I’ve had my Sugden A21SE (bigger version of this one) for about 15 years and it has been excellent. I had to get it repaired last year but I sent it back to the factory and they did the work quickly and for a reasonable price. It’s nice to own something that can be repaired rather than disposed of - a real long term ownership proposition.

Let’s give a shout out to Melanie 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Nice to hear a small UK based company going strong. Sounds like a great place to work, the satisfaction of seeing a job through to completion and being able to see what you've spent all your time on... Even in farming it's satisfying to see a field ploughed/mown/topped/etc, looking back at it as you close the gate, thinking "yep, a job well done there".

So good to hear Sugden getting attention. I've had an A21a for a couple of years and it's a beautiful piece of kit. I rarely need to set the volume above ten o'clock and it sounds great. I got hold of the matching CD player, which they no longer produce and it is a wonderful combination.

Another excellent review. I can honestly say Taran, I find your descriptions genuinely relatable, not the usual hiperbole of most reviews. Keep up the good work, Terry from Oz.

Yet an another amazingly accurate and technical review. Thank you for your A and AB description. Thank you as well for your time and effort sharing this info.

Happy new year, Tarun! Good to know that Sugden are still independent and building to a standard rather than a price point.

Another great review, thanks! I’ve always been fond of this amp for years and hope to hear it one day.

Now that brought back some memories from the very early 1970s when I was first learning about hi-fi! A friend purchased a Sugden A21 when the trend was to higher power amps such as Phase Linear and Crown. For me it was a revelation and have always pursued the _quality_ of sound ever since rather than volume. I’m also a fan of near field listening at sensible SPLs. Thanks again Tarun from the bottom of the planet :-)

I am really glad that you did this particular review and comparison. One of my all-time favourite listening experiences was a CAL Alpha DAC feeding an early vintage Sugden A21a, playing into a pair of Meadowlark Audio Kestrels. The only reason that I did not buy the amp then is that I felt that it was lacking a little oomph in the bass. Now, about 20 years later, I regret the decision - and own a Hegel H80. And now I want to find one of those A21a's and play it side-by-side with the Hegel. Cheers from Montreal.

As usual a very excellent illustration of a technical issue. You do a great job and each video is a little better than the previous one. Thank you and happy New Year.

What a great breakdown on a review! I agree a class A amp sounds romantic and when when played at relaxing listening levels, it is hard-to-beat. The Hegels seems to have ventured into a different kind of audience and it’s working out really well for them.

I can only confirm that Sugden is extremely well built and lasts forever!! I still have an A28 Mk2 that I bought in 1989 with Rogers LS3/5A speakers and it is still as good as 32 years ago! It is only 20 Watts class A, but blows you away. Great stuff

The British audiophile is such a class act. I really enjoy the information you give and doesn't sound scripted either like some other chans. Happy new year !!

Reviews of small and relatively unknown manufacturers are very welcome! Thanks

As always another fine review/comparison Tarun ,within few minutes I understand both these amplifiers so well & the importance of equipment pairing ....

The Sugden was on my list but I couldn't find much information on it. So your review will be very helpfully for others in the market for a better amp. Great to see you are now over 25k subs.

Tarun, you have the deep knowledge and skill to explain very well the complexity of the technology involved in HiFi equipments related to the listening experience. Many thanks again and have an Happy New Year.

All the best of 2021 to you and yours Tarun. It's nice to see the manufacturers and distributors starting to give you the recognition you deserve. It looks like 2021 will be a busy year for A British Audiophile. I recently picked up a pair of Schiit Aegir class A monoblocks. A small American company with another variation of class A design, attempting to maximize the benefits and minimize the shortcomings of class A. I'm using the Aegirs with a pair of Tannoy floorstanders, and I must say that they sound glorious in the midrange. See you soon mate.

Another fantastic review where you have a clear idea of how the reviewed item should sound

Hi Tarun, happy new year. Another very interesting video and I am looking forward to your other new videos!

Happy New Year Taran. Another great review, concise and too the point. I now have a good idea what the Sugden sounds like, so much so, I'd love to hear it in own system. Maybe someday. Your clear explanations are worth so much more than someone on the Tube playing music and gushing about the qualities we can only imagine.

