The Maestro Line Preamplifier SE has been developed based on the Maestro Line Preamplifier, completely renewing the power supply stage and improving the preamp section after highly accurate detailed listening tests performed on the passive components. The implemented technologies and the manic attention in choosing each passive component has elevated the sound output to absolute reference quality and has made the sound of the Maestro Line Preamplifier SE a benchmark in the category of preamplifiers of the very highest level.
Technical description
VR Power Supply (voltage reference): The power supply we have designed develops a philosophy different from that generally followed in the audio field. In fact, the power supply is normally obtained from a secondary stage of the transformer whose voltage is rectified and then stabilized and filtered as much as possible in order to reduce the ripple. In the Maestro Line Preamplifier SE a “traditional” power supply, such as the one previously described, has been implemented to have a very clean voltage (as much as 3 different stabilization stages have been used for each supply!) but the voltage is not used to supply the preamplifier section! Instead, the voltage, which is already very clean, just supplies the circuit where the proper voltage for the preamplifier circuits is generated. The voltage to supply the preamplifier section is derived from an extremely clean and stable (both thermically and temporally) voltage reference. Such voltage is hence treated to reach the level required for the preamplifier section. All the chain has been designed using extremely low noise strategies. The board for example is a 4 layer one (to have a generalized bypassing of every signal) as apposed to the standard 2 layer boards commonly used in the audio field… Pre section: the preamplifier section has been revisited changing the passive components after a series of highly accurate listening tests. In the course of such tests many different kinds of passive components have been checked in several different positions to obtain the best sound coherence. Moreover, in some parts of the board the lay out has been changed to emphasize some particular characteristics. All the analogical circuits are made using discrete components, and have a large-pass band and low-feedback factor. Only the Highest-quality passive components have been used; lowest-tolerance metallic layered resisters (MIL standard); low-tolerance, non-polarized polyester/propylene condensers; high-speed, low-loss, high capacity electrolytic condensers; organic-electrolytes, low-capacity electrolytic condensers. The integrated-resistance network volume controls used have no buffer for maximum sound transparency.
Technical features
- Line Gain 12 dB
- Frequency Response(Att. 0dB, -3dB band) <10Hz-200kHz +0/-1dB
- Input Noise(Band limits 0Hz-80kHz/A-weighted) 125 dB under 1V
- SNR 106 dB
- Dimensions(HxWxD) 160 x 445 x 415 mm
- Weight 18 Kg
