Hagerman Audio Labs “The Violin” Phonostage

22. October 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: , ,

Hagerman Audio Labs is a small manufacturer based in Honolulu and has recently announced the introduction of the valve phonostage, The Violin.

Offering both Moving Magnet and Moving Coil stages The Violin allows for fine tuning of gain, eq, polarity and operates in Class A with no feedback.

The front-end MC gain uses low-noise matched JFETs to boost up to MM levels, where the vacuum tubes take over providing all gain, equalization and output buffering.

Specifications
– Gain: 44dB (MM) / 54dB, 60dB, 63dB, 65dB (MC)
– Input Impedance: 50k (MM) / 955, 305, 170, 122, 84, 70, 59, 52 (MC)
– Output Impedance: 600 ohms
– RIAA Response: +/-0.5dB from 20Hz to 20kHz
– Bandwidth: 6Hz to 500kHz
– Distortion: <0.5% @1kHz
– Noise: 82dBA (MM) / 74dBA (MC)
– Size: 17″ x 8″ x 6.5″
– Weight: 12 lbs.
– Power: 120Vac/240Vac 35W
– Tube Compliment: 12AX7 x 2, 12AU7 x 2, 5AR4 x 1

 

Visit to KR AUDIO by Huw Brandt

26. September 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Factory Visits, Industry Insider · Tags:

Huw Brandt, out man from Uppsala takes a visit to Prague and the old TESLA factory in which KR Audio, the manufacturers of the Kronzilla amplifier and tubes now find themselves housed.

On the outskirts of Prague lay the remains of the giant electronic producer TESLA. Enormous old factory buildings that once housed the production of tubes in all shapes and forms. Today KR AUDIO is housed partly in these facilities and since then been producing high quality audio tubes. More »

DARED EF-99 Headphone Amplifer and USB DAC

14. September 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: D to A Converters, Headphones · Tags: , , , ,

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Audio Power Labs 50TNT Monobloc Amplifier

11. September 2012 · 1 comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: , ,

The 50 Watt RMS, 50TNT monoblock amplifier is Ohio based Audio Power Lab’s latest product and was officially launched at the Capital Audiofest earlier in the summer. The company say the amplifier is the “ultimate marriage of astounding audio transparency and sophisticated physical design” and is hand-built by the company in Ohio .

The amplifier has taken over three years of work by a team of engineers and designers and the 50TNT is the newest addition to the company’s family of push-pull amplifiers utilizing directly heated triode output tubes, transformer coupling, zero negative feedback and pure Class A operation.

The amplifier features a tube complement of 2x572B, 2×5881, 2x12BH7 running in push pull configuration and weighs in at an impressive 27Kg.

 

 

 

Lampizator GM70 Monobloc Tube Amplifiers

11. September 2012 · 1 comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: , ,

Lampizator, the famed Polish manufacturer owned by the maverick genius Lucasz Fikus, has announced that they are to introduce a new monobloc tube amplifier for the European market only. The company are aiming the GM70s at people who would normally buy a stereo 300B amp, but with 30 WPC instead of 8 supplied by the impressive looking GM 70 triode valve.

The amplifiers are single ended from input to output and operate in pure class A mode with zero feedback. There are no solid state parts in audio circuits and the power supplies are unregulated and over-specified for the task. The GM70s boast a  separate transformer for each task with a total of three per side. Signal paths have been kept to an absolute minimum with just 2 inches of silver wire from RCA to pot, 2 inches of silver wire from pot to first tube, one inch to second tube and a hop across one capacitor to main tube without additional wiring.

Specification:

Dimensions WHD : 450 x 140 (250) x 600 mm

Weight: net 30 kg per each mono

Power: 30 WPC single ended class A

Power Tube: GM70 triode graphite version

Driver: doubled 6N6P

Input tube 6N1P

Input impedance: 47 K

Output impedance (speakers recommended) 8 Ohm

Volume: Stepped input potentiometer ALPS

Power transformers total capacity: 700 VA

Rectification: two separate tube rectifiers for HV

Inputs: One single ended RCA

Price 4000€ per pair plus 23% VAT with a special edition available for 5500€ plus 23% VAT

 

 

Decware Zen Torii Monoblocs

10. September 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: , ,

After having a long lasting and unhealthy lusting for Decware amplifiers, news that the American company was to produce a flagship pair of KT88 mono amps caused a flutter of excitement at Hifi Pig headquarters.

