The Intrepid Phono Stage

Hi!

With this phono stage the last missing piece of the Intrepid product line got finished.

This is a fully differential, transformer coupled MC phono preamplifier with 8(!) EC8020 tubes.

All signal relevant transformers and inductors are silver wound. In total 20 pieces!

The power supply has it's own housing in the same style chassis, milled form a solid block.

The chassis can be placed side by side, on different shelves or stacked.

All supply voltages are intensely choke filtered, including the DC heater supplies. The high voltage is rectified by a full wave bridge of 4 tubes.

A peek inside the chassis, packed full of silver goodies.

The EC8020 tubes are mounted on vibration damped internal sub plates.

Inputs are available as RCA and XLR. Ihis particular unit only has XLR output but it can be ordered with RCA output (or both) as well.

This phono is finished with a glass pearl blasted surface. other surface treatments like brushed and also other colors are possible.

Like all Intrepid amps and preamps this phono comes with a life time warranty on parts and labour except the tubes which are guaranteed for 5 years.

Alternatively the phono stage can also be ordered with D3a tubes.

This phono is ideally combined with the Intrepid line stage but can work with any other active line preamplifier.

The phono has a built in, silver wound pair of MC step up transformers. Different step up transformers can be chosen to match the phono to a given cartridge. The MC step up configuration can also be easily changed later on after the purchase if it is intended to be used with another cartridge.

This unit will be on demo at the upcoming Munich High End, H2, F06

Best regards

Thomas

High End 2024

Hi!

I am happy to announce that Admire Audio of Spain is teaming up with me for the High End 2024.

They will bring their fabulous AA4 speakers to Munich for demo with my Intrepid Power Amplifiers.

These power amps will be driven by the new Intrepid Line Preamplifier.

The Intrepid DAC will serve as digital source component.

Amps, Linestage and DAC will feature the newly developed tubes 'ONE', 'TWO' and THREE.

And as my personal highlight the new Intrepid Phono Preamplifier will take care of the analog part.

A differential, transformer coupled, LCR RIAA phono with 20 silver wound transformers and coils.

And with 8 (!) carefully selected and matched Telefunken EC8020 tubes. This phono stage just got finished and is currently under test. A separate blog post about this phono will follow soon.

The phono will be fed with analog signals from a PrimaryControl turntable and arm.

Come to Munich May 9th-12th and visit us in H2, F06.

Thomas

ONE ... TWO ... THREE

Hi!

Last month I wrote about the new tubes being developed for the Intrepid series of electronics. Now the first three new types are finished.

Since these are completely new tube developments and do not have equivalents to existing types they received new tube designations. Naming them in order of their development ONE, TWO and THREE. 

The ONE was the first new tube, designed for use in the output stage of the Intrepid DAC or Intrepid Linestage.

Above a quad of ONE in operation in the DAC.

Fresh from the tube factory is the TWO with its main function as a driver in the Intrepid power amplifiers. Alternatively it can also be used in the DAC or Linestage. Depending on the desired gain. It is similar to the ONE but has a higher gain and a different filament voltage. The plate resistance is the same as that of the ONE. A longer plate was needed to achieve that.

And lastly also brand new, the THREE:

The THREE is an output triode which can deliver up to 10W in single ended operation. Like the TWO it has a longer plate than the ONE. Both the TWO and THREE are about 20mm higher compared to the ONE or the TM300B

Here we see the TWO and THREE in operation in a power amp:

Like all triodes made by Deutsche Elektronenröhren Manufaktur GmbH, these new tubes are directly heated with thoriated tungsten filaments.

These tubes are unique in the market with their cylindrical arrangement of electrodes.

They have a single filament string in the center of the tube which is surrounded by a cylindrical spiral as grid and everything is surrounded by a cylindrical anode (plate). The anode has some added side wings for heat dissipation.

This arrangement results in exceptional linearity and unsurpassed sound quality which make them the tubes of choice for the Intrepid series. These new tubes will be on demo at the Munich High End. Come to Hall 2, F06 to experience this new level of electron tube based sound reproduction!

Best regards

Thomas

The Intrepid Line Preamplifier

Hi!

In January I gave an introduction to the Intrepid product line with a first prototype of a line stage. Now the final version of the Intrepid Line Preamplifier is finished.

A line preamplifier with directly heated triodes and fully balanced and transformer coupled circuit for a truly capacitor less signal path.

As minimalistic as possible in design. Chassis milled from a solid block of metal, including the chassis for the separate power supply.

Like in all Intrepid products only silver wound transformers in the signal path including a silver transformer volume control.

The preamp can be built for different tubes, like 10Y, 801A, 26, UX201A and many others.

As standard it comes with custom developed tubes exclusively made for the Intrepid series.

All tubes carry a 5 year warranty.

The two chassis can be placed side by side or can be stacked.

Each input is transformer coupled via silver wound transformers.

Each input can be configured for different gains or all the same

Like all Intrepid products this line stage is built to order and can be customised.

This line stage will be on demo at the Munich High End, May 9-12, Hall 2, F06

Best regards

Thomas