AVM CS8.3 Black Edition Streaming Integrated Amplifier

REVIEW
by Rives Bird
Jan 09, 2024

Germany has a reputation for engineering precision, largely due to its prowess in automobile manufacturing. Major tech companies such as Siemens haven’t hurt this reputation, either. As an outsider, you might think this is a country whose values are solely placed on work conducted to the highest standards. But while there’s no question that the Germans strive for excellence, they are also a relaxed people. They are not all work; they are family oriented, ethical, punctual for certain, and have a balanced work/life outlook.

Since I’ve had a good deal of experience with German companies, I have to confess I had some preconceived notions of what to expect from the ambitious AVM CS8.3. Priced at $18,995, the CS8.3 is a 500Wpc (into 4 ohms) integrated amplifier based on a switching power supply, a Class D switching amplifier in the output stage, and a tube linestage coupled with an integrated streamer and CD drive, all in one chassis. One side of me said, “Cool, all that tech integrated into one piece of gear.” Fewer boxes can often be a very attractive thing. The other side of me said, “Who in his right mind would try to have a switching power supply, streaming service, and tube topology in the same box?” The ability to filter noise and interference inside one rather small enclosure struck me as an engineering nightmare.

Leave it to the Germans to figure out a way to engineer themselves out of an engineering impossibility.

Setup and First Impressions

The CS8.3 arrived in a double-cardboard-boxed flight case. It’s a beautiful, understated piece with AVM engraved on the top and a window through which to see some of its inner workings. The unit has a simple two-knob/one-window front panel (and several small buttons for controls). Nothing to get overly excited by or about, though the build-quality and precision machining do say “German.”

Setup was simple and straightforward. As soon as I got the unit connected (including Ethernet) and powered on, it automatically went into a firmware update. This took probably 10 minutes to complete and required no user interaction. Upon completion, my Roon Core recognized the AVM, and I enabled it. As I set the volume to “fixed” in the Roon Core, I expected volume controls from Roon would be disabled. However, this was not the case. AVM has made the CS8.3 so that when the Roon Core is set to fixed, the Roon volume control actually handles the AVM’s volume. This is a really nice feature because the volume buttons on your tablet or smartphone control the volume in 1dB increments.

In addition to the Ethernet connection for streaming, the AVM has one USB, one SPDIF coax, two TosLink optical, one AES/EBU, one pair of RCA, and one pair of XLR inputs. The last connection may be switched to “Home Theater Throughput,” a feature of the AVM I really like. It also has a slot for CDs. I was a little disappointed by not having more analog inputs, but this would probab-ly not be an issue for most users. There were certainly enough for me to review the unit properly. There are also two sets of variable analog outputs (one RCA and one XLR) and two sets of digital outputs (one coax and one optical), in addition to the high-level speaker outputs. On the front panel there is also a headphone jack, which was not used in this review.

The CS8.3 does have an infrared receiver, as well as a back-panel input for hex IR codes. However, the unit did not come with a remote. There is an optional one available, the RC3 for basic function, and I was told that future units will include this as standard. (At press time, AVM confirmed that the RC3 is now included as standard.) You can download an app (iOS or Android) to control the unit. The app has some nice features, such as naming your inputs and enabling and disabling inputs. However, using this app for regular control definitely leaves a lot to be desired from a user experience standpoint. Volume is not set from the volume keys on the tablet or phone in this application, but only from a slider on the screen. You can tap on the high side or low side to elevate and lower the level, but overall, it is not the most user-friendly approach. To access inputs, you need to press on the AVM icon, whereupon a list of different settings comes up. You then select “inputs,” and the various inputs are listed. This type of extra clicks to get where you want to go, when all you really wanted to do was switch from music to TV, can be frustrating. Honestly, it’s easier to just get up and turn the dial on the AVM for the source you want and adjust the volume there. Fortunately, after I received the review sample, all units are now shipped with the RC3 remote that is much easier to use and obviates the need to use the app for simple functions.

In my initial setup I tried to use as many of the inputs as possible to see how they worked, more than to listen critically. I was able to log into my Tidal and Qobuz accounts easily. I set up an account for the “Hi-Res Audio” channel and tested it but did not listen critically on this channel. I also tried the USB input with an external drive that contains the FLAC files I use with Roon. Tidal and Qobuz worked well. You get the same user interface that you would expect with each of these services. However, unlike Roon, the volume buttons on the tablet or phone did not operate the volume of the AVM. For this, as I noted, you must use the volume slider at the bottom of the screen. The USB files were the least user friendly. They worked, but it was not a good user experience. The files and folders are shown just like they would be through Windows Explorer. There is no artwork or easy way to navigate or search. Your files are organized on the drive in whatever order you originally set them up. So, if you are looking for a song, but can’t remember the artist or album, it could be near impossible to find. If you are using Roon to manage your files, then this is of no concern. I used Roon for the majority of my time with the AVM CS8.3.

