Boutique high-end manufacturers like Orchard Audio offer their products, which include DACs, streamers, and amplifiers direct to the public resulting in substantial savings.
The latest product from this well-respected company is the Starkrimson Mono Ultra Premium power amplifier, which incorporates gallium nitride (GaN) technology, which is designed to deliver power, precise detail, and sonic clarity.
Tech Note: The Starkrimson Mono Ultra Premium is a monoblock power amplifier. What this means is that it’s designed to power one channel in an audio setup when paired with a preamplifier. If you are assembling a two-channel system, two monoblock power amplifiers are required.
If assembling a multi-channel home theater setup incorporating this power amp, you will need one amp to power the speakers for each channel. As you can imagine using monoblock power amplifiers can become very expensive.
Key Features
- Power Output: The Starkrimson Mono Ultra is rated to deliver 500 watts/1000 watts peak of output power into 4 ohms. It is also 2 ohms compatible.
- Fully Balanced: The power amp incorporates a balanced design from input to output that minimizes noise and distortion.
- Gallium Nitride (GaN) Technology: GaN technology combined with Orchard Audio’s proprietary design supports better efficiency and precision. This results in clear, accurate, and distortion-free sound reproduction across the entire frequency range.
Tip: “GaN is a semiconductor like silicon but offers higher switching speed (slew rate), lower on-resistance, and better thermal conductivity than silicon making it more suitable for higher voltage and current applications. Another advantage is that when GaN is layered with another material such as silicon, it creates a high electron mobility transistor that contains a pocket of electron gas at the junction between materials. This electron pocket allows for higher speed and higher current transfer than pure GaN or silicon wafers and also allows for a decrease in die size — thus higher efficiency and better thermal regulation.“
- Power Supply: The Starkrimson Mono Ultra Premium incorporates a 1200W power supply with 43,600uF of additional capacitance.
- Exterior Design: The Starkrimson Mono Ultra Premium has a sleek brushed aluminum chassis that complements any setup.
From Leo Ayzenshtat, Owner of Orchard Audio: “By seamlessly fusing the most advanced technology with timeless design principles, we’ve created an audio experience that transports listeners to the heart of the music.”
Additional Specifications
- Dimensions (WxDxH):
- 31 x 35.3 x 11.6 cm
- 12.2 x 13.9 x 4.6 inches – w/o binding posts
- Weight: 5.9kg (13lbs)
- Further specifications and manufacturer lab test results.
What’s in the Box?
- Starkrimson® Mono Ultra Premium Power Amp
- Power cord (country-specific)
- Instructions
Price & Availability and Pricing
The Orchard Audio Starkrimson Mono Ultra Premium is available for preorder for $2,149 at orchardaudio.com, $350 less than the MSRP of $2499.95. Shipping is expected to start in September 2024.
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