As a university lecturer who has had to get to grips with online delivery, I really appreciate how clear and informative your videos are and how much preparation must have gone into them. Good work!

Happy New Year!! Superb! Superb review and a huge thank you for giving Sugden e credit and justice they deserve!! Back in the days it (A21a) was one of the best sounding amp at that price point, would certainly have bought one if I didn’t own power/current hungry Dynaudio Contour 1.3mk2, and couldn’t afford their beefier masterclass.

Good Job on the review. Being from the middle of nowhere in the States. I never heard of Sugden but you gave such wonderful detail on the its pros and cons, it is on my bucket list to audition one. Be well.

I ended my audiophile journey with Sugden, they stuck with me now for 8 yrs. Love the warm sound of class A. Have the LA4 and SPA4 still current models!

Happy New Year Taran! Wishing you a year of reviews, with audio gems and audio surprises. Hope you have enough space for gear! I see a lot coming your way for 2021.

Ahh yes , wilkinsons Hi fi. I've been a customer of theirs for years now . I remember when they got these sugden amps in . Ive not heard them but look very nice and well built . Good review as always 👍

VG review once again. I've long admired the look of the Sugden gear and I've had a Plinius class A power amp putting out 125watts, which got hot enough to fry an egg. It was also a beast weighing 38kg! Now all gone replaced with a Leben valve integrated pumping out a massive 15watts! Plenty for my close listening (3m) and small room.

Loving your reviews, calm and informative.

Happy new year. That is a nice review, not only how it sounds but also how it is to live with it. And I agree, these Sugden amplifiers are beautifully build by the look of it on the internals. If I owned one, I would almost fancy a plexiglass cover on it.

Cheers Taran and a Happy New Year. I am a Sugden believer. Years back I tested the PMC GB1i with the Masterclass IA4 and it was the best much ever.

I had the A21 SE for a while. Beautiful smooth sounding amp. Quality British Hifi.

I’ve had my a21sig for a few years now. Best amp I’ve owned. Yes as you said not the loudest but with right speakers you can rock out the same as the Hegel. I pair mine with some klipsch heresy 3s and easily get 95db out of them. Paired the class A output of the chord qutest magical sound tbh certainly be here for a very long time.

Since 3 years' time I enjoy listening to my stereo set based upon Sugden A21 Signature. And I am convinced that it will stay with me for good.

Nothing can replace the musicality of Class A. Once you've tasted it, it's hard to go back. Sugden is a pioneer, it is one of the few manufacturers to offer real pure Class A quality, with incomparable sound, at an affordable price, when others tell you that only the first watts are in Class A. Listen to a Sugden is adopting it, for life.

Class A electric heaters have always been my favorite way to keep warm in the winter ❄️❄️

Happy New Year! Looks like some great content to look forward to.

Great review. I think the some of the last points were some of the most pertinent. Matched correctly with sympathetic speakers these amplifiers are truly legacy products. Very few manufacturers can claim the history Sugden have. The fact they are all handmade in the UK I think makes them something of a bargain. Whilst the Hegel may be designed in Norway the amps are made in China with all the cost savings that provides.

Enjoy your reviews Tarun. As a Canadian Hegel dealer, I can tell you that much of the criticism you have of the H160 was resolved with the H190. It's a considerable improvement. We're also an Acoustic Energy dealer and thanks for your insightful review of the AE1. Keep up the good work.

Excellent review. I like the way you explain the differences.

I still have my Sugden A48 Mk 2 bought in 1981. It's still a wonderful sounding amp and it's still going strong.

Great to see you again, looking forward to your review of the Buchardts.

Happy new year Tarun, informative and detail review as usual, your a class act.

Hello Tarun, this review is one of the reasons I bought the Sugden A21SE recently. And it brings me everything I hoped it would. After owned four or five previous amplifiers I can say: this is my last one. The balance and soothing while listening Magnus Ringblom Quartet - The Gotland Session is breathtaking. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction. Best regards, Jos

Happy new year Tarun. I am glad I can go back spending my lunch break watching you channel.

Extremely thorough & balanced review, Happy New Year Tarun

Welcome back and happy new year, Tarun - back earlier than I expected, but I'm not complaining!

