HYBRID MONO AMPLIFIER
Absolare always produces a great sound in Munich but this year was its best sound yet, with its new hybrid power amplifiers …There was a complete lack of grain and glare; the presentation had utterly natural timbre and tremendous ability to pull me into the music rather than to think about the sound A terrific system expertly set up.
Robert Harley - The Absolute Sound - Munich High End 2018
AWARDS
Best of Show, Munich High-End 2023
The Absolute Sound - Robert Harley
OVERVIEW
Inspired by the global success of the Absolare Integrated Amplifier, a substantially more sophisticated and powerful amplifier was born – the Absolare Hybrid Monoblocks. With similar characteristics in sound to our acclaimed SET amplifiers, the Hybrid Monoblocks offer outstanding dynamics and realism delivering 320Watts of power into 4Ω. Perfectly balanced internal design from input to output, with a dozen output devices per channel, ensures they perform with the most demanding loudspeakers.
Hybrid Monoblock Amplifiers are the pinnacle of Absolare performance. With a unique and patented implementation, the reference design combines power with the SET sound that Absolare has become renowned for after receiving countless awards at international shows over the last decade. The realism is remarkable in the sense that the performance is no different than that of a live concert, or a studio performance. Audiophile explanations are transformed into a mental state where the music lover is simply just ‘there’.
"The Absolare booth was perfect for my standards. It was in vain to listen to the flaw. The speaker disappears, only the music remains. Imaging and staging were also perfect, with a moderately thick sound and body. Is it exaggeration if you see the notes floating? It was a booth that stayed for quite a long time, and it was also a booth that promised to return. (Of course, I couldn't go back, so I couldn't go back ...) It was a flawless system. Perfect match, perfect setting. End."
Seoul International Audio Show 2018, Korea, Naver Press
It is a hybrid design with a tube preamplifier section and a fully balanced solid-state power amplifier section. Like all Absolare hybrid designs, voltage gain is delivered from the tube section. The tube preamplifier section is dynamically configured in 'parallel single ended mode' for unbalanced (RCA) input or 'fully balanced mode' for balanced (XLR) input. It is transformer coupled to the output stage to carry the perfect symmetry of the signal. The tube input section has zero feedback and the output stage has only local feedback, in order to make it compatible with the most complex speaker loads.
The Absolare Hybrid Monoblock Amplifier has dual chassis monoblock construction. The laser cut and precision welded 3mm aluminum chassis is encased in leather clad, high density fiber panels to minimize the mechanical resonances. A 5mm thick aluminum base plate provides a perfectly stable foundation for the amplifier’s feet. Externally it is covered in Hi-End automotive leather with several color and stitching options.
All signal connectors are gold plated tellurium copper. Binding posts are silver-plated copper with polyethylene outer barrels to minimize conductor mass. Tube sockets are pure teflon with gold plated contacts.
Silver-gold alloy in oil coupling capacitors are employed in the signal path. Signal caps and resistors with very low tolerances keep the phase shift difference between channels to a minimum. All PCB boards have "triple-thickness" copper tracks. Special silver/gold alloy solder is used for all soldered joints. Oversized custom toroidal power transformers for low noise and large headroom. All internal cabling uses Echole’s proprietary Silver, Gold, Palladium alloys.
A total of 24 active output components provide 320W continuous power per channel into 4Ω loads. They are individually hand tuned for perfect symmetry. A timer circuit protects the speakers and power components from transient signals and in-rush currents at power-on time. Hi/Low gain operation is selectable on the back panel. 184,000uF ultra-low ESR capacitor banks for maximum levels of dynamics and discrete Schottky diodes provide fast and noise free rectification. Tube heaters are DC regulated and filtered.
Output stage is protected from overheating and overloads and can be configured into different grounding schemes to match any system setup.
MODELS
SIGNATURE
The Signature model is a significant step above the Passion series. Within the signal path, Duelund’s select CAST coupling capacitors are incorporated together with Echole’s Orius cabling.
Critical parts of the power section and signal path utilize other custom components such as proprietary SilverGoldPalladium signal path on the PCB and matched (less than %1) Amtrans resistors to name a few.
Finally, there is a very limited edition Altius model of the Absolare Hybrid Monoblocks which extends performance well beyond the Signature model. Please contact us for further information about the Altius amplifier.