Full Balanced Class A Headphone Amplifier
With MOS-FET high current output, PRELUDE's fully discrete architecture features a precise, single-ended balance conversion circuit that renders the single-ended RCA input balanced fully balanced.
The input stage employs a fully balanced amplifier architecture, with precise, single-ended/balanced conversion. The pre-amplifier circuit is independent, adopting a class A output structure, with excellent power and natural timbre.
ALPS Potentiometer
The potentiometer ensures complete and accurate channel balance.
Clean Power
A customized high-power, low-noise toroidal transformer, with multi-channel high-speed low-noise voltage regulator circuit, supplies power for the headphone amplifier and a fully balanced headphone protection circuit.
Aluminum Chassis
The housing is manufactured from a single piece of aluminum which helps isolate harmful resonance that negatively affects sonic output.
I wanted something fully class A, before getting this I auditioned the Dx-9 Topping all in one and while good it still suffers from the inability to maintain notes after the initial hit, the mids also came up to much. The Prelude on the other hand can maintain notes appropriately with ease especially when paired with a dac that has good bass slam and 5v to the xlr outputs. This amp will be with me for quite sometime as I use it for movies-game’s-and music, it does all that i ask adequately. This will be paired with Mh tungsten in the future as my reference point. If you have the means don’t hesitate to try this product.
I purchased this specifically to drive my Hifiman Susvaras. It is a beast when it comes to power. Even on low gain, it drives the Susvara's effortlessly. The big surprise was its abilities as a preamp. I tend toward analytical sound and equipment that produces it and I found this to be a good non-tube option for bringing in some warmth. I also used this to drive the RAAL interface box for RAAL Requisite SR1a and it works beautifully. At $2.5k it is a true bargain for me. It's winter so the heat generated is not an issue but if heat generation is an issue then look elsewhere.