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Audio-GD – HE1 MK2 – Regenerative PSU Balanced Preamplifier (RCA, XLR, ACSS)
€2.499,- ( €2.065,29 excl. VAT)
True balanced discrete preamplfier with integrated regenerative analogue power supply. Non- feedback ACSS Diamond output stages.All parts and components are selected based on excellent sonic and technical measurement performance. Components are e.g. from DALE resistors (USA), WIMA capacitors (Germany) and NOVER parts (UK). The used components but also the technical design (e.g. discrete analogue section and high speed FPGA’s) of this system were being selected after many years of experience and practices and are considered to perform and provide supreme sonic results. The simplest and shortest signal journey brings out the most neutral and least colored sound.
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- More than 10 years of experience
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REVIEW
MK2 UPDATES
1, It has two gain modes for user select to match with the different gain power amps.
2, It has double volume control can match well with the different output level sources.
3, The new design apply the same board of Left and Right channels that make the design exact same,that we can measure and match the boards for assemble in the one unit to ensure the consistency.
KRELL CAST
- A cable is available to connect HE-1 ACSS outputs to a KRELL CAST amplifier input. KRELL amplifiers have lower gain versus audio-gd HE series amplifiers when using the CAST connection, so customers can custom order the HE 1 to have higher ACSS output gain if expecting to connect to KRELL amplifiers.
SUMMARY
The HE-1 MK2 (introduced in April 2022) is a fully balanced Class A preamplifier with a built in regenerative power supply. It makes perfect new power and then supplies it to the preamp. It uses all discrete analog stages without any OP amps or coupling caps in the signal path. It has a zero feedback ACSS analog current output stage. The preamp uses three R-core transformers (In total 260W ) and more than 100,000uf audio grade NOVER capacitors are used to ensure ample and smooth power delivery. it has separate class A Power supplies for both the power regenerator and well as the fully discrete preamp that follows it. The HE-1 MK2 uses a four-channel 100 step digitally controlled relay-based volume control to yield superb channel balance. This greatly improves stereo imaging and and improves overall sound quality. It features 5 analog inputs. There are 2 RCA, 2 XLR and a single ACSS input. You even have ACSS output available to your amp as well as an ACSS, RCA or XLR inputs. The preamp can drive 3 power amps simultaneously
INPUTS
- 1. XLR balanced
- 2. RCA single ended
- 3. XLR balanced
- 4. RCA single ended
- 5. ACSS balanced (mini xlr)
OUTPUTS
- Balanced (XLR)
- Balanced ACSS (4-Pin XLR)
- Single ended (RCA / Cinch)
HIGH PRECISION VOLUME CONTROL
Volume control consist of relay-controlled attenuators. Fully-independent, fully-balanced stereo volume controls. The volume controls feature consist of high-precision 0.05% tolerance film resistors and golden contact relays. Buffered inputs and outputs.There 4 channels volume boards are built in the unit to achieve ultimate balanced volume control. They are controlled by a digital signal controlling the high quality relays switching the precision resistors in analog area.
Quality of volume control is very important in balanced applications . It have to effectuate the four channels to work as synchronous as possible to keep the balanced signal in perfect shape. In traditional volume controls the balanced output will introduce distortion which will negatively influence sound quality and performance and might even get worse than a single ended setup and waste the advantages of balanced designed solution.
REGENERATIVE POWER SUPPLY
An integrated regenerative power supply is a proprietary electric generator built into the unit to avoid any noise from main power and deliver ultra-low noise and clean AC wave to feed the preampIt will regenerate the main power and block noise from the power line, this way the preamp is able to reproduce the most neutral and analog sound you can imagine.First a transformer converts main voltage. DC conversion is done by class A PSUs power supplies.A discrete balanced regenerative wave generator produces the new ultra-low noise wave form at 400Hz. The 400Hz frequency was chosen because they have better efficiency compared to traditional 50Hz and at this frequency, 400Hz, it will boost the sound to reproduce real and pleasant analog sound.
The balanced gain amps with powerful output stages are driving the regenerative transformers to produce the extreme clean AC power. The extreme regenerated clean AC power is send to separate class A PSUs power supplies for both left and right channel.The discrete class-A DC power supply with high input impedance will avoid any noise and allow the amplifier stages to have low output impedance at very high speed and linear at frequency spectrum.
| Weight | 20 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 430 × 530 × 93 mm |
| Brand |
8 reviews for Audio-GD – HE1 MK2 – Regenerative PSU Balanced Preamplifier (RCA, XLR, ACSS)
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Richard (verified owner) –
After initially being very happy with the sound straight out of the box, I found that it held back the macro dynamics a bit, and I lacked deep bass with body and sharpness. The resolution wasn’t quite top notch either. But this turned out to change, quite drastically in fact, in the first month that the preamp was left up and running. Nowadays, I can’t find anything to complain about (well yes, one little thing; se below): this is without a doubt the best preamp I’ve ever owned or even tried at home, and then I still had a preamp at home for test that cost about 15,000 euros when new! This says a lot about the sensational sound quality vs the price ratio you get with the HE1 -MK2 preamp. One result of this is, for example, that the preamp responds extremely clearly to cable changes – you immediately and very revealingly hear which cable has a higher or lower quality. Five stars all the way!!
