Radford Revival.

lol.

Seven months?! Some babies are born sooner! Are they building it up atom by atom?

Here's Jammy's review of his new amps.

RADFORD REVIVAL STA-25 (mk5) Review.

(Currently used in conjunction with)
Marantz CD-73 player / Rothwell Indus passive preamp / Falcon Acoustics LS3/5A speakers.

(Why)?
I have always hankered after a Radford - STA since first hearing my uncles one way back in 1976. Now I can't be sure if it was a 15 or 25 to be honest, but one thing I can still remember was the magical sound it produced and the good times we spent listening to his album collection, It was this experience that piqued my interest and set me on the twisty HiFi road.

(Build Quality)
"Good things come to those who wait" So the saying goes, and I can confirm with regard to the arrival of my new RR STA-25 this is indeed the case.....It's been a long (43 year) wait.
Attention to detail / Fit and finish / Meticulous build quality - Would put a Fabergé Egg to shame !!
Words simply don't do it justice, this amplifier really has to be seen in the flesh (so to speak) to truly appreciate the work that "Will & Steve" have put into it's production.
Radford's original amplifiers have an enviable reputation for outstanding reliability, (of which a quick search of the web will testify) and im quite sure judging by the build and superior components used, the RR's new one's will undoubtedly carry on this enviable tradition.

(Sound Quality 1)
This amp is special, it's right. And this rightness (for want of a better word) is immediately obvious from the opening bars of any track you care to throw at it.
There is no woolyness or warmth (common to a lot of valve amps) present here, instead it portrays the music faithfully, with tremendous grip and superb clarity.
I've had more power amplifiers (both Valve and Transistor) than I care to remember over the last 40 years, but musically none have come remotely close to the sound that the STA produces.
Put simply this is the finest sounding amplifier I have heard to date by a considerable margin.
My one regret is the fact that I never discovered the existence of Radford Revival sooner.

(Sound Quality 2)
I will try my best to avoid the usual hifi cliché's and superlatives, and instead try and give you some insight into a few of the STA's many virtues and strengths via few of my favourite albums.
First up "Kate Bush - The Sensual World" the track "This Woman's Work" we have never heard it sound so hauntingly beautiful, had me and the better half reaching for the tissues.
Next "Tori Amos - Under the Pink" play the track "Cornflake Girl" and one could be forgiven for thinking Tori has wheeled her Bosendorfer in, and is playing live in your listening room.
Now apparently my LS3/5As don't do Bass and can't Rock, right ?....Wrong, (it only takes an amp of the STA's calibre and ability to make them do so) try "Grace Jones - Warm Leatherette" album, "Sly & Robbies" rhythm section is so tight and infectious I defy anyone with toes not to tap them.
Whilst "Black Sabbath's - Heaven and Hell" album would have a nun headbanging...!!!
Play "Tim Buckley - Letters Live" or "John Martyn - No Little Boy" albums and the STA will leave you in no doubt of its finesse and minute detail retrieval abilities. Tim's walk on introduction to raptuous applause is startlingly realistic, you can even hear the turning of sheet music..!!
Whilst John's Sax player "Tony Coe" can easily be distinguished licking his lips prior to playing..!!
(Thing's in the mix I've never heard before despite numerous listens via lesser amps)
Well I could go on but had best stop there, and alas unless you have an STA (or it's equal) handy you may not be able to hear these things, but hopefully you get the picture.

(Value for Money)
Firstly this is not a factory mass produced amp churned out in the hundreds....No no no.
In the grand scheme of things audio, this is a rather rare beast indeed.
If one stops a moment and considers the fact that the Radford Revival STA is an iconic British amplifier, meticulously hand built, (with finer components and technology, not currently available to the original amps) hand wired in very small numbers to order, by a small team of dedicated and passionate audiophiles....Not to mention the man hours involved in such an undertaking.
Figure in the fact that when it comes to making music, it makes the (so called) hi-end big boys costing X times the price sound bland and quite obviously flawed and lacking by comparison.

I suggest that if the Radford Revival STA was double it's current price, it would be a great bargain (and still have a lengthy waiting list). As it stands, priced at £2800 it is an absolute bloody steal.

