Trilogy 921 Integrated Amplifier

Reference:

2790

Condition:

New

Trilogy Audio Designs 921 Integrated Amplifier - solid state 75W

"When I first listened to the 921 - a unit already burned-in for a few days - I wasn't entirely sure that there were no tubes inside because I didn't exactly remember its technical specifications (at 54, I don't have the same memory as before). Upon initial listening, I convinced myself that there were tubes... the tonal character was unmistakably that of my beloved Trilogy 925. Then I had to accept the reality: there were no tubes. Congratulations Nic, the 921 possesses the virtues of tubes and the virtues of solid-state, without the flaws of either. And there are no tubes. A sound with tremendous musical charm. No need to talk about completeness, accuracy, and refinement, with Trilogy, these are obviously taken for granted." - Gerardo Ventura

A tough design challenge was to give our “entry level” solid state amplifier the fluidity and sheer musical involvement that typically only valve amplifiers enjoy. But in the Trilogy fashion of going against the flow...

Rather than design the 921 as a pre amplifier and a separate power amplifier in one chassis, we chose a single, ultra linear gain stage that does all the voltage gain necessary. This is then directly connected to a compound output stage reminiscent of our larger power amplifiers, enjoying the same Japanese bipolar devices.

This topology has extremely high bandwidth, low distortion and very good loudspeaker control with only a tiny amount of overall shunt feedback.

The rectification and smoothing capacitor bank are on each left and right amplifier module and a separate winding on the mains transformer feeds these independently.

To make signal and current paths short and to minimise interactions between them, a stacked approach is used to enable the voltage gain cell to sit above the main pcb where the output stage and power supply exist.

The perfect harmony of pre and power amplifier resolved into one chassis without compromise. Elegant form and function you’d expect from Trilogy.

Specifications
Size	465312106 (WDH)
Size including connectors etc	465350106 (WDH)
Weight	11 Kg
Standby Power Consumption	1 Watt
Maximum Power Consumption	300 Watt
Input	5 pairs RCA phono sockets
Input Impedance	50K Ohms
Input sensitivity	500mV
Rated Power	75 Watts per channel
Recommended Load Impedance	3-16 Ohms
Frequency Response	5-100KHz +/- 0.5dB
Distortion	Less than 1% A weighted at rated output into 8 Ohms
Phase	Inverting

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Trilogy Audio Systems at a glance

'The essence of music

- engineered'

From a passion to remain true to the essence of music, and by keeping all the key design elements in harmony, we create products of true quality.

Look at the objects around you in your home or work place; the chances are much of what you see is the end result of derivative thinking. By bringing a small improvement to what already exists; a commercial niche is filled and a small advantage over your competitors is gained. Here at Trilogy Audio Systems we do things differently.

"Making some of the best-looking, best-finished and - appropriately - best-sounding kit in the UK today, but rarely shouting about it, is Trilogy." - Ken Kessler - HIFI NEWS

Nic Poulson is the principal designer of all Trilogy Audio Systems products.

Nic's background was originally in broadcast engineering, training with the BBC in the eighties. The corporation's legendary high standards made a deep impression on him. He learned that the way to achieve true quality is to strive for excellence in every area and accept nothing less. He went on to found Trilogy in 1990 and quickly earned a reputation for producing designs that reflected his core values of performance, reliability, pride of ownership and value for money.

Nic's designs can also be found in runway lighting systems, guiding aircraft safely to land at major airports across the UK. His success in the exacting industry of aviation is further confirmation of his breadth and versatility as a designer.

After studying in depth the inherent weaknesses in most mains derived power supplies, and their surprising impact on sound quality, Nic founded Isotek and revolutionised the concept of mains conditioning. Now the creative force behind Isol-8 Teknologies, he has delivered award winning designs which display none of the negative qualities shown by previous generations of mains conditioners. His products have taken the audio community by storm and are sold to discerning users worldwide.

His design philosophy is the key to understanding all Trilogy products.

Instead of deciding a price point and assembling a product steering committee chaired by a marketing manager, Nic goes back to first principles: identifying the fundamental questions at the core of each design issue. By carefully addressing and optimising each electrical design element to deliver the optimum solution, his goal of minimum compromise is achieved.

