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R-098 Soundaware P1 Balanced Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier

R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1  Balanced  Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit   Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
R-098 Soundaware P1 Balanced Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete Circuit Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier
$1,416.80
Ex Tax: $1,416.80
  • Stock: 10
  • Model: 32863093273
  • Weight: 4.00kg
  • Dimensions: 26.00cm x 24.00cm x 9.00cm
  • SKU: 32863093273

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                          SOUNDAWARE P1  Balanced Pre-Amplifier & All Discrete
                                Circuit, Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier

【R&D History】
In 2011, SOUNDAWARE® launched A100 music player which is designed specially for high and medium resistant headphones with a set of separate single-ended headphone interfaces. This structure was optimized in latter A200, A280 and transformed to be a full balanced version on A300.
 
The built-in headphone amp interface is designed mainly for simple, good and enough to use, but not for HI-END. We did try various collocations of many hi-fi or reference-level independent headphone amps with our players in numerous exhibitions, but the sound qualities out of these different amps obviously were not quite satisfied as we expected. In order to resolve this dilemma, the company decided to develop a flagship balanced amplifier product at the close of MR1’s R&D.  The goal is to better collocate SOUNDAWARE®’ s reference sound output while also rescue the audiophiles out of the headache predicament of choices between current existing headphone amplifiers and pre-amps. Therefore we hereby proudly present our “Advanced Balanced Pre-Amplifier&All Discrete Circuit, Full Balanced Headphone Amplifier P1”
 
Speaking of the preamps, SOUNDAWARE® have tried many products.  In addition to commonly used Accuphase C290V connected to ADAM S4 for audition in the audio show as well as Audio Research of earlier stage or Audio Research reference preamp.  Preamp functioning as front amplifier can retain the data source of low electrical level to a greater extent while at the same time lower distortion amplification and output more anti-interference, higher voltage and higher current of analog signals.  It also requires a unified low distortion, high-precision volume control, a variety of protection, collocation and compatibility with various different audio input plus it is able to switch the output flexibly.
 
In fact, as an independent headphone amplifier, it needs to pursue a lower distortion, high-power output, a good damping system to facilitate the drive of various impedance, sensitivity of all types of headphones under any circumstances. Then it can be in a good driving state to restore the real simulation data.  The conventional integrated circuit is mainly designed for general HIFI equipment and its performance is not enough to deal with the current flagship headset.  This concludes that it is essential indeed to develop a proprietary of fully discrete, high-power amp if we want to give full replay to the industry's flagship headphone effects.
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【Premium Materials Used on Key Components】

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P1 is intended to design as a product of flagship balanced pre-amp and headphone amp with an independent power supply to both Amps. The key part of premium components include a high-performance filter circuit similar to the one of A300, imported hi-end Talema transformers, total four LT ULTRA Low Noise, high-current secondary regulators and better HIFI audio capacitors such like Nichicon FG、MUSE of up to 30,000uf for noise reduction filtering.  It is made of overall premium materials than A300’s power supply grade.  When functioning P1 on the pre-amp mode, it solely provides power supply to pre-amp and then applies LT ULTRA Low Noise secondary regulator meantime cut off total power supply to headphone amp. This way it exclusively beneficiates pre-amp mode nearly a capacity of 30000u for noise reduction filtering. Thus it will ensure pre-amp having a very clean power quality. 

【Pre-amp Mode】

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P1’s pre-amp keeps the conventional single-end and balanced input ports, adding one balanced analog input specially for SOUNDAWARE® SAW_link. Two gain modes support 1)Low voltage line input from Aux or mobile players. 2)High level voltage input such as 4V RMS in single end and 6V RMS in balanced. The design of high input impedance helps to remain the native information to a greater extent. Meanwhile P1 adopts reference coupling capacitors, instrument grade high performance, high precision buffer and amplifier circuit, customized ALPS 5% precision potentiometer to guarantee P1 is comparable to C290V when working on pure pre-amp mode. Then the Hi-end class coupling capacitors are made in Germany which fully reproduce the magnificent music feeling on P1, making the listeners unforgettable enchanted.

