Advance Paris X-A160EVO Stereo Power Amplifier

A Class A Switch on the Back Panel

Most amplifiers make you choose between Class A warmth and Class AB efficiency when you buy. The X-A160EVO puts the choice on a switch. Advance Paris calls it High Bias, and it sits on the rear panel where you can reach it.

Leave it off and the amplifier runs its first 5 watts in Class A before handing over to Class B. Switch it on and Class A extends to the first 10 watts. Most listening at home happens inside those first few watts, so the switch changes the character of nearly everything you play.

Power underneath is 160 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 240 into 4, from a 700VA toroidal transformer. The output transistors are the NJW0281G and NJW0302G pair Advance Paris uses in its MAA 1000 monoblocks.

French Design, Twin VU Meters

Advance Paris has been building in France since 1995, and the X-A160EVO looks the part. Two large VU meters with orange pointers sit behind purplish-blue illumination, and a rear-panel switch dims them or turns them off entirely when you would rather not be watched back.

The chassis is compartmentalised, which keeps the power supply's field away from the signal circuits rather than letting the two share one open box. Inputs are balanced XLR or unbalanced RCA, selectable on the rear panel, at 38k ohms and 20k ohms respectively.

On the bench, response runs 10Hz to 80kHz, distortion stays under 0.07%, signal-to-noise exceeds 120dB and channel separation better than 80dB. It measures 440 by 160 by 430mm and weighs 19kg, drawing up to 500 watts at full tilt.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Yongki Go reviewed the X-A160 EVO for Home Theater HiFi on August 11, 2025, paired with the matching X-P700 preamplifier. The combination, he concluded, "offers a compelling blend of features, performance, and aesthetics, representing a strong value proposition in the high-fidelity audio market."

He also documented what the High Bias switch actually does: with it off, the amplifier is "operating in Class A for the first 5 Watts before switching to Class B at higher wattage," and switching it on "enables Class A operation for higher initial Watts (10 W)."

Who Is This Amplifier Best For?

• You want Class A without the heat bill — the High Bias switch buys you Class A across the first 10 watts, which is where most home listening lives, and hands off to Class B when the music actually demands it.
• You like a component you can watch — two large VU meters track the music, and a rear switch dims or kills the illumination when you would rather listen in the dark.
• Your speakers are a normal load — 160 watts into 8 ohms and 240 into 4 drives the great majority of domestic speakers comfortably, which is where the money is better spent than on headroom you never use.
• Your preamp is balanced — selectable XLR and RCA inputs at 38k and 20k ohms mean a long balanced run from the preamplifier arrives without picking up hum along the way.
• You want separates — volume and input switching live in the preamp or streamer/DAC ahead of it. X-P700 is the natural partner

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run your preamplifier into the XLR or RCA inputs and select which one on the rear panel. Speakers connect to the binding posts. Decide whether you want High Bias on before you settle in, since the switch lives at the back rather than on the front.

Set the meter illumination to taste, and give the amplifier room to breathe. It can draw up to 500 watts from the wall when the music asks for it, and the compartmentalised chassis runs warm rather than hot.

Pairs Well With

Building around the X-A160EVO? Here are some great companions:

• Preamplifier: Required, and Advance Paris builds the matching X-P700 — see our Preamplifiers.
• Speaker Cables: Carry 240 watts into 4 ohms properly — see our Speaker Cables.
• Interconnects: Balanced XLR is the better run from preamp to amp — see our Interconnect Cables.
• Audio Rack: Nineteen kilos of French amplifier deserves a shelf — see our Audio Racks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much power does it make?

160 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 240 watts per channel into 4 ohms.

What does the High Bias switch do?

It extends Class A operation. Off, the amplifier runs Class A for the first 5 watts; on, it runs Class A for the first 10 watts before switching to Class B.

Does it take balanced inputs?

Yes. Balanced XLR at 38k ohms and unbalanced RCA at 20k ohms, selectable on the rear panel.

Can I turn the VU meters off?

Yes. A rear-panel switch dims the illumination or turns it off completely.

What are the bench figures?

Frequency response of 10Hz to 80kHz, distortion below 0.07%, signal-to-noise better than 120dB and channel separation better than 80dB.

How big is it?

440mm wide, 160mm high and 430mm deep, weighing 19kg. It draws up to 500 watts at maximum output.

See It in Action

Old Guy Hifi runs the X-A160 EVO alongside the matching X-P700 preamplifier:

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