May 2025

World Premiere Review!
Trilogy Audio Systems 914 Preamplifier And 994 Monoblock Power Amplifier Review
Conveying musicality, engagement, and emotional connection to your favorite music.
Review By Chris Beeching

  Trilogy Audio Systems, that small but perfectly formed UK audio electronics company turns 35 this year. Brain-child of Nic Poulson, Trilogy has brought highly engaging and musical products to the public's ears with critical acclaim for three decades. Something new coming from this stable, where new products are something of a rarity (and whose legacy products still command decent price tags) is a rather special event.

Like so many smaller entities, Trilogy has been quietly bringing beautifully styled and highly listenable products to market in a resolute but unassuming way. Never one to shout loudly about what they do, they have earned an enviable following, and consistently produce amplification which, in a very understated way, produces far more (in every respect) than the seeming sum of their parts.

Technical Details
Just coming to market this month are the Trilogy Audio Systems 914 preamplifier and the partnering 994 monoblock power amps. The 914 has a satin silver front panel with beautifully sculpted lines, a single large rotary knob, two small push-buttons (enter and escape) and a single smallish display. The rear panel sports RCAs as well as balanced XLR sockets, and a couple of network (RJ45) connectors.

Suffice it to say, apart from the requirement to input a PIN code when first using it, the operation is very straightforward, with pretty much all input parameters being configurable for level which is especially useful if you have a DAC with a 2 Volt output and a tuner with 100mV, and want to maintain a similar volume level when switching between the two. Another nice feature is that you can also assign a 'name' to each input which appears on the Trilogy Audio Systems 914's display when you select that input.

The remote is also beautifully styled, and simple but fully-featured, allowing control from your favored listening seat. Gain is provided using the renowned 6H6pi tube, with 24dB of gain and a low 400R output impedance. Lastly, the Trilogy 994 power amps. A handed pair with almost art-deco grooves soaring towards the ceiling on the front panel, the clean lines only broken by an on-off switch and two LEDs.

The rear panel contains RCA inputs, the obligatory mains socket, and two RJ45 sockets for TASlink. There's also another push-button that allows you to toggle between Class A and Class ecoA, and then unleashing the full A/B high bias output of 140 Watts into 8 Ohms. The majority of my listening was done in the Class A 20-Watt mode, but when the other modes were selected sound quality was still maintained. I simply had to be more judicious with the volume knob to stop my ears bleeding.

Class ecoA? This is simply Class A, but with power consumption reduced when no signal is present.

This is a hybrid zero-feedback design using the 6H6pi with a choke input power supply fronting Trilogy's unique 'compound output stage'.

Why the RJ45s? Well, you may remember that Quad (and others) embarked on system control using a system bus to link all the components in the amplification (and source in some cases) components together. The RJ45 TASlink enables you to control virtually all the amplification with just the remote, including on/off, source etc.

Being picky, and perhaps (not intentionally) adding fuel to the 'all amplifiers sound the same' fire, of all the interfaces in the home audio system replay chain, the one which conjoins the amplifier to the speakers is possibly the most critical.

Why?

Because there are so very many unknowns.

No two speakers have identical characteristics, whether it be impedance, capacitance, current demand, reactance... and so the list goes on. Amplifier topologies respond differently to different loads, so while every amplifier might perform identically into a purely resistive 8-Ohm load, that is absolutely not the case with loads that vary as widely (or perhaps wildly) as loudspeaker loads... So what is a fair test for something as special as this pre/power combo from renowned designer Nic Poulson?

A range of loudspeakers was brought into play (literally!). High-ish efficiency designs, electrostatics, and the more 'usual' traditional cone-type designs. After all, some amplifiers work 'better' with some speaker types than with others, so it would be a useful guide to know how the 994 would fare. As for the preamp, my goal in a home audio system has always been the pursuit of musicality, and the lack of intrusion by the system on the music. That really does need a transparent preamplifier and good power amplification.

Sources were in the main physical media, being turntable, CD, with some less intense listening on streaming and FM radio. Here in the UK Radio 3 (the classical station) broadcasts some wonderful live concerts 'raw' which can be simply sublime. The set-up was very quick and straightforward, and even setting up the TASlink was an intuitive process. I had the remote set up to turn 'the system' on, so everything came on in the right order (powering down offers the same careful approach).