We complement this by taking great care over the realisation of the design. Beauty, reliability and user friendliness are essential qualities that must be present as a design makes its way through the myriad processes that make a physical real world product.

These are the reasons why our designs are enduring. From a passion to remain true to the essence of music, and by keeping all the key design elements in harmony, we create products of true quality.

Several years in the making, the latest generation of Trilogy Audio Systems components remain true to our original core values. Engineered from the inside out with real heart and soul behind them, they will provide lasting satisfaction, making music for your pleasure. We hope you will share the experience with us soon.

"I firmly believe that making exceptional products is a combination of knowledge and intuition, or passion if you prefer. My passion lay firmly with analogue electronics. I also have little or no interest in digital circuits. I understand what’s going on with them but have no feeling about them." - Nic Poulson

Nic Poulson, Trilogy Audio Systems Designer

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Disqus

Lector Audio ZAX-70 Integrated Amplifier

€1,283.50 (tax incl.)

Lector Audio ZAX-70 - 2 × 70 Watt Solid-State Integrated Amplifier

The ZAX design project marks a new era for amplifiers, introducing new concepts aimed at creating an amplifier capable of driving any load under any input-signal condition. The ZAX design is based on a high-voltage (120 V DC), high-current (±20 A) circuit. To achieve this ambitious goal, our engineers required custom-made components:

• Special high-current, high-voltage transistors capable of handling low-amplitude signals.
• Special output devices featuring transistors capable of handling high currents and equipped with integrated temperature compensation.
• A special high-energy, low-flux-loss AC mains power transformer.

The result is the ZAX design! The ZAX delivers extraordinary sound quality: the FET stage provides a smooth and fluid soundstage, while the high-energy power transistors ensure excellent performance, with detailed high frequencies and authoritative, well-defined bass.

The electronic circuit is based exclusively on discrete components, transistors and FETs (input device), with no integrated circuits used in the signal path! (ICs cannot deliver high current!)

The amplifier features 5 high-level line inputs, an output for the loudspeaker system, and a tape-recording output.

The ZAX-70 replaces the ZAX-60 model. The new integrated amplifier offers increased power of 70 W per channel into 8 ohms and a chassis design that harmonizes with the other models in the range (CDP-603 CD player and Digitube). The ZAX-70 represents the evolution of the ZAX-60 for the “R” series of transistor electronics, characterized by a chassis with rounded sides. The shape is not merely an aesthetic evolution, but also ensures greater chassis rigidity, improved mechanical behavior of the cabinet, and better vibration control.

The ZAX-70 is designed with an exclusively transistor-based circuit, without the use of integrated circuits in the signal path. The bipolar transistors have been selected for their high current capability, reaching a peak current of 12 A! There is only one capacitor in the signal path; it is not electrolytic, but a high-quality film capacitor. There are no limitations on the current capability of the output stage, which can therefore drive loudspeakers with low load impedances.

The volume control is operated by an ALPS Blue Velvet series potentiometer; the control position is indicated by a blue LED, specially designed for its anti-static properties. A volume-controlled passive output allows connection of an active subwoofer or a headphone amplifier.

As with the chassis design, particular attention has been paid to eliminating and controlling every vibration generated by the power transformer.

An aluminum remote control is supplied for operating the amplifier's volume.

List of items included:
- Power cable
- Multifunction remote control
- User and maintenance manual
- Manufacturer's warranty

Technical Specifications:

POWER OUTPUT @ 8 OHM 70 W RMS per Channel
DAMPING @ 100 Hz > 100
Frequency Response – 1.5 dB @ max. power 10–50 kHz
Sensitivity for all line inputs 200 mV
Tape recorder output voltage 150 mV
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) > 0.1%
Signal-to-noise ratio > 100 dB
Line input impedance 50 kΩ / 220 pF
Power supply and power consumption 110/220 VAC, 190 W, 50/60 Hz
Weight and dimensions 10 kg net – 430 × 300 × 108 mm (W × D × H)