【Headphone AMP Mode】
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When P1 works on Headphone Amp mode, the Pre-Amp output is closed. But pre-amplification, coupling and volume control is still working, only pre-amp output buffer circuit is closed for saving power consumption. So the pre-amplification, volume control, gain selection still shares most parts of pre-amp circuit, thus the sound style is almost the same as well. The R&D of P1 headphone amp focused on seeking transparency, high quality,  great thrust, big damping coefficient and lower distortion. After 4 times sampling, making more than 20 samples, SOUNDAWARE® finally chose high Class A circuit which features full separation, high voltage(almost +-30v), big damping coefficient, 3-stage amplifier and full balance. In a full-balanced headphone amplifier circuit, we use PNP type differential input to achieve high input impedance, low noise and big dynamic etc. Besides, first-order filtering and phase compensation will help to remain native information, get rid of out of band noises and suppress active phase shift effectively. We managed to remove crossover distortion through 2 sets of high speed current sources and dynamic RBE controlling circuits on each path. Adding degenerative & leading phase compensation circuit slashes transient distortion and inter-modulation distortion. With 60v power supply and 4A output current at single end, larger damping enables P1 to push all kinds of flagship high resistance and low sensitive headphones easily, let alone those ordinary ones.
 
The early prototypes of P1 began its listening trial at various audio exhibitions  in April, 2017. Even though it had won overwhelming praises since, but we held back the production because we agreed that it fell short to full criteria to be a flagship product. Later following another 3 versions and 20 more prototypes under scrutiny of various modification and debugging, finally we created a satisfying P1 and initiate the production.  
 
SOUNDAWARE® has spent a lot of work and time to develop P1. We tuned P1’s pre-amp referring to Accuphase C290V, it presents better music expression and reduction working with no matter the monitor speakers or domestic HIFI speaker systems. 
 
【Low Noise Linear Power Output】
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P1’s build-in USB output low noise linear power supply from D300REF FPGA power circuit solves limited capacity problem of mobile players. Connect MR1 to USB linear power supply, you will get a non-stop play with clearer and transparent sound. If you connect MR1 via SAW-link directly, other brands’ players via 3.5mm to RCA interface to P1, it will reveal the output effect as fantastic as desktops and be able to push big headphones as well. Our all-scene flagship mobile players MR1 connecting to P1 will play like a desktop player via Wi-Fi control.

 R-098-Soundaware-P1-Balanced-Pre-Amplifier-All-Discrete-Circuit-Full-Balanced-Headphone-Amplifier-32863093273

 
P1 has two colors choice, Fancy blue and Silver gray. 22*20*5.5cm size is handy and compact, making it a perfect traveling convenience, so is the standard size for SOUNDAWARE® brand new MINI series.

【Ultimate Flagship Headphones Modifications】
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P1 has always been testing with all kinds of Hi-End headphones, including K1000, HD800, HD800S, AKG Series (from K812 to K701), Utopia, Beyerdynamic Flagship (T1 2nd generation, DT1990PRO etc), 1266, Sennheiser HIFI Series(HD800S to HD598) and HIFIMAN whole series (including Susvara). After more than 20-time modifications and proofs, P1 manages to push various headphones excellently and help headphones to play to the best effect.

 
【Various Applications】
                            
Following is the illustration of P1’s general applications.

R-098-Soundaware-P1-Balanced-Pre-Amplifier-All-Discrete-Circuit-Full-Balanced-Headphone-Amplifier-32863093273
R-098-Soundaware-P1-Balanced-Pre-Amplifier-All-Discrete-Circuit-Full-Balanced-Headphone-Amplifier-32863093273R-098-Soundaware-P1-Balanced-Pre-Amplifier-All-Discrete-Circuit-Full-Balanced-Headphone-Amplifier-32863093273

【Specifications】

Weight: ~4kg
Colors: Fancy Blue, Silver Gray
Voltage: 115V, 230V
Size: 22*20*5.5cm
Accessories: Power Cord, Manual and Warranty Card.
Common Built-in Protections:
1. DC input filtered out
2. High temperature cut out
3. Output short circuit protection

【Interface Parameters】
R-098-Soundaware-P1-Balanced-Pre-Amplifier-All-Discrete-Circuit-Full-Balanced-Headphone-Amplifier-32863093273
① 6.35mm Single-end Headphone Output
② Four-core XLR headphone Output
③ Input Selection
④ Pre-Amp/Headphone Amp Switch
⑤ Volume Button

