PS Audio StellarGold Preamplifier
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Preamplifiers act as the backbone of premium audio setups, overseeing input choices, initiating the amplification process, managing volume and balance, and ensuring electrical separation between sound sources and amplifiers. When you add the StellarGold Preamplifier into your audio chain—bridging devices like DACs, phono preamps, tuners, or other auxiliaries with your amplifier—a magical sonic revelation unfolds: more realism, life, and space around each performer. It's time to take control of your system and add that missing element, a great preamplifier. StellarGold.
Upgrade your system performance
The StellarGold Preamplifier is the backbone of premium audio setups, overseeing input choices, initiating the amplification process, managing volume and balance, and ensuring electrical separation between sound sources and amplifiers. This extraordinary product adds a new level of realism, life, dynamics and punch to your high-end audio system. StellarGold Preamplifier should be the heart of any great system. Come learn more about this extraordinary preamplifier.
Design
The StellarGold Preamplifier features two hand crafted discrete audio amplification stages, both enjoying extremely high slew rate, high bandwidth, low distortion signal handling capabilities that honor the music. Based on a combination of JFET and BJT devices along with hand-selected purist components, the musical signal is delivered without the interference of capacitors in the signal path. Each amplification stage is based on a minimal global feedback design that achieves its low distortion status through careful balancing and high current design choices. Lastly, its high current class A output stage is more than capable of driving long cable lengths without compromise so that your power amplifier enjoy all the benefits StellarGold Preamplifier has to offer.
Application
Preamplifiers are the heart of any standalone audio system, controlling musical sources like DACs, phono preamps, and tuners. Bridging these sources to your power amplifier without adding any kind of sonic thumbprint is a challenge the StellarGold preamplifier takes on without any hesitation. Life, energy, and a sweet analog presentation are at the heart of this remarkable piece of equipment's performance. The StellarGold Preamplifier features 4 identical balanced and single ended inputs, and converts all input signals into a balanced signal for the lowest possible distortion, and can be used in a two-channel audio system or as part of a home theater system.
Technology
Overview
The StellarGold Preamplifier is a remarkably musical instrument. It is an excellent uncompromised interface between your sources and power amplifier. Designed by Darren Myers, the StellarGold outperforms preamplifiers at anywhere near its price. Preamplifiers play a critical role in any separates audio system, strategically positioned between sources of music: CD players, phono preamps, DACs, tape recorders and tuners – and your power amplifier – the preamp serves essential roles of control and isolation. Control is simple in concept, but extraordinarily difficult to design in an acoustically transparent manner. Control duties such as input switching, volume, balance, and amplification can place unwanted acoustic thumbprints on the music if not designed with extraordinary care. The StellarGold is one amazing preamplifier that we can't wait for you to hear in your system.
Inside Story
At the heart of any preamplifier are the gain stage that provides the amplification, and the volume control that manages how loud or soft the music plays. Inside the StellarGold preamplifier is an all new high slew rate, low feedback, discrete JFET BJT hybrid that has remarkably low distortion without relying upon high levels of sound-squashing global feedback. Volume is controlled by a fully balanced precision electronic version of a stepped attenuator. A large, oversized high-current transformer feeds the StellarGold Preamp's power supply, which ensures that the unit can reproduce music with a wide dynamic range, without compression or distortion. Fully-balanced circuitry with a bandwidth that extends almost to DC on the low end and well above audibility on the high end are responsible for the effortless presentation of music StellarGold preamplifier owners will enjoy. Openness, transparency, increased space around instruments---voices come alive in ways most never thought possible.
The Build
The designer's goal was to build a high slew rate, high bandwidth, open-sounding amplification stage that imparts no sonic signature and produces natural, open, music with affectation. All inputs are balanced as soon as they enter the StellarGold Preamplifier. Input switching is accomplished through hand-selected double-pole double-throw, gold plated relays that we’ve chosen for their sonic neutrality. High-performance pure-analog audio products like the StellarGold Preamplifier benefit from the use of high grade Audiophile capacitors and the finest discrete parts. Hand crafted to measure and sound remarkable, this StellarGold preamplifier will bring an amazing level of performance to any level of purist audio system ever made. If you're interested in making audio magic, audition for yourself the remarkable StellarGold Preamplifier.
Features
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Class A pure analog amplification
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JFET and BJT discrete architecture
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Fully balanced from input to output
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Purist audio components throughout
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Low global feedback
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4x RCA single ended inputs
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4 XLR balanced inputs
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2 XLR balanced outputs per channel
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2 RCA single ended outputs per channel
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High slew rate amplification stage
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Near perfect transient response
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Extreme frequency limits from near DC to 200kHz
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Darren Myers design
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Oversized power supply
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Multiple stage regulation
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Volume and balance by precision stepped attenuation
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2x output triggers
Product Specifications
Physical
Unit Weight
108 lbs (49 kg)
Unit Dimensions
17.1 × 11.2 × 14 in (chassis only); 17.5 in deep including connectors and handles
Shipping Weight
120 lbs (55 kg)
Shipping Dimensions
24 × 17 × 24 in
Color Options
Black, Silver
Power Requirements
Voltage Options (Factory Set)
Japan
100V
North America
120V
Europe / Asia / Australia / New Zealand
230V
Mains Power Input
IEC C14
Fuse Specifications
Rail Fuses (All Countries)
4 × 10A fast-blow H-rated (5 × 20 mm)
100V Countries
1 × 2A slow-blow H-rated (5 × 20 mm)
1 × 12A slow-blow H-rated (5 × 20 mm)
120V Countries
1 × 2A slow-blow H-rated (5 × 20 mm)
1 × 10A slow-blow H-rated (5 × 20 mm)
230V Countries
1 × 1.6A slow-blow H-rated (5 × 20 mm)
1 × 5A slow-blow H-rated (5 × 20 mm)
Included Accessories
Power Cords
US (NEMA 5-15P) – All versions
Schuko (CEE 7/7) – 230V version
UK (BS 1363) – 230V version
Connectivity
Audio Inputs
RCA (Unbalanced)
XLR (Balanced)
Speaker Outputs
2 pairs of gold-plated copper binding posts
Trigger
3.5 mm DC trigger input with pass-through (5–15VDC)
Warranty
Amplifier
3-year parts and labor
Vacuum Tubes
1-year warranty
Power Consumption
Ready
75W
Idle
225W
Rated Power (8Ω)
950W
Rated Power (4Ω)
1500W
Performance
Gain
26.0dB or 30.5dB (±0.5dB, selectable)
Input Sensitivity (600W into 8Ω)
3.5V
2.1V
Noise
<-100dBV (100Hz–20kHz)
Input Impedance
100kΩ (RCA)
200kΩ (XLR)
Output Impedance
<70mΩ (20Hz–20kHz)
Frequency Response
10Hz–20kHz (±0.1dB) @ 2.8Vrms
10Hz–100kHz (+0.1/-3.0dB) @ 2.8Vrms
THD & IM
<0.002% @ 1kHz, 1W/8Ω
<0.01% @ 20Hz–20kHz, 1W/8Ω
<0.01% @ 1kHz, 200W/8Ω (120VAC)
<0.02% @ 1kHz, 400W/4Ω (120VAC)
Power Output
600W minimum into 8Ω
1000W minimum into 4Ω
Stable into 2Ω for musical transients
Choose options