A great insightful review Taran........ Good to hear such a knowledgeable reviewer.... No B S..... Enjoyed it immensely.... Cheers and look forward to another video.....

Happy New Year. I'm a little excited by the line up :)

Happy NY Tarun. Well done on the year and look forward to the reviews ahead

A good review, happy New year to the British Audiophile.

Tarun...Happy New Year first of all! With this very beautiful review You gave us all a touch of enjoyment at the very start of the Year 2021...and in the same time most likely for all of us very wellcomed additional New Year's present. Thank You !

I don’t need a new amplifier, but if I did I would not hesitate at buying the Sugden, I absolutely love the idea that is built in Britain and you get a name tag of the person that put it together, how fantastic is that !!

Thanks for a fair and honest review. I have been a fan of Sugden since they were at Cleckheaton and I went with a friend to discuss buying one and was shown round by the great Jim. I have an ancient A21a and an equally old Audition Amp which have given no trouble for 30+ years. I find that they match well with my Naim Allae speakers whose fairly high efficiency and rather cool analytical sound match the amp well - probably with Naim amplification they might not please everyone. I would suggest that if buying the Sugden you would pay much attention to speaker efficiency so as to get the full benefit of the lowish power- even better get a pair of Masterclass power amps and a control (a lottery win might help).

A very nice review with excellent technical explanations.

Good review Tarun, I’ve only had my Sugden A21se for a week and I love it, it’s tied to a pair of KEF R3’s and the results are very musical.

A great review. I forgot about Sugden. anyone got one of the headphone amps. back in the day there were superb and probably still are.

Have used sugden class A amps over the last thirty years on and off amongst other UK class A amps, excellent brand and equipment highly recommended.

Another fine review Tarun! Still dreaming of the Hegel when I can save enough money. The thing that would put me off the sugden is the heat output, the wife is bound to complain especially in the summer

Happy New year and a great review.

Happy new year Tarun from Washington DC !!! Great review to start the new year.

Solid review. This amp was on my shortlist but ultimately I decided it was time to go tubular.

Great review. Balanced, intelligent and practical advice about balancing amp strengths and weakness with speakers .

Thank you Tarun, a very interesting review, as always. It would be really interesting to hear you review the Advance Acoustics / Paris BX-1 power amplifier that has the capability of switching between class A and AB topologies. And does this at very reasonably price point, and with great quality judging from the rather scarce reviews of it to be found online (none in English).

Good review Tarun. Did consider this amp at one time but went with Exposure pre/power combination instead. Look forward to further reviews this year............Cheers.

Excellent! Thought I would never see a KZfaq Sugden review. I’ve been interested in Sugden for years .

Hi tarun, I took your advice and bought klipsh rp600m speakers for my 30 w tube amp icon audio and am more than pleased with the higher sensitivity speaker , I was surprised at the bass when reviews said it lacked , and clarity and vocals are more than I expected , not harsh or bright at all , happy New year , ps I use my amp as a radiator 😁

I'm very familiar with class A, having owned a Sugden A21 I bought in 1972 (£56), great amplifier. I'm fully aware of the difference between class A, class B and class AB - I think your explanation with the ball was a superb way of giving people an idea of the main difference.

Your reviews are always really good.

Tarun, EXCELLENT inspired illustration of crossover distortion with the ball! Nice description too of the sound when combined with different speakers. If people haven't had the opportunity to compare like you did here, I think often it's hard to imagine what these effects can be. I appreciate your reviewing a Sugden: they've been making desirable amplifiers for as long as I've been into hifi (50 years). All the best for 2021, Rob

Had a legendary A48 for many years...wonderful sound.

Beautifully presented review. It would be interesting to see how this compares with its bigger brother, the A21 SE.

