Audion Sterling Stereo Anniversary EL34 Integrated Amplifier

*Click and Collect only*

*Audion items are built to order, please allow approximately 8 weeks for build time*

The Audion Sterling Anniversary EL34 uses a single EL34 output valve per channel in an ultra linear single ended topology, producing 12 watts per channel. There are 5 line inputs, a line output and optionally it can be specified with remote control of the volume. The half width aluminium chassis with stainless top plate also features a fully enclosed housing on top for the mains transformer, helping reduce noise getting into the delicate audio circuitry.

The Anniversary version of this amplifier takes the same basic design as found on the mk1 version (detailed elsewhere on this site) but with dramatic improvements technically and sonically.

The output transformers are much larger and more sophisticated and are undoubtedly responsible for this amplifiers great weight and substance, it belies its low power output and can drive almost any well designed speaker exceptionally well.

The signal path is hard wired instead of on a printed circuit board. This much more time consuming construction technique has numerous benefits, it facilitates positioning components in three dimensions resulting in shorter signal paths and less component interaction, it reduces the number of joints the signal has to go through and means that only component legs rather than PCB tracks pass the signal, with all the benefits that brings in conductor and insulation quality. What this means sonically is greater transparency and an even more natural and organic presentation. Parts quality is also improved over the standard mk1 variant.

Like all good single ended amplifiers these have remarkable speed and openness, and an ability to drive speakers that belies their low rated power output. A touch of feedback is used which helps both with linearity of the pentode valves as well as ameliorate impedance variations in the connected loudspeakers. 

These amplifiers really do show just how good the often overlooked and underrated EL34 valve can sound. It seems churlish to try to describe the sound in such simplistic terms, but there's a natural 'meaty' warmth to the tone that sounds very true to the instruments being reproduced, in fact they're only a whisker away from the rightly lauded 300B in this respect. They also have great grip yet retain the extended decay that most other amplifier technologies truncate, a subtle but very important aspect that makes all the difference to the presentation. 

This amplifier is exceptional at it's price point, with speed, dynamics and musicality in spades. You really do need to hear what it can do in your system!

Technical Specifications:

Power: 2 x 12 Watts Class A into 8 Ohms 
Distortion @ 1 Watt: <0.1% No Feedback
Sensitivity: Variable >200mV Full output
Consumption: 140 Watts
Size: 42cm deep, 23cm tall and 19cm tall - Less tubes
Fuses: Power 2A / 240V   HT 500mA / 240V
Load: 8 Ohm Nominal
Frequency Response: 14 to >40KHz ±1 db
Noise: < (CCIR) – 85 db
Tubes: 2 x EL34, 2 x 6H1N
Weight: 14kg