What Hi Fi Sound and Vision
29 NOV 2009
Leema Antilla II
This revised Antila remains a top-class player for the money, and a fine partner for the Award-winning Tucan II amplifier
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We doubt there are many people outside of Leema that could identify this player as a new generation of the Antila. The casework is unchanged, and is none the worse for that bearing in mind its sturdy build and smart finish.
The front panel gives no clue of an update, either, missing out any hint of the player’s Mk II nature. It’s only on the inside things have changed, though the main building blocks of transport and DACs remain the same. Instead, Leema has chosen the evolutionary approach, improving component quality and refining circuit layouts.
The Antila’s technical highlight remains its digital-to-analogue circuitry, which uses multiple DACs – no less than 20, in fact – to maximise resolution and minimise noise.
The Antila’s sonic character remains as likeable as ever. It avoids the lean, analytical approach of some rivals (we’re looking at you, Cyrus) and delivers something a little more easygoing: a sound that’s more relaxing without actually sounding relaxed. This is a neat trick that few manufacturers manage.
Effortlessly gifted
With difficult pieces of music such as Holst’s Mars, the Leema never sounds confused, or
even like it’s having to work particularly hard, and that makes the music far easier to understand and enjoy.
At this kind of price level, top-class resolution and strong dynamics are expected, and the Antila II is happy to deliver on both counts. There’s no shortage of skill to the way large-scale dynamics build, and nuances are treated with all the finesse they deserve.
A lovely, lively midrange tops it all off, making this CD player something of a star with closely recorded vocals from the likes of Nina Simone.
You can add to the list of plus points, good timing and a nicely judged treble that has just the right combination of bite and refinement to satisfy.
Only minor flaws
Any flaws? Well, it’s possible to buy even greater precision and crisper timing for this kind of money – Cyrus, again – but in absolute terms this Leema player remains hard to fault in these particular areas, so we won’t stress the point.
Functionally, we’d like a less enthusiastic drawer: it’s far too abrupt in its actions, and so undermines the impression of luxury that the rest of this player oozes.
Other (minor) issues are a display that’s hard to read off-axis and a disappointingly cheap-feeling remote control. Having said that, the quality of handsets from most rivals is – disappointingly – no better, and at
least this simple remote is easy to use.
Leema is a tiny company. We continue to be impressed by how it manages to make CD players,amplifiers and speakers to such high standards. It’s something very few rivals can match, let alone better. Long may it continue.
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