Once I started using the unit, I was pleased with its sound from the start. It had come from a dealer who had been using it for demonstrations, so it was already burned in. I was hearing tremendous detail (dare I say precision), but it was also relaxed and not at all fatiguing. This unit uses a combination of tube and solid-state electronics, and first impressions gave the sense that AVM had really done a nice job capturing the strengths of each topology. The detail, finesse, and control were reminiscent of solid-state but without any of the harshness or grain often associated with that gain strategy. What was present was fullness in the midrange and instruments that had a little extra body, which I often associate with tube-based components (and tend to enjoy).

The AVM Story

This is certainly not the full story, perhaps a Cliff’s Notes version, but I had the pleasure of speaking with Udo Besser, the CEO of AVM. AVM stands for Audio Video Manufacturer, but AVM is really an audio company.

Udo began his passion early; at the age of 15 he was given an amplifier and built a system around it. His father was an audiophile and, as Udo described it, “had the large speakers and lots of equipment.” He loved classical music. Udo worked at a hi-fi store where he repaired and tweaked various gear. He went on to the University of Munich and studied electronics but also wanted to go beyond the technical aspects and also earned an MBA. Post-graduation, he worked at Burmester for 15 years and became the managing director and part owner. He developed the car-audio line for Porsche and Mercedes.

In 2011, Udo acquired AVM, which was not a new company. AVM was founded by Gunther Mania in 1986, and Gunther remains with the company today. Udo’s interest in AVM, beyond it being a formidable brand, was that it had several all-in-one systems. He felt this was the future. Udo recognizes a lot of boxes means you are no longer in the living room—you almost need a dedicated listening room. Incidentally, in 2011 streaming was becoming a reality, and it was, of course, a no-brainer for AVM to incorporate a streaming engine into its single-box solutions.

Speaking of streaming, AVM is Roon Ready and integrated with Tidal, Qobuz, a “Hi-Res Audio” channel, and Spotify for streaming. Spotify? Yes. Udo says we need to welcome youth into this hobby. And youngsters all have Spotify accounts; when they want to “graduate” to better sound, the transition will be easier if the products have the services they already use. I think many high-end companies have stayed away from lower-resolution streaming services because they fear that lower sound quality will give their brands a bad name. Maybe Udo is a bit of a pioneer here, but it strikes me that embracing what the next generation is already using is a smart way to capture new customers.

AVM’s mission is a simple one, at least to describe: premium sound at accessible prices through products that can inhabit the living room as part of the family lifestyle. AVM’s products are not inexpensive, by any stretch, but they aren’t in the stratosphere, either. They also meet some very nice lifestyle requirements by focusing on one-box solutions, most of which incorporate a phonostage, to boot. AVM has even started making turntables with their own arms and cartridges. This all started when Udo’s son asked him for a turntable as a graduation present. Rather than buy one, he built one. Today 15% of AVM’s revenue comes from its turntable business.

The Technology

The Black Edition is the highest-level line that AVM offers. The CS8.3 utilizes a tube linestage based on 12AX7s, along with a switching amplifier, sourced from the Danish company Pascal. This combination provides 500Wpc (into 4 ohms) and has ample headroom for just about any speaker. As I mentioned, trying to put all of this in a single box without having inherent noise and interference problems seems like a massive challenge. There were several things AVM could do to isolate sensitive circuitry, particularly the tubes, and still others to reduce the generation of noise in the first place, like using shielding between circuit board layers and then damping interference with various shielding between sections. The tubes are laid out in the corner away from the amplification circuit for this very reason. There was one compromise AVM did have to make: There is no integrated phonostage in this unit. AVM does offer optional outboard phonostages, and I would say that, at this level, that probably makes a lot more sense, anyway.

The streaming engine AVM uses is also its own design and is entirely software based. It only uses a fraction of the processing power available, so it can be upgraded over time with little worry about running out of processing power. The system is designed ground-up for multi-room applications. By the time this article is in print, AVM will have released its “Bridge,” which is a multi-room endpoint for any of its streaming systems. The “Bridge” will retail for around $2k, and there is an amplified version as well that will retail for around $2.5k. All the Bridge needs is an Ethernet connection on the same network the main unit is on, though it can also run as a stand-alone streaming device, which will be Roon Ready and accept Tidal, Qobuz and Spotify as well as the “Hi-Res Audio.”