The Zen Torii monoblocs are designed to be your final amplifier purchase and are made to order by the company, so expect a substantial waiting time, but they do come with a lifetime warranty.

  • 60 watt class-A monoblocks.
  • 2 Transformer Balanced XLR Inputs – selectable.
  • 1 Single-ended RCA input.
  • Input level control.
  • Ultra cool bias adjustment – no tools required and can be done on-the-fly.
  • Large Simpson Meters – let you maintain perfect tube matching without effort.
  • Exotic parts – cost no object design.
  • KT88 Ultra-linear output stage.

Price is around $5500

 

Icon Audio Stereo 60P MKIIIm

29. August 2012 · 3 comments · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: , , ,

Not everyone needs an integrated amplifier and not everyone has the room for monoblocks. The ST60P from Icon Audio is the company’s first stereo power amplifier and has no selector, no volume control and the input socket is directly connected to the grid of the first valve.

It has a big power supply, big output transformers, and uses the new KT120 valve.
The new KT120 has 50% more power than the KT88 tube.

The Ultra Linear/Triode switch on the amp allows switching from 80 watts to 40 watts of triode sound.

A built in bias meter simplifies keeping biasing.

Specifications and Features

Built in “Easy Bias” Meter
Hand wired point to point
Class A, Triode front end
Output circuit Ultralinear or Triode switchable
4x KT120
KT88/6550 compatible
2x 6SL7 first stage valves
2x 6SN7 output driver valves
Valve Voltage regulator
Valve warm up, protection circuit
80w RMS* per ch Ultralinear 8Ω KT120
65w RMS* per ch Ultralinear 8Ω KT88
35w RMS* per ch Triode mode 8Ω KT120
Typical gain 70 (High) 20 (Low sensitivity)
Signal to noise level better than -97db
One line level inputs
Tape monitor circuit
44W, 40D, 23H, 35kg

 

Bob Carver VTA20S

20. June 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: , ,

Bob Carver have launched the VTA20S and will ship in July at a cost of $2100. The new stereo amplifier is  rated at 20 WRMS in 2 channel stereo mode or 40 WRMS when used in single channel mono mode. The amplifier features auto biasing and low idle current greatly increasing EL84M output tube life.

Bob Carver hand-build their amplifiers in the US using point to point wiring and with no circuit board traces, no surface mount components and no depluggable connecters.

“The VTA20S represents Bob’s latest and greatest thinking on vacuum tube amplifier designs. ” says Bob Farinelli. A screen voltage regulator and DC restoration circuit minimizes crossover distortion and output tube power dissipation. “The 1.5 ohm output impedance coupled with current and voltage feedback loops also allows the amplifier to listen to the room via acoustic feedback from the speakers”. “The room to speaker to amplifier interaction delivers a huge acoustic space and allows us to believe the performance could have existed in another time and in another place. It sounds so beautiful!” Says Bob Carver.

Specifications:

  • Input Impedance: 20K ohms in stereo, 125K ohms in mono
  • Nominal Voltage Gain: 26dB (into 8 ohms)
  • Input Tubes: 12AX7B
  • Output Tubes: 1 complementary pair of EL84Ms per channel
  • Rated Power (Stereo): 20 Watts
  • Rated Power (Mono): 40 Watts
  • Speaker Impedance: 4 to 16 ohms
  • Noise: Better than 96dB A weighted ref. into 20 watts
  • Frequency Response: 8 Hz to 40 kHz (-3dB)
  • Full Power Bandwidth: 26Hz to 43 kHz without filters
  • Distortion: Less than 0.5%
  • Hum: -100dB
  • Generator Source Impedance: 1.5 Ohms
  • Weight: 17 pounds

Solaja Audio Sedra One, Two and Three

12. June 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: , , ,

Solaja Audio is a Serbian Hifi manufacturer of valve based amplifiers and preamplifiers and owned by designer Dragan Solaja.

The company have recently introduced a range of three products under the Sedra name and called the Sedra One, The Sedra Two and you guessed it The Sedra Three.