Musical Experience
First on the CD player was a nice recording of Diana Krall – an 'elderly CD Love Scenes [IMP12342]. Krall's voice enthralled from the very moment she opened her mouth. Despite the anticipation, the recording allows you right into the nuances that make her voice so beguiling. My reference has always been acoustic music – as this is what we hear in real life, unadulterated, and without the vagaries of any amplification system. If an acoustic recording sounds half like the real thing we're heading along the right path. What I found surprising was the naturalness of the presentation. It was as if here she was, just rolled up into my living room, sat down at the piano with Russel and Christian (guitar and bass), and started performing. It really was quite disarming.

What was also interesting (I initially fired up a pair of Quad 57s) was how effortlessly the 994s drove those panels. Recently rebuilt, they were really on song, but with the 994s at the helm, they became what felt like a much more capable speaker than before. The other interesting thing (OK so this is subjective, but valid nevertheless) is that the 914/994 combo did seem to extend the frequency extremes, and this was repeated with the other speakers I used.

A quiet preamp is, for me, a prerequisite as any noise there will manifest itself much more obviously by the time it's been amplified by the subsequent power stage. The 914 is quiet. Unbelievably quiet. In fact, if I thought it was a passive circuit and a well-screened one at that, it all but disappeared. Despite turning the volume up to very loud levels on an empty input, there was ne'er a rustling of leaves, not a whisper, even with my head very close to the 57s' grilles.

On the other hand, when it came to dynamics it was absolutely no slouch. '0 to 100mph' in the blink of an eye. That was certainly the case when Art Davis and Herbie Hancock got together in 'A Time Remembered' (JPCD-5001-2). The piano is a percussive instrument – despite many pianists being able to play the most beguiling glissandos – but the strings are hit, not caressed. With strident chords Hancock made the speakers come alive. The full raucous impact clearly felt, and not diminished at all with the Triology 914 / 994 combo getting in the way. That oft-used description of a hi-fi system being 'an open window on the concert hall' became much more widely opened to reveal a whole soundworld out there. This is where the impact of music was deftly coupled with the smallest nuances, the emotion that is the lifeblood running through the veins, and the journey we all embark on whether as a musician or a listener.

Trilogy's combo here really allowed deep insights into not just how the music sounded but the emotional and musical elements that are so inexorably bound up within it.

With a playful nod to electronica, Bela Fleck's (in)famous 'Flight of the Cosmic Hippo' was next to be experienced. That uber-deep bass line can have many systems in a twist, but Trilogy has managed to keep a tight rein on the bottom-end control while still allowing the defy upper elements all the air and space they need. A pair of Klipsch Heritage Forte IVs were pressed into service – just how would the 994s cope with such a high-sensitivity loudspeaker?

With consummate ease is the answer you might not expect. Running in Class A there was no lack of grunt or definition low down, and keeping noise down into the upper horns in that model was not a problem. As with the 57s, there was 'nothing to hear' on an empty input, which, when I switched to A/B high bias mode with a potential 140 Watts available for comparison is quite some feat.

Last digital disc was from the Nimbus label – William Boughton conducting Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending' with Michael Bochmann as soloist. The first time I heard this recording I was utterly mesmerised by it. This music may not suit everyone's taste, and it's quite an old recording but for me, it had that musicality, that element of beguiling the listener and taking them on a journey, almost as if you're 'up there' with the fledgling Lark making its first flight, with all the uncertainty around those first few flaps of its wings. The 914 excelled here. There are so many small details in the mix, and unless you have real transparency, but also the ability to recreate the microdynamics when much larger and louder things are going on is a tall order, and demands some very fine electrical engineering.

I take my hat off to Trilogy's designer Nic Poulson here, because the 914/994 combo let me into this soundworld in a way that I'd never experienced before. Not only was I drawn along with the performance, but in many ways I became a part of it, something which I'd only experienced as a performer in an ensemble in the past. That has to be a first, and one which I hope you will get the chance to savor as well.