R-098-Soundaware-P1-Balanced-Pre-Amplifier-All-Discrete-Circuit-Full-Balanced-Headphone-Amplifier-32863093273
Analog Input: 
① XLR Balanced Analog Input
② RCA Analog Input
③ Saw_Link Analog Input

Analog Output:
⑤RCA Analog Output
⑦XLR Balanced Analog Output

On-off Button:
④Gain Switch
⑥USB Linear Power Supply Interface
⑧Ac Input: SOUNDAWARE Customized HIFi Fuse in Power Socket

【Parameters】
(Tested on Samples)

Pre-Amp Mode:
(XLR ≈ RCA)
THD+N:0.001%
SNR: 126db
Dynamic Ratio: 121db

Headphone Amp Mode:
(Single-end ≈ balanced)
THD+N:0.0007x%
SNR: 128db
Dynamic Ratio: 121db
              
 
1. Max Power Output: POPM: 50V rated maximum level, maximum 4A short time and stable current
2. Rated output power:( Tested on samples, may vary a little bit based on different samples, non-distortion output means distortion<=0.003% )
R-098-Soundaware-P1-Balanced-Pre-Amplifier-All-Discrete-Circuit-Full-Balanced-Headphone-Amplifier-32863093273
    
Q&A

Q1:  It is said that the coupling capacitor might damage sound quality?  P1 is also coupled, how to deal with?

A1:   In general, the coupling capacitor does have a certain impact on the frequency response, phase distortion, signal distortion, including the amount of information. P1 adopts the coupling capacitor of hi-end level. That takes care of the problems meantime it can also well-remove the unwanted DC composition out of sound source and keep the headphone intact.

Q2:   Some amps are made without coupling capacitor, so why SOUNDAWARE® spends higher cost on coupling capacitors?
A2: Indeed, the general coupling capacitors are problematic. A fine coupling capacitor is bulky and expensive. If sound source doesn’t contain too much DC, then it’s not necessary to use coupling capacitor. However, why most of the high-end pre-amps and headset amps use coupling capacitor? The answers lay on the issue of DC being amplified in isolated sound source. On the other hand, a fine coupling capacitor has a certain ability to lower the noise. It is a very obvious logic that a low-cost pre-amp or headset amp will generally avoid using coupling capacitor or a good one.
 
Q3:   Is P1 sensitive to the power supply and suspension?
A3:  P1 is sensitive to the power cord and shock absorbing.  There is no need to invest more on filter because P1 has one built-in. The key focus should be the optimization of the power cord and the contact. The style is determined by personal system.
 
Q4:  Why P1 take longer time for burn-in?
A4:  As we all know, the common machine burn-in is mainly for electrolytic capacitors, inductors, transformers, and some of the key materials of particular coupling capacitors. P1 wildly uses Hi-Fi or even hi-end materials which is also the reason contributing to a longer time burn-in. Generally speaking, it requires 72 hours’ uninterrupted burn-in to perform pleasant music if you use the headphones of full balanced and medium-high volume.
 
Q5:  How much current supply can P1’s USB linear reach ?
A5:   P1’s USB power supply output is about 800 mA and use a common standard USB output which is universal for all portable audio products. The internal key materials are very clean with good musical quality via using the same power circuit of D300REF for FPGA (ultra low noise, but limited long-term high current ), most of the players do not power-down during playback, same does the MR1 high-performance mode for pushing the big earphones.  The main purpose of using linear power supply is to prevent mobile players from power-down and perform the good quality of sound.  As this liner is not specially designing for power charging, therefore it’s long-term power supply is limited somehow. 
 
Q6:   Why does the individual pre-amp cost that much yet P1’s price is very cheap ?
A6:   In general, the pre-amp’s numbers of input and output interfaces are 3 to 4
times what P1 has. For instance, RCA or XLR may have 3-4 paths and that will certainly drive up the cost. Also many pre-amps support LP input which is a separate and different signal input amplification with others. Some good pre-amps have built-in EQ function, this also leads to high cost.Nevertheless, the P1 is a newly designed product. The input is only three-way and without any EQ function thus can release the all of its outstanding features. Furthermore, the P1’s power supply technology and instrumental-level amplification are significantly improved. To some extent, it performs even better effects beyond those pre-amps originally can achieve by only using discrete materials. In actual test, the transparency P1 presents is even better than C290V.  But P1 is not a PLAYER product of SOUNDAWARE®, So we fix the price based on cost, not the market value.

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