The Sedra One is a single ended headphone amplifier with one input and a passive volume control. A 6N2P feeds a single EL84 per channel and delivers 0.5W per channel in triode mode without negative feedback. It’s available in 115 and 230v versions on request and will cost.

The Sedra Two is an integrated amplifier with three RCA inputs and a 62NP double triode valve feeding a single EL84 per channel and delivering 1.5W per channel. With its tiny output the Sedra Two will be of interest to flea power aficionados.

Finally the Sedra Three (Pictured) is the line preamplifier in the series and offers 3 inputs and 2 outputs. Input is a 6N6P and the rectifier is an EZ81.

Each unit is 300€ plus shipping and we have contacted Soloja with regards review items.

 

Coffman Labs G1-A

31. May 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: ,

The Coffman Labs G1-A is a limited production amplifier that has taken three years to come to fruition, indeed it is the only product in the company’s arsenal. Featuring rare and custom parts the G1-A been designed in Portland, Oregon as something that will last for decades with proper care. It is a line stage, phono preamplifier and a headphone amplifier.

In part the G1-A  has been inspired by an RCA amplifier around a century old. As with the RCA amplifier the G1-A is said to contain  “nothing that could degrade easily over time”.  All internal wiring is point-to-point and is hand done, though apart from the input and output wire runs are non-existent due to the 3D topology of the layout.  All of the components are claimed to be “over-sized for voltage” and all switches are “military aircraft quality and rated for millions of operations.”

The Coffman Labs preamplifier is available in 120 or 24 volt versions, has a separate power supply and has a tube compliment of 2 x 12AX7 for RIAA, 2 x 12AU7 for phono boost, 2 x 5687 in the line output and a single 5ARE.

The Coffman Labs G1-A is being sold in the US exclusively through Echo Audio from June 2012 at a cost of 5500$

Zesto Audio Leto Preamplifier.

25. May 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: , ,

Making its world premier at T.H.E Show Newport Beach is the Leto preamplifier from Zesto Audio. Zesto is a US based company headed up by George Counnas who worked for DECCA Navigator in the UK.

Zesto introduced their first product, the Andros PS1 phonostage, back in 2011 and it received a good deal of attention and glowing reviews.

The Leto claims the same “bloodline” as the Andros and promises to be “warm, musical and very quiet”. The basic philosophy of George has been to focus on only the important components of the Leto and to add nothing that could compromise the signal path. To this end the only active components in the Leto preamplifier are the valves themselves (Valves used are 2 gold pin 12AX7 and 2 gold pin 12AU7).

Using true floating transformer balanced inputs and outputs the Leto promises a lower overall noise and isolation from other equipment in the set up. The Leto has 3 sets of single ended inputs and 2 sets of true balanced transformer inputs, 2 sets of balanced outputs and 2 single ended outputs.

The Leto is hand-built in the US and has a retail price of $7500.

Radford Revival STA15 Meets the Original Radford STA15

07. May 2012 · 1 comment · Categories: Amplifiers · Tags: , , ,

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Ming Da MC-Phono 2006 Phonostage

26. April 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Phono Stages · Tags: , ,

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Purity Basis mk2 Linestage Announced

25. April 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: ,

Purity Audio Design have announced the release of the Basis mk2 vacuum tube linestage. The Basis mk2 utilizes a Class ‘A’, zero feedback circuit based around a single 6SN7 dual triode per channel with a lower output impedance to allow better integration with a larger variety of amplifiers.

The Basis mk2 is said to “bring to the table a better sense of refinement over the original design with better resolution, transparency and detail retrieval. The larger power supply means dynamic impact remains intact during even the most demanding passages.”

Purity Audio Design also offers additional upgrade options for the Basis mk2 including a choke filtered, polypropylene power supply, signal capacitor upgrade and remote volume.

The Basis mk2 has a starting price of $2,500 US. A limited time introductory price is also being offered.

Unison Research Simply Italy

11. April 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: , ,

Unison Research has launched its latest integrated amplifier – Simply Italy – to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Italy’s unification as a nation.

This compact, 5 input, line level integrated clearly draws its inspiration from the Simply Two amplifier.