Moving on to vinyl, as the 914 is line-only a phono stage was needed. Well, I tried a few: Tisbury, Kinshaw, Avid, Whest and do you know what? You can tell them all apart. Each one has its sonic signature, and each one has individual characteristics, but then in dealing with such small signal levels as they do, I'd be very surprised if they somehow didn't sound different. But in my naïve way, I'd anticipated a slightly more level playing field.

Doesn't audio constantly surprise!

However, what does come across is the ability of the 914 and the power amps to resolve those really small details and present them, unfussily, 'just as they are'.

A favorite disc hit the platter: Dido and Aeneas, the Thurston Dart recoding from L'Oiseau Lyre. Perhaps its most famous part, and probably its most well-known, Belinda's dying aria sung by Janet Baker is a performance guaranteed to get the tissues out. The pathos, the despair, the longing... and so the list goes on. Trilogy's amplifiers let the emotion through. There was no lack of detail – far from it (a testament to its resolving abilities), and the musicality of the English Chamber Orchestra under Anthony Lewis. By the time the side had finished, I was thoroughly wrung out.

In fact, throughout this very extended (Note to self: must remember to send out a bill for midnight oil) listening session I was struggling to come up with any other combination that had so firmly grabbed my emotional and musical psyche and wrung them out through a pair of speakers.

Next to be auditioned was a rather unsung gem: Mario Parodi playing guitar on a reissue label MFP (Music For Pleasure). This was originally picked up in mint condition (it looked unplayed) in a second-hand record store for a few pence about 30 years ago. I was intrigued. I'd never come across Parodi, and for such a small price I thought I'd take a chance.

Wow!

This is possibly the most natural recording of an acoustic classical guitar I think I've ever heard. It's a cliché I know, but with the volume set appropriately (it's not too difficult to capture just a solo guitar and replay at realistic levels), I really could shut my eyes and have Parodi play for me. Again the Triology Audio Systems 914 / 994 combo's resolving power let the details of the squeak of fingers on strings, the creak of the neck against the body, all those 'oh-so-small-but-so-important' details through against the real oomph of a solo guitar. But still in place, resolute but musical were the deep resonances of the bass strings, the clarity of the fingerwork up above, and the effortless way in which the music emerged from the speakers.

Again, this was a captivating performance which both aurally (sound quality) and musically and emotionally was beyond amazing. If you're not anti-guitar, and can find a copy, I'd highly recommend it – as long as you have a 914 / 994 to play it through of course!

The last LP I'll mention is Norah Jones' album Come Away With Me, again from quite a few years ago now. Solo female vocal has for a long time been a critical determinant of how good a system is. The female voice has an amazing range of characteristics from Kate Bush, Billie Holliday, Tina Turner, Karen Carpenter, and way beyond. Whomever I choose to use, someone somewhere will say "What about..." and they'd be right. There are just so many. But again I come back to 'what makes music tick'?

Some listen to the sound. Some are after a bit more. For me, as I said above, it's the emotional and musical connections with, hopefully, a superb recording and a totally natural sound. Norah Jones has been criticized in the past for being 'a bit flat', rather schmalzy, and too 'safe'.

Hmmm. I'm not so sure. My impression is of a fledgling spreading her wings, tentatively at first, and with growing confidence. If you just listen 'for the sound' you'll miss that. Her singing begins with some trepidation and grows in confidence as the album moves along. As her output has grown, so has her confidence, and her latest album (discounting the Christmas one) Pick Me Up Off The Floor (2020) is much more assured. So here we have a 'new' artist. Everything is there, and quite fragile. The Trilogy Audio Systems kit really allowed her new voice to speak, to sing, and to soar.

While it retains a great grip on whatever speaker you connect up, it's not a restrictive grip. It's a case of 'I got you, and we'll be ok' kinda grip. So if you have a pair of mini-monitors (like Ensembles' Ondiva), not known for the greatest efficiency (88dB/W/m) you can rest assured that, despite the lowish sensitivity you will still get an utterly engrossing, engaging, and emotional musical performance out of them with the Triology 914 / 994 combo in the driving seat. There's no lack of details, and even though you need to wind the volume up a bit more than with the Klipsch hornspeakers, the crucial dynamic contrasts and imaging are all faithful to the source.