However, I have a small remark, which I include in the following:
The front step’s left button, on the right side of the display, has three functions:
1. Press it once, and a blue dot will appear, which determines whether you want the automatic shutdown of the display, or whether you want it to be always on. (One nitpick: it would have been nice to have two modes of brightness of the display, to switch between.)
2. Press it quickly twice, and you will get to the pre-volume function, which is intended to adapt signal sources with different output levels to achieve the same degree of volume. LEAVE THIS FEATURE, if you don’t feel you have to use it, and deteriorate the sound! I feel that the sound is affected noticeably with this function – it gives a filter effect which is obvious, if you compare it with mode 9 (no pre-volume). Even when you compensate the db. However, feel free to try it and form your own opinion.
3. Press the button quickly three times, and you will enter the preamp’s two gain modes: either 6 db or 16 db gain. This feature is very useful! I use the pre-stage with the 6 db mode and find no penalty between the two settings, either than obviously different gain.
All in all: a wonderful preamp that is more than worth its asking price. And, you can buy with confidence: Jos and Magna Hifi gave me great service and a quick response to all my (many) questions.
Bedy (verified owner) –
Audio-GD HE1 is a truly high-end audio preamplifier! I can’t find enough terms of praise! I owned many preamplifiers that were even more expensive. At HE1 I like the neutrality the most (in the good sense), that is the realism of the natural, unchanged, uncolored sound. It is not about that sterile neutrality, it is simply about realism, about the sound that is very similar to the natural one, real. I like how fast it is without exaggerating, meaning the speed is exactly in the middle, neither below nor above, just like the real sound! It is dynamic and very transparent but not thin. It’s just right! And above all it produces a 3D effect, the sound seems holographic, not artificially, on the contrary, natural, realistic. Probably the two channels are executed to the highest perfection, otherwise I can’t explain why in terms of soundstage it humiliates the other preamplifiers ?! I compared it directly with other preamplifiers and they were the shortest comparisons. I had nothing to compare, HE1 is far superior from the first minute! (cold! …. I don’t say what he does after he warms up!)
Sounds good right after unpacking and zero burn-in! But after a run-in of a few hundred hours, I would really say that I am amazed at how it sounds!
And the copy received, which is a new model 2020/2021, does not heat up as I read on the internet. On the contrary, just a little warm no matter how much it worked, even a few days continuously. As far as I understand, they fixed the problem of excessive heat in the old models (which they also wrote on the site)
I do not find any negative points, nothing to criticize. Maybe the size ?! Is very large! When I received it I was amazed at how big it is! But the quality comes with a price!
5 stars are not enough for me! I would like to give it 10 stars!
I highly recommend!
Pierre O. (verified owner) –
HE1 sounds since Friday and it’s such a pleasure ! The sound of my installation is now much beautiful as I have ever hoped… Thanks again for your advices and disponibility…
Jorg (verified owner) –
The HE-1 sound was not good: Too much bass and not muddy dark sound. After two days leaving it turned on I did not understand what happened. The sound completely transformed in open transparent sound and tight bass. Really fantastic! Warm up time is now about 20 Minutes and then it sounds great! Very open and detailed with exzellent room and not harsh! Best preamp ever!
Eric –
Bij Magna HiFi de Audio-GD Master 3 en HE-1 gekocht en ik ben zeer tevreden met deze producten. Na sluitingstijd bij Jos thuis op kunnen halen wat op zich al een prima service is natuurlijk. Beide apparaten zijn super degelijk gebouwd en na het uitpakken en plaatsen kun je gerust even gaan zitten om je rug rust te gunnen :-)
Wat een gewicht en wat een bouwkwaliteit. De degelijkheid spat er aan alle kanten vanaf.
Ben je op zoek naar een high-end combinatie is dit denk ik de voordeligste keus.
Verwacht geen overbodige knopjes of fancy displays want daar zijn ze niet van bij Audio-GD. Nee, muziek! Dat is waar het om draait en het lijkt nu al dat al mijn muziek een compleet andere en betere soundstage heeft. En dan moeten ze nog ingespeeld worden!
De Master 3 heeft voldoende reserve om de meest kritische luidsprekers aan te sluiten.
Al met al een zeer tevreden klant, deze set gaat niet meer weg.
Andrew L. –
I am very satisfied with my new set! The HE1 is a significant improvement compared to. my other preamplifier that was a lot more expensive! Unprecedented sound quality.
Nandor –
After the burn time I am very satisfied with the MagnaHifi equipment. The Mano Ultra player, the HE1 preamplifier and the Master 3 power amplifier are of high quality.
Although my Dac and speakers are lower class, the music is very enjoyable.
The spatial effect is by far the best I’ve ever heard :-D The sense of presence of musical instruments and singers is unique.
I only wish the HE1 was not so big :)
Nandor –
HE1 arrived on Tuesday. After listening music for a few hours, I have to say it’s amazing. With Master 3.
More details, more energy, more bass, richer in everything. Spatial and accurate all the sounds and micro details are magical.
I can’t imagine how much better the sound could be with a top Audio-GD Dac and a top loudspeaker :-)