New!  550K Power Amplifier boosts a lower-powered amplifier (50Wto 200W) to 550Wfor up to 10dB increase in dynamic range.

Introduction and design background

In the 1960s, the Golden Age of hi-fi, top-quality systems were capable of delivering musical dynamic range accurately.  High-sensitivity loudspeakers, coupled with high-quality tube amps, (e.g. McIntosh 275 Radford STA100) would comfortably deliver realistic peaks of 110dB or more.  What’s more, because the loudspeakers were very sensitive, the ‘slam’ and speed of the system were extraordinary.

Contrast that Golden Age with what we have today.  Most amplifiers are not significantly more powerful than the McIntosh 275, whilst the speakers are at least 10dB less sensitive than those from the golden age.  The result? Systems that might be less coloured, but are incapable of approaching a realistic dynamic range.  One thing is certain: compared with those of the Sixties, today’s systems are feeble second cousins to what hi-fi is supposed to be about.

In our opinion, hi-fi should offer a visceral, emotional thrill, it should not be the dull experience it is today.

The industry, as a whole, has promised endless improvements that prove to be costly to the customer but that do little or nothing.  Even after investing huge amounts of money, all most customers have achieved is a blinged-up music centre, not real hi-fi.  Is it any surprise that audiophiles have steadily turned off and gone somewhere else?

We have a solution to this malaise.

550K Power Amplifier

Roughly speaking, most systems are about 10dB deficient in their dynamic range capability.  Our magnificent new product, the 550K Power Amplifier, increases the dynamic range of most systems by about 10dB or more.

The 550K Power Amplifier uses the kW550 power amp circuit in a low gain configuration.  The 550K Power Amplifier is connected to the system just before the loudspeakers. All you have to do is disconnect the existing loudspeaker cable from the loudspeaker. Connect that cable to the Power Amplifier’s input. Connect the Power Amplifier’s output to the loudspeaker and connect the Power Amplifier to the mains.  Switch on and that’s it.

The 550K Power Amplifier In Use

The 550K’s circuitry is exactly the same as the kW550’s power amp circuit.  In other words ultra low distortion, super quality, great linearity and superlative tonal performance.  It will comfortably deliver about 250 amps peak to peak with a massive voltage swing. It will drive any loudspeaker with ease and deliver astonishing dynamics.  As the circuit is the same as a kW550’s, neutrality and linearity are givens.

The other huge, completely unexpected bonus is that the existing amplifier’s performance will be dramatically improved.  If you look at a system, you will find that the amplifier is clipping and distorting all the time because it can’t deliver the volts and amps required by the music’s dynamic range.  The distortion and non-linearities are a significant portion of the perceived sound.  But things change when that amplifier is connected to the 550K Power Amplifier.  Suddenly the amp is no longer having to drive a difficult reactive low impedance load or produce high peak currents. Driving 550K Power Amplifier is rather like driving a piece of test equipment.  It presents no difficulty to the existing amplifier. In fact, when it’s driving the 550K Power Amplifier, it has to deliver about 7% of the current that it was having to deliver into loudspeakers.  This is a huge and significant factor in improving the existing amplifier’s performance.

To summarise: when you use the Power Amplifier you get three major improvements.  First, the dynamic range is dramatically increased because of the 550K’s high power (550W/27dBW) second, there is a huge qualitative improvement because the existing amplifier is able to perform almost perfectly, and lastly the power and subtlety of the kW550 circuitry.

The results of using the Power Amplifier are astonishing.  It turns even a modest integrated amplifier into a state-of-the-art amplification system.

Overview

A major factor in today’s market decline is customers’ reluctance to change their system.  You can see their point of view easily; every time they change anything it costs a great deal, then they lose even more on the part-exchange value of the original equipment and what do they get?  Nothing very much in terms of improvement.

The situation with the Power Amplifier couldn’t be more different as they don’t have to get rid of any piece of their existing equipment.  The Power Amplifier simply offers about 10dB increased dynamic range and at the same time upgrades the performance of their existing amplifier dramatically.

At £1,499 per monobloc the Power Amplifier is not cheap but it offers stupendous value for money in that it really does deliver a substantial upgrade and does not involve the consumer in any other losses. 

To summarise the 550K Power Amplifier offers hugely increased dynamic range, lower distortion and maximum financial efficiency.