icon Audio Passive Pre Amplifier:
Aside from tone controls and balance which thankfully most high quality pre amps have dispensed with, the principal reasons are:
1, Voltage, gain where your 1 volt tuner output needs to drive a 1.5v power amp input. And
2, Where the capacitance of very long connecting leads degrades the high frequency.
On the other hand your modern tuner, CD player, phono pre amp etc probably has enough output to drive your power amp(s) effectively, and you will probably be using relatively short leads. In which case you only need to control the volume, and switch the input. Nothing else.
Some years ago QUAD described the perfect amplifier as “a piece of wire with gain”. But as there is no such thing as a perfect amplifier, by default the Icon passive is perfect, as it has no flaws! This may sound conceited, but it is the basis of all our integrated amplifiers. There is no hum because it is perfectly screened. There is no noise because there is no amplifier to make noise. Distortion is non existant.
This is the only way to hear the true sound of your power amplifier, with nothing added.
The Passive is very versatile and can also be used purely as a selector box with the volume wide open. Or by providing a monitoring circuit for your recording equipment as well as additional inputs. It is a very useful addition to any hi fi system
Specifecations and features
* Solid anodised alloy and steel construction.
* Audiophile Silver Teflon cable used throughout
* All hand wired point to point
* No printed circuit board to ‘colour’ sound
* ALPS Blue velvet volume pot.
* All gold plated high quality terminals
* High quality selector switch
* 4 inputs
* Tape monitor circuit
* Buffered tape output
* Signal to noise level - unmeasurable
* Freq response - perfect
* Total harmonic distortion – none
* Dark grey metal flake paint finish
* C E compliant
* W200mm, D265, H70, 350g (remember to allow space for connections)
