Price: INR 65000.00 (Around 800$ US).
- High end vacuum tube headphone amplifier.
- Dedicated outputs for 32, 150, 300 and 600 ohm headphones.
- PCL82 tubes capable of 5w dissipation.
- Two class A modes- Single ended triode (SET) and single ended pentode (SEP).
- Fully hand crafted in India with point to point wiring.
Let your headphones take advantage of Anode Acoustics Tube Headphone Amplifier № 1. This amplifier is hand crafted for high end headphones between 32 to 600 ohm impedance.
PCL82/ECL82 Tubes:
Any tube amplifier requires two (or more) types of tubes for each channel. There are input tubes to amplify voltage, and output tubes that provide current for driving the load. PCL82 tubes are very unique in this regard as single PCL82 tube contains input and output sections both in a single glass envelope; therefore only one tube is required for each channel. The advantage is shorter signal path leading to lower noise pickup and ability to meet stricter tolerances. Not to mention these tubes are very musical and powerful. Customer has an option to choose between ECL82 and PCL82 at the time of ordering. These are same tubes but with different filament voltages and are NOT drop-in replacements. Sound and performance is however the same for both.
Each tube is handpicked, measured and matched in pairs before going into the amplifier. Recently we have acquired a batch of PCL 82 tubes made by Bharat Electronics Limited(BEL), Bangalore, India. These are essentially NOS Mullard tubes made in the 1970s as the plant and materials in BEL were installed by Philips. Normal life of these tubes is thousands of hours before replacement. PCL82 tubes are still available in the market and ECL82 tubes are currently in production by several companies worldwide. As an Anode Acoustics customer we can also provide you with replacement tubes for this amplifier during its lifecycle.
The general sound signature of this amplifier is highly transparent, resolving with great extension in the low and high frequencies. It has an open and airy presentation with just a touch of wetness in the sound.
Output Transformers:
Output transformer is one of the key components in a tube amplifier. Think of it as the gearbox in your car which translates engine power to wheels depending upon the speed or power requirement. Output transformer similarly translates high impedance, high voltage output from tubes to your headphones. It is therefore very important that the output transformer be of high quality. We have developed custom output transformers for this amplifier and we wind those ourselves at Anode Acoustics. These transformers have four impedance ranges of 32, 150, 300 and 600 ohms. A rotary switch on the amplifier can be used for switching load impedance as per the headphones.
Construction:
Each Headphone Amplifier № 1 is hand crafted for the customer. All components are carefully selected and measured before installation. Only high quality components like Wima/Vishay film capacitors, high quality TRS connectors, gold plated RCA inputs, Nichicon/Rubycon or similar electrolytic capacitors, metal film resistors, silver plated audio wiring etc. are used.
HP Amplifier № 1 is quite sturdy mechanically. Base is crafted from premium Indian Teak wood, stained and finished by hand. Plinth is made of 2mm laser cut steel for accuracy and then coated with a thick layer of polymer. Transformer covers are also polymer coated steel. This type of coating is quite rugged, finger print resistant and would last a lifetime.
Knobs, switches and input, output connectors are high quality as well.
Thick gauge oxygen free copper wiring is used throughout.
Single Ended Triode (SET) and Single Ended Pentode (SEP):
This amplifier is unique in the sense that you can select two working modes SET and SEP by just flicking a switch. Both modes have their unique presentation so you have the possibility of fine tuning the sound to your preference. Users find the SET mode more laidback, sweeter and easygoing on the other hand SEP mode is more powerful, dynamic and of course louder.
Tube Bias:
As other amplifiers from Anode Acoustics there is no after sales tuning or biasing required during its lifetime. The biasing scheme used is via constant current sources. Specially designed circuits are used for biasing the tubes and the amplifier automatically adjusts itself as per the installed tubes to give you best performance.
Features at a Glance:
Power Output: 1000mW per channel (SEP mode), 300mW per channel (SET mode)
Tube Complement: 2xPCL82/ECL82. Type of tube to be specified while ordering.
Freq Response: 20hz to 22khz. (+/- 3db)
Output Impedance: 32, 150, 300 and 600 ohm range.
Mains Voltage: 230V 50hz or 100/110V 50/60hz. IEC C13 female cord not provided.
Power consumption: 60watts.
Input: RCA
Output: 6.3mm TSR chassis mount connector.
Dimensions: 400x280x160mm (height).
Weight: 8 kg.
Reviews:
This amplifier is used in several countries and you may find many reviews on the internet and social media including facebook groups. Here is a link for your convenience:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/anode-acoustics-1-tube-headphone-amplifier.25681/
