The Genus SET integrated amplifier is the answer to the challenge of
making them smallest possible one-box integrated amp which would
carry our design philosophy. In development for some years, we are proud
to announce the release of the ‘Offspring’ or ‘Genus’ to our
family of single-ended amplifiers.
With a footprint of 520mm x 530mm it is our most compact design to date,
yet remains faithful to our no-compromise approach. The Genus can fit
where it’s bigger brothers are unable to.
Volume and input selection is controlled with the amplifier’s built-in relay system and supplied remote control. We find this far exceeds the sound quality obtained by conventional potentiometers.
Technical Specifications
Inputs// 4 RCA pairs, 1 XLR pair (balanced).
Outputs// Speaker and headphone out. Speaker output impedance is pre-configured on order from 1-16 ohms and comes with a two-position output impedance selector as standard. The headphone out is user switchable to high or low output impedance for maximum compatibility.
Bandwidth// 11Hz~60kHz
Noise Floor// -100db unweighted
Harmonic distortion// -64db H2 and -73db H3 @1W
Output watts// 25W in Class A1, 40W peaks (Class A2)
Speaker impedance// User selectable from 1-16 ohms
Weight// 67Kg unpacked
Description
The Genus integrated is 25W in Class A1 and can peak to 40W in transients in Class A2 yet only has two gain stages. It takes key design ideas from our Concero 25 monoblock circuit. It is effectively a small stereo SET amplifier driving a bigger stereo SET in one chassis.
The input/driver stage is a small 0.7W SE amplifier built around the Siemens E280F super triode and is loaded with a double c-core bifilar wound interstage transformer. This single tube stage offers maximum linearity and bandwidth for maximum transparency. No coupling capacitors are present anywhere in the circuit.
This single tube stage offers maximum linearity and bandwidth for maximum transparency. No coupling capacitors are present anywhere in the circuit.
The small SE amplifier uses our proprietary AC link coupling technology. This technology uses the secondary winding of the first SE amplifier to modulate the biasing circuits of the bigger 813 tube output stage. AC link coupling technology is used in all of our bigger amplifier models.
The four tubes have independent power supply units (PSUs) which are fed from a large 800VA toroid transformer. The PSUs carry their own choke filtered capacitor bank.
The output stage power supply units, again use our supercapacitor technology. These top specification film capacitors have one to two orders of magnitude, lower ESR and ESL than any electrolytic or film capacitor used in audio today and have a maximum current surge specification exceeding 1000 amps.
The two 813 directly heated triode (DHT) tubes use triple passively filtered filament PSUs. DHT tubes are extremely sensitive to noise present in their filament circuits. Our passively filtered system is fault proof and provides an extremely low noise floor with very high bandwidth and, our design philosophy is without feedback.
Bias of both the driver and output tubes can be adjusted on the fly using the built-in bias meter, so you can tailor the sound to your taste.
A self-resetting soft start is used to slowly build up the high voltages present and protect the tubes from any current surges at startup.
