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badge, the pairing gives up most on timing and drive.
On its own merits the Sugden A21 Signature is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.
Longdog Audio P6100M Biamp 2x2 (4 units)
2 lost · Characterful
Against the Characterful brief, the Longdog Audio P6100M Biamp 2x2 (4 units) keeps the slot decisively.
EAR Yoshino 890
2 lost · Intimate
Against the Intimate brief, the EAR Yoshino 890 keeps the slot decisively.
NVA S80 Stereo
2 lost · Characterful, Intimate
No completion of this shape fits that slot's budget.
Audiolab 9000P
1 lost · Characterful
Against the Characterful brief, the Audiolab 9000P keeps the slot decisively.
NVA S300 Stereo (Artisan)
1 lost · Intimate
Against the Intimate brief, the NVA S300 Stereo (Artisan) keeps the slot decisively.
Leema Hydra II
1 lost · Characterful
Against the Characterful brief, the Leema Hydra II keeps the slot decisively.
Audio Note P1 SE
1 lost · Intimate
Against the Intimate brief, the Audio Note P1 SE keeps the slot decisively.
Sugden ANV 50
1 lost · BBC Sound
Against the BBC Sound brief, the Sugden ANV 50 keeps the slot clearly.
With the Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badge, the pairing gives up most on bass control.
On its own merits the Sugden A21 Signature is the stronger integrated amplifier — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badge gives up bass control under the BBC Sound weighting.
Leak Stereo 230
0 lost· 1 won · Vocals-First
Against the Vocals-First brief, the Sugden A21 Signature takes the slot clearly.
With the Cyrus Classic PHONO, the pairing gains most on tonal body.
On its own merits the Sugden A21 Signature is the weaker integrated amplifier — yet it wins here on fit: the pairing with the Cyrus Classic PHONO gains tonal body under the Vocals-First weighting.
It sits well above the share of the budget this brief aims at the integrated amplifier position.
warm-ish organic tones with detail in abundanceHead-Fi A21SE Signature review
Creek 4040A
0 lost· 1 won · BBC Sound
Against the BBC Sound brief, the Sugden A21 Signature takes the slot decisively.
With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gains most on quiet-hours detail.
With the Falcon Q7 Complete@Home, the pairing gains most on low-level clarity.
On its own merits the Sugden A21 Signature is the stronger integrated amplifier for that brief.
improved micro dynamics for low level listeningSugden documentation
Systems it is part of
- Tier L · BBC Sound as Amplification
What the reviewers said
Listening to Dexter Gordon's GO is positively heavenly Tone Publications A21SE Sig review (Jeff Dorgay)· Harmonic texture
warm-ish organic tones with detail in abundance Head-Fi A21SE Signature review· Tonal body
If you don't need more than 30 watts Tone Publications + Head-Fi· Physical impact
improved micro dynamics for low level listening Sugden documentation· Micro-dynamic resolution
Sugden A21 and my Quad 2812s is positively heavenly Tone Publications A21SE Sig review
How it scores
Clarity
- Electrical noise floor 80 from specification
Voice
- Tonal body 78 from listening evidence
- Harmonic texture 78 from listening evidence
Bass
- Bass control 66 from specification
- Physical impact 66 from listening evidence
- Bass extension 59 from specification
LowerVolume
- Low-level noise floor 80 from specification
- Micro-dynamic resolution 78 from listening evidence
- Tonal consistency 76 from specification
Specifications
| power 8ohm w | 30.0 |
|---|---|
| power 4ohm w | 40.0 |
| power class | A |
| damping factor | 80.0 |
| line inputs | 5 |
| line input sensitivity mv | 110.0 |
| line input impedance kohm | 47.0 |
| has phono | False |
| pre out | True |
| pre out level v | 0.775 |
| pre power separable | pre_out_parallel |
| internal bass management | none |
| headphone out | True |
| frequency response hz | 12/141000 |
| snr db | 90.0 |
| dimensions mm | 430/115/360 |
| weight kg | 15.0 |
| integrated dac | False |
| digital inputs | 0 |
| notes |