Build quality..............10 /10
Sound quality............10 /10
Value for money........10 /10

For...............Everything.
Against........Nothing. (waiting list aside)

I would now like to close with a BIG thank you to Steve & Will Moores and all associated with Radford Revival, who's dedication and passion continue to bring Arthur Radford & John Widgery's classic amplifiers to a new generation of music lovers worldwide.

THANK YOU.
A.J.W.R. (2019).

Are you saying it's an unfair and biased review Shane?

I can’t help thinking it’s a bit held back by the cdp and speakers he’s using.... a pair of big jbl or tannoys would let it really fly

Awesome amps though

I've heard all the constituent parts of that system (except the Marantz 72, although I do have a 54 which I'll bet is very similar) but not all together. Based on that I'd expect it to sound very good, not as in a studio console sort of sound but in terms of being 'musically satisfying', easy to listen to for very long sessions, and will treat all recordings equally. If you just want the system out of the way so you can enjoy the music I can see it all working together fine.

I would dispute the 1Khz approx peak as being too narrow. It was clearly audible in mid 80's examples and I feel it adds a certain 'coldness' to the music and on more intense female vocals it made me wince via the Falcons last week. The mid trough pushes the general image back a bit I find and apparently this aids nearfield listening. That and the hf character does not make for a laid back listen and you only need a short while comparing with P3ESR's to hopefully understand this comparison. i don't care overmuch for either by the way as like macca, I prefer bigger boxes and the ease they often portray, but your mileage may vary depending on how you enjoy and feel the music being reproduced via your playback system.

What did you like about them? I walked into the room at Audio East, the music was coming from behind and I could pretty well guess what was playing (I was right and again, I think Primare was used). I asked them to play the floor standing RAM speakers at £3k or so alongside them and to my ears anyway, it was night and day in the midband and top, the bass gaining another half octave obviously, which I liked very much.

Like I said, probably my hearing as everyone seems to love them except me.

I'm worried what to say now as I'm going to alienate even more people... Once again, I have to say my experiences and observations are but mine alone and others may well feel differently!

I heard the top Kudos with a Fraimful-o-Naim at the local show in 2017 - I thought the sound mechanical and not involving at all. I also heard one of them (707?) passive with Chord Electronics and that was (to me) horrible and rather hard and flat.

At the show last autumn, they exhibited the stand mount Titans with a full Linn active setup with DSP (I think) and it was LOUD but not exactly 'subtle' as such. A system for analysing the music rather than for easy enjoyment - in my opinion.

In more recent times I've heard the Titan 707 floor stander passive with Naim and found it a bit ballistic in a medium size room and not what I'd call 'real' - however that describes a reproduced mix of sounds... the top sizzles a bit but you get used to it. Ten days or so ago, I was able to hear first, the Titan 707 with a shedload of active Naim 552/Supercaps/555/NDS? 'whatever' driving them and they sounded great - but for £100k or so they bloody well ought to! No idea how a set of my beloved ATC's at a third of the cost would compare though..

...And then the following day, in the same room and with a 'mere' £2k Melco source, I heard the Kii Threes with controller. I fell in love with them as the total lack of mid-bass forced blood and thunder while keeping a tuneful lower bass came as a breath of fresh air. The top end being almost 'sweet' which amazed me for Class D amps (Hypex I believe). I appreciate this tone not being to everyone's taste depending on room size, but the similar balance Dynaudio Confidence 60's gave me a headache in comparison (my local dealer can't believe it) when played via a Naim Statement amp (they're now suggesting a Levinson integrated is a good match but I haven't heard this combination).

A note to Rudi - Believe it or not, I do have a life away from audio forums (mainly just this one now) and coming here is usually a respite from it, especially recently with various things causing much stress.

Just out of curiosity, DSJR. What speakers do you like for easy enjoyment?

S.

Just found a vid of falcon LS3/5a with Primare, I sure hope for once that the video doesn’t give a fair idea of the sound. Anyone not into vids should still watch in order to see a rare public appearance of Worzel Gummidge.

You won't alienate me Dave, amazingly we all hear things different.  The reason I asked about Kudos speakers, on three occasions my brother and I have simply had to walk out on their demonstrations, the treble far too exaggerated for our ears.  When I go and listen, I don't break up the sound into treble, mids and bass, just like to get a feel for the sound as a whole. Maybe that is why I'm a fan of omni/semi omni speakers.