Serious Listening

All my serious listening was either streamed via Tidal or Qobuz (directly and with Roon), or from my own ripped or purchased files on an external USB drive connected to my Roon Core. In my initial listening, I was impressed with how AVM had captured the best of both tube and solid-state electronics. Everything I listened to sounded wonderful on the CS8.3, though as with most high-performing products there were some areas that really stood out as being just a bit better than everything else. I was particularly captivated by acoustic instruments, guitar being the most enticing. Plucked or strummed strings had precision and detail, but the resonance of the body of the guitar was warm and inviting. The guitars really had a three-dimensional character. Two albums are worth mentioning here: Narada’s Masters of Guitar and the David Grisman and Tony Rice title Tone Poems. The first is a compilation of works from Narada’s artists. The different guitarists are all well recorded, but recorded in different venues—and this was obvious in listening with the AVM. The second album is two artists playing duets that, I believe, were all recorded in the same venue. But they use different vintage instruments (guitar and mandolin) on different cuts. And this, too, was obvious through the AVM, which brought out the distinctive character of each of the instruments.

I listened to a variety of jazz, vocal jazz, classical, piano, and pop recordings. Because the acoustic recordings came across so well, most of the electronic and pop recordings paled in comparison. This is not to say that they were not reproduced well; it’s just that these types of recordings did not benefit as much from the AVM’s qualities as their acoustic counterparts. Saxophone recordings were also exceptionally well reproduced with the CS8.3. Again, the transient detail coupled with body and warmth gave the instrument a rich lifelike sound. I listened to several Ben Webster’s recordings, my favorite being Live at the Renaissance, but all of them sounded terrific. Jazz at the Pawnshop, another audiophile favorite with the less than subtle noises from the crowd mixed in with the music, did not disappoint, either. You just felt like you were sitting in the club.

Moving on to vocals, I listened to a variety of recordings by Anne Bisson, Nina Simone, and Cassandra Wilson, but one that stood out was Jane Monheit’s version of “Honey Suckle Rose.” It starts with an upright bass playing solo, and then Monheit joins in. Both the bass and her voice had that wonderful three-dimensional character, and the soundstage was remarkably realistic and stable. There was never a waver in instrumental (or vocal) placement. This piece always sounds great, but with the AVM it sounded more lifelike than I was accustomed to.

Large-scale classical was also excellent. The width of the soundstage was impressive and captivating. But as good as large-scale classical was, chamber music was better. Big orchestral recordings just don’t have the minute details of a trio or quartet of individual instruments, and resolution is one thing that the AVM truly excelled at. Thus, chamber music, with any combination of instruments, was superb. I find chamber music that includes piano can often be more difficult to capture. Not through the AVM. Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet, for example, on Sony Masterworks, featuring Yo-Yo Ma, Emanual Ax, and Edgar Meyer, was a terrific example of just how good the CS8.3 is. There was never a time when I felt that one instrument’s character was obscuring another’s. They were all delineated within their own space, and each instrument had its own three-dimensional character and was sized appropriately and proportionately.

Conclusion

Bravo to AVM and Udo Besser for designing and manufacturing such a wonderful all-in-one component. On the surface, it seems quite simple, but from a technical perspective it’s quite complex to have this level of execution and convenience in one relatively small box. My only complaint about the system had to do with the ergonomics of the RC X application, which has nothing to do with sound quality. But the recent decision to include the RC3 remote control as standard obviates this shortcoming. Most importantly, the CS8.3’s sound quality was outstanding, particularly in the rare quality of presenting detail without fatigue.

Having the AVM in my living room was a pleasure, not only from a sonic standpoint but from a simplicity one. The understated cosmetics made it a good addition to the living area, and it performed with German precision, though that precision never got in the way of the music. I felt AVM extracted the best of tubes and solid-stage electronics. I was always drawn into the music and thoroughly enjoyed my time with the CS8.3 Black Edition. If fewer boxes are of value to you and this unit is within budget, it is a must on the audition list.

Specs & Pricing

CD drive: TEAC Pure CD Drive
Tube linestage: 12AX7
Analog inputs: 1x RCA, 1x XLR
Analog outputs: 1x line/fixed-out RCA, 1x variable-out XLR, 1x variable-out RCA
Digital inputs: 1x SPDIF coax, 2x SPDIF optical, 1x USB A (stick/HDD), 1x USB B
Digital outputs: 1x SPDIF coax, 1x SPDIF optical
Bluetooth: HiFi Bluetooth (4.2 standard)
DSD: DSD128 (5.6MHz) via USB B
Music streaming: AirPlay, Roon Ready, Spotify Connect, High-res audio/Qobuz /Tidal Connect, UPnP
Multiroom: Multiroom & party sync mode with all RC X App-compatible AVM models
Radio: Webradio via Airable Internet Radio Station Database (automatic updates)
Network: Ethernet (10/100Mbps), Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac) 2.4/5GHz
Tone controls: Balance, bass, treble, scalable loudness
Output power: 2x 500W [4 ohms]
Headphone output: Class-A 6.35mm
Speaker outputs: 1 pair
Dimensions: 43cm x 13cm x 38cm
Weight: 13 kg
Price: $18,995