The Absolute Sound Reviews the Crescendo CHORUS
- Laiv
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
A sincere thank you to Adrian Alexander at The Absolute Sound for his review of the Crescendo CHORUS. The Absolute Sound has been a defining voice in high-end audio since 1972, and Adrian brings a listener's perspective to it that we respect a great deal. He first came across the CHORUS at AXPONA, and opened his review by calling it one of the most talked about amplifiers to hit the market in the last ninety days. Having a publication of that standing take the time with our work means a lot to a young company.
What struck us most is where Adrian started when he sat down to listen. Not the bass, not the dynamics, not the power, but the silence. He described "that deep almost eerie kind of silence that makes you lean in," with a background he called incredibly black, and said the music simply sat where it was meant to sit. He went on to praise the soundstage depth in particular, writing that the feeling was of "looking into the music rather than just hearing it," with instruments in real layers and vocals anchored firmly in the centre. On tonal balance, the line we keep coming back to is this one: "nothing felt exaggerated, nothing felt artificial, everything just sounded right."
He also picked up on something we care about deeply, which is that the CHORUS is designed to grow with you. Start with one unit as a stereo amplifier, add a second later and run them as monoblocks. In Adrian's words, "the amplifier grows with you, you're not replacing anything." That was a deliberate design decision, and it is genuinely rewarding to see a reviewer recognise the intent behind it. He rounded off by noting the build quality felt serious, the craftsmanship outstanding, and the units run cool enough to sit anywhere without special ventilation. His verdict was that the CHORUS is a home run for LAiV.
Adrian's full review is worth watching in full, and he goes far deeper into the listening than we will here.
Watch the full review: Adrian Alexander on The Absolute Sound
LAIV Designing Dreams, Yours Specifically!
Credit: Adrian Alexander
Reviewer @ The Absolute Sound and YouTube Channel