Here is an exclusive sneak peek at the cost no object (110K USD), Peter Avgeris’ three chassis design (100kg) Exotic Audio Design MM Phono preamplifier. Below are the initial specs and few of the photos from the assembly.
Design principles and highlights
- 2-stage anode driven Russian triodes, equivalent to Western Electric 417A triodes. The Russian siblings of 1980’s were found to outperform the Americans in terms of both sound quality and durability. WE 417A cannot be used interchangeably.
- Coupling and output is performed through audio transformers, one interstage and one output transformer (no capacitor coupling).
- Single Ended design with passive RIAA filter. Intentionally avoiding LCR RIAA for best sonics.
- Two chassis design for the ”Introductory’ version with solid state High Voltage rectification
- Three chassis design for the ‘Elite’ version with tubes High Voltage rectification
- A fourth chassis can be used for audio tubes’ filament rectification with tubes (custom order only!) with minor modification at the manufacturer’s site.
- A customer can select the ‘Introductory’ model and upgrade later to the ‘Elite’ model, by sending back the single power supply chassis for exchange with dual power supply with tubes.
- The best Xenon rectifiers are normally used for HV rectification, however the user can order the unit so as to accommodate the holy grail of tube rectifiers, the legendary Western Electric thyratron mercury plasma tubes (no extra cost).
- For audio tubes’ filament rectification, the best – now discontinued – germanium rectifiers are being used.
- Twenty four iron pieces are used throughout in the Elite version, sixteen in the Introductory version. All made out of the most exotic ferromagnetic alloy ever manufactured for audio applications, a custom order to a factory in Hong Kong area. Custom alloy and custom sizes. This alloy is a round loop ferromagnetic material which imposes magnitudes of order smaller hysteresis loop distortion in the frequency domain! Result is a level of detail, clarity, transparency and immediacy that has never been perceived! All this, combined with unbelievable portrayal of field depth, background blackness and musical expression, that has to be listened to be believed!
- All transformers are designed and wound in house using the best parts and materials (carton coil formers, plywood mounting brackets, etc, avoiding any interaction with sensitive audio signal).
- A huge stock of now discontinued capacitors has been reserved to guarantee identical performance in time, if necessary. These are the best capacitors ever made, under the specific capacitance and voltage characteristics.
- Zero wire length inside
- Totally hand made chassis, hand polished for aesthetic perfection without compromises.