I mentioned FM, and the ability to 'level match' with the 914. Radio 3 within the UK is my usual listening, and the breadth of what they cover is quite astonishing from 'traditional' fare like a Mozart symphony or a piano recital to some groundbreaking new contemporary composition with amazing soundscapes and aural trickery. Matching the 914's input sensitivity to the CD and phono stages meant that I could see just how noisy (or not) FM is these days.

What became apparent was that (as I have a good aerial and am not too far from the transmitter) FM can be a quiet (as in background hiss) source, but you can really hear the differences in the compression used depending on the material. Where there is a large orchestral crescendo, there's likely to be more limiting than on a 'talk show'.

What was also reassuring, though, was how 'real' ordinary speech on radio can be.

However, as with the speaker sensitivity situation, I did wonder whether or not the internal gain of the pre varied much with input sensitivity. I need not have worried. Despite its bandwidth limitations, there was no loss of dynamics and transient performance as you alter the input sensitivity on the 914. In fact, I was surprised at how even-handed the responses were across the board.

Conclusion
As you may have gathered, I like this kit. For me, it has an amazing visual aesthetic and makes a quietly understated but quite noticeable visual statement, and with beautifully sculpted corners and edges, really has good looks. From the operational and sound quality perspective, it's a real peach. On the one hand, Trilogy Audio Systems' 914 stereo preamplifier and 994 monoblock power amplifiers are unfussy, easy to set up, and the system remote works well. The sound quality and feature set are amazingly high-end audiophile quality. But when it comes to conveying the important (to me) facets of musicality, engagement, and emotional connection it's a real game-changer!

Hours (literally many) were spent trying to capture the essence of what this Trilogy 914 / 994 combo does, Even now I'm not sure my words have gone far enough. If I asked you to describe the color of a glass of red wine you could easily write a tome the size of War And Peace and still not cover everything. I feel here I've barely scratched the surface of how good this kit is. For the price, I think many who value a musically engaging experience plus an utterly simple and unfussy setup, the Triology Sound Systems 914 / 994 stereo system might not be beaten for quite some time. The amount of music I played through Trilogy Audio Systems' 914 preamplifier and 994 monoblock amplifiers, plus the time I spent with each pair of loudspeakers connected, was partly because I wanted to make sure I did justice when reviewing these luxurious high-end audio products.

The enjoyment factor was so high that when the Trilogy 914 stereo preamplifier and 994 monoblock power amplifiers had to be returned to their maker I was more than genuinely sad to see them go. It is a rare moment when an audio product connects you so closely to the music you deeply love. The Trilogy 914 / 994 will be missed within my home audio stereo sound system.

Unreservedly recommended.

Specifications
914 Stereo Preamplifier
Frequency Response: 10Hz to 150kHz
Inputs: Three pairs of balanced XLR @ >48K Ohms
Inputs: Three pairs if unbalanced RCA @ >24K Ohms
Main Outputs: Balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA
Send (Tape) Outputs: One pair via RCA phono sockets
Gain (Inputs To Send Output): 0dB
Gain (Inputs To Main Output): 24dB
Dimensions: 465 x 370 x 115mm (WxDxH)
Weight 12.4 Kgs
Price: $15,500

994 Mono Power Amplifier
Frequency Response: 2Hz to 100kHz
Inputs: RCA phono @ 200kOhms
Gain: 31dB
Input Sensitivity: 1.1V RMS for Rated output via RCA
Rated Power Class AB Mode: 140 Watts into 8 Ohms / 200 Watts into 4 Ohms
Rated Class A Power (Class A Mode): 20 Watts into 8 Ohms
Actual usable power (Class A Mode): 30 Watts into 8 Ohms / 55 Watts into 4 Ohms
Recommended load impedance: 2 to 16 Ohms
Distortion: Less than 1% A weighted at rated output into 8 Ohms
Dimensions: 190 x 365 x 312mm (WxDxH)
Weight: 25 Kgs per monoblock amplifier
Price: $28,000 for a pair

Manufacturer
Trilogy Audio Systems
Voice: +44 (0)1789 641 186
E-mail: sales@trilogyaudio.com 
Website: TrilogyAudio.com