Unison have created a newly redesigned version of the Simply Two that shares many of its characteristics and sonic attributes with the famous original, but with a more modern appearance. Simply Italy offers the same 12 watts per channel, but now features a 6-Ohm output impedance, increasing the amp’s flexibility for use with 4 and 8-Ohm loudspeakers.

Amplifying stages are all strictly valve-based and operate in pure Class-A mode.

The output stage for Simply Italy consists of just one EL34 in single-ended ultra-linear configuration and this mode of operation is made possible by a particular development of the output transformers, which in practice, allow the pentode EL34s to operate almost as if they were triodes. The preamp and driver stage of the power output is entrusted to ECC82 twin triodes.

Unison Research’s design department has created an interestingly designed amplifier that harks back to the original Simply Two, yet incorporates “significant aesthetic improvements”.

The wood parts of the Simply Italy are said to be important for the aesthetic design but also play an important role in damping chassis resonance and “assist the delicate electronic parts, valves etc, to perform at their best.”

The Simply Italy boasts an ALPS motorized pot, infra-red remote handset and gold-plated speaker terminals. It is available in black and stainless steel with cherry detail inserts, or cherry with black inserts.

Cost is a pound short of £1500.

Red Wine Audio Liliana Battery Powered Monoblocs

23. March 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: , ,

Red Wine Audio, manufacturer of battery-powered purist hi-fi products, has announced their first battery-powered high output amplifier which has been designed to drive even the most demanding speakers with ease.

Red Wine have received past accolades from reviewers and customers alike for their battery powered and somewhat minimalist designs but the praise often comes with a caveat – the moderate output of their amplifiers has not been ideal in driving inefficient loudspeakers or driving conventional loudspeakers to high volumes in large rooms.

Output from the Liliana is rated at 115wpc RMS into 8-ohms (230wpc RMS into 4-ohms)

“My goal in designing Liliana was to take full advantage of our premium LiFePO4 battery technology,” says Vinnie Rossi, President of Red Wine Audio. Adding, “With 8 FETs implemented in the Class AB output stage, Liliana allows for some serious “dc-direct” current delivery.” More »

Western Electric 300B Replicas

13. March 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: , , ,

Western Electric and the Western Electric WE300B valve has long been the holy grail for aficionados of that particular flavour of tube, but rarity has made them all but impossible to buy and prices are astronomical.

All that searching and saving could now be at an end…sort of as Chinese tube manufacturer Psvane Audio has stepped up to make a 1:1 replica of the original WE300B.

According to Psvane Audio, “the Psvane WE300B Replica is: “100% 1:1 replica of WE300B, including materials, structure, internal and external size – up to the detail of a tiny screw used”.

The Western Electric 300B replicas will be sold in pairs, are delivered in a beautiful presentation box and likely to be expensive  – 1000$ a pair in the US.

 

Radford STA15 and STA25 Amplifiers Revived

08. March 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: , ,

Hifi Pig has snoofled out some very interesting news for valve amplifier fans and enthusiasts of the iconic Radford STA15 and STA25 valve hi fi amplifiers.

UK based Radford Revival have announced the limited edition reissue of Radfords classic series 3 hifi amplifiers. The father and son team of Steve and William Moores hand-build these beautiful amplifiers to order and make them from the original, and hand drafted 1964 blueprints and the original hand-written transformer winding specifications.

Steve has a long history with Radford and has perhaps the largest collection of Radford amplifiers and transformers in the world.

The new transformers on the reissued amplifiers are superior to the originals in several respects. They are machine wound to modern safety and insulation standards. Superior termination is provided by tags embedded in the plastic bobbin, which are much stronger than the original tags, which were glued to the outer insulation of the winding and had a tendency to fall off.

Metal components and casework in the amplifiers are also reproduced from original blueprints (meticulously scanned and converted into metric) and the company used happens to be the very same company contracted by Radford in the 80s to product the metalwork for the Mk4 STA25.

I’m sure you will agree with HiFi Pig that these valve hi fi amplifiers are truly things of beauty and we wish the company every success for the future. We hope to have a review of the amplifiers in the very near future.

The STA15 is £2750 and the STA25 is £2800 which Hifi Pig thinks is a very reasonable sum for such a well crafted piece of engineering.

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