Interesting review, I am a happy owner of a Sudden A21 Signature and can confirm that the sound is excellent and that 23W are more than needed. To confirm this, I never cranked the volume over 12h or 1h at the max. I am pairing it with a pair of ProACs SM100 and they sound amazing with the Sugden. Very firm and muscular bass, lively midrange and refined highs. I also use the built-in phono stage and can confirm it plays well with a Rega P3 with an Ortofon 2M black. Probably not as well as with a separate pre-phono, but still very silent and detailed. I have been using the A21 for one year and would never exchange it for a similar priced amp! Limited power and heat are not a problem at all! Only one comment on the limitations of the amp.... the power is 23w at 8 ohm, but goes down to 15w at 4 ohms. For this reason, I would recommend careful pairing with speakers that are either 8 ohms rated or that do not drop lower than 4 ohms.

I have been rather late in catching this report but I must say it is excellent. You describe the differences very well (in that it parallels my own experience ;)).

Happy new year Tarun and all... Sugden with ProAc... Long been a combination I've appreciated.

Great review of a brand that I have followed since the late 1970s.i hope you will get round to reviewing the new Copland CSA 100 integrated amplifier. It will be very interesting to see what you make of it.Your reviews are a delight to listen to.Happy new year to you.

Hell yes! 2021. The year Taran doesn’t hold back.

Great review. As a Sugden owner (A48B) which is over 25yrs old, I can vouch for their quality, reliability & musicality. If you get a chance try and review their AV50 amplifier, I’ve not listened to it myself but from what I’ve read this has more power than A21 Signature. Sugden also provide a service for any amplifier and can repair most amplifiers from the 1960’s onwards. So if you want to give your Sugden some TLC, fill out the form on their website and send it to them once they’ve got in touch. You can also have your Sugden products in a range of colours, just decide which finish before purchase. Sugden, a great Yorkshire company.

What a start to the new year, than you THARUN.

Happy New Year Tarun. Really enjoyable and informative review. Many thanks

Really enjoyed this! Can't wait for your thoughts on the H95. Thank you!

Happy New Year Tarun. And thanks for another interesting video. Must confess I'd never heard of Sugden. And hand made in the UK! Btw my class A monoblocks are on their way from a company in my home area. Looking forward as always to more videos from you. Cheers.

Finally I got the push-pull vs. full class A topology with your ball explanation. Thanks. And I actually own a Pass XA25!

ho finally someone reviwing sugden !!! thankyou

I own this amp and mainly listen to rock and I can't believe how loud a 23 watt amp can be. I have it matched with 99db Tekton Lore Floorstanders. The pair is a match made in heaven.

It is interesting how power works... i own a audiolab 6000A and recently bought some kef meta to go with it. I always felt the audiolab wasn't doing the kefs justice. I borrowed my dads sugden A-21a and used the audiolab as a pre amp and its made a world of difference. This is only a temporary set up but i am enjoying it.

Great review!! I hope you get also the chance to review the A21SE Signature and especially the ANV50, there is almost no review of this unit out there. Keep up the good work and happy new year!

Your 2021 lineup to come looks amazing and will generate quite a bit of interests, especially the Buchardt’s. I hope you will test the prima Luna product line at some point.

Happy new year Sir. Even if I have already pulled the trigger for the Buchardt A500, I am still curious to hear about your impressions. Thank you very much for your reviews and professional and clear comments.

Happy new year Tarun. I had just thought this, when you replied 🤣😏🤦🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🐉🐙🎱

The year starts on a good note!

Good job. Happy New Year.

Tarun,Happy New Year! A very good review. I've never had a chance to see or hear a Sugden - there has never been a dealer in my state. I do remember the old Musical Fidelity A-1, a fine sounding integrated amp/ hot plate. Back in the mid nineties I said to my friend Ralph (who owned the local High End audio store); "I'm very biased about amplifiers, I prefer pure class A!" I bought a Forte 4a from him back in 1994 and It's still my favorite amp. It was based on a Nelson Pass DIY design and he hired Michael Bladelius to do a redesign and it was actually better sounding than some of the Threshold amps at the time. It had body in the mid bass and midrange and loads of current, it also had the smoothest top end of any of the amps that I have owned.

One of the very few KZfaq reviewers that I trust. This is an excellent review Tarun

Happy new year. Im waiting to take delivery of the Hegel H390..

Sugden A21 Signature + Dynaudio Sp40 wonderful sound!

Happy New year Tarun , good to see ur first video of 2021

Xmas came early for you Sir! Happy New Year by the way.

love your reviews. great job. thank you