Canor Virtus and Perlisten A3t System with Clearaudio and DS Audio Vinyl
Perlisten A3t towers take their signal from Canor electronics in this demonstration, with two Canor integrated amplifiers, the valve Virtus I2 and the transistor Virtus I4S, swapped in front of them. Sources cover vinyl, CD and external digital files, from a Clearaudio Celebrity Al Di Meola Edition turntable through a valve phono stage to a CD player and a separate DAC. A second chain in the room put an optical cartridge in front of Danish monitors.
The system at a glance
Seven components form the main chain, and the A3t at launch cost USD 2,495 per speaker, so the Canor chain sits in the middle of the market. The Celebrity is limited to 1,000 units and lists at about EUR 3,950. The second setup is a vinyl-only chain at a much higher level, a Clearaudio Emotion SE with a DS Audio DS-W3 cartridge, the TB-100 valve equaliser, a Vinnie Rossi Brama G2 integrated amplifier and Børresen T1 SSE monitors.
Why these components work together
Perlisten quotes 87.7 dB at 2.83 V, 4 ohm nominal with a 3.0 ohm minimum and 50 to 300 W of recommended power. The I4S, a dual-mono class AB design, gives 75 W into 8 ohm and 120 W into 4 ohm, and adds its own MM and MC phono stage. The I2 runs four KT88 in pure class A and is rated into 4 ohm as well as 8 ohm, but its 40 W in ultra-linear mode sits below the Perlisten range, so it suits moderate levels. The Celebrity arrives with a Profiler arm and a matched MM cartridge, which the PH 2.10 serves with 46 dB of gain, eight capacitance steps from 50 to 840 pF and a passive RIAA network. On the digital side the Gaia C2 places two PCM1792A converters ahead of a valve output stage, while the Verto D4S uses two ESS 9038Q2M chips and a discrete stage without op-amps. In the vinyl chain the DS-W3 is an optical cartridge with a boron cantilever and above 70 mV of output, so the TB-100 applies the matching equalisation with four ECC82 triodes. The Brama G2 then gives 200 W into 8 ohm and 400 W into 4 ohm to the T1 SSE, rated at 86 dB and close to 6 ohm.
How it sounds
The transistor I4S gives the A3t a firmer grip on its two 215 mm woofers and holds bass level on large-scale material. Switching to the I2 brings a denser midrange on voices and small groups, at lower volume. With the optical cartridge, quiet passages sit on a very low noise floor and the small monitors place instruments with clear outlines.
Considering a similar setup
A3t owners should budget for at least 50 W that holds up near 3 ohm. The I4S is the simpler path, since it covers phono and headphones in one box. The Børresen pair needs real power for an 86 dB load, and any DS Audio cartridge must be used with a DS Audio equaliser.
11 components
- Turntables
EMOTION SE
by Clearaudio
Clearaudio Emotion SE is a high—end vinyl turntable with a passionic drive, a 28 mm acrylic disc, an anti-resonance chassis and an insulated motor. It supports speeds of 33/45 (optionally 78) rpm, is equipped with a proprietary tonearm and MM cartridge, and has a detailed and transparent sound.
- Cartridges
DS-W3
by DS Audio
DS Audio DS-W3 is a reference-level optical cartridge (pickup head) for vinyl players using photoelectric signal conversion. It is designed to work in tandem with the proprietary DS Audio equalizer DS-W3 Equalizer.
- Phonostages
TB-100
by DS Audio
DS Audio TB-100 is a full tube phono corrector created by the Japanese manufacturer DS Audio specifically for optical cartridges (PD - Photo Diode). This is the first tube correction preamp in the company's line.
- Integrated amplifiers
BRAMA G2 Integrated Amplifier
by Vinnie Rossi
High-current integrated amplifier with 400 Watts RMS of output power per channel into 4 Ohms load and preamp section based on a matched pair of premium Western Electric WE300B triodes.
- Bookshelf Speakers
Børresen T1 Silver Supreme Edition
The five-inch drivers in the SE version are equipped with titanium baskets that provide exceptional rigidity and damping. The finite element optimized design ensures a smooth flow of air without interference.
- Turntables
CELEBRITY “AL DI MEOLA” EDITION
by Clearaudio
Clearaudio Celebrity “Al Di Meola” Edition is a limited edition vinyl record player in the form of a guitar, created in collaboration with the legendary guitarist. It is equipped with an innovative drive with TSC speed control, IMC motor suspension, Profiler tonearm and proprietary MM cartridge. The set includes exclusive Al Di Meola vinyl and a pick. The circulation is only 1000 pieces.
- Phonostages
PH 2.10
by Canor Audio
The amplification stages of the model are made on a pair of 12AX7 dual triodes and a pair of 12AT7 dual triodes without common feedback. RIAA correction is performed by a fully passive circuit using only high-quality polystyrene and polypropylene capacitors.
- CD / SACD players and transports
Gaia C2
by Canor Audio
The Canor Audio Gaia C2 combines a high-quality DAC and a precision CD transport in a single, elegant package. Two Texas Instruments PCM1792A chips—one for each channel—are responsible for digital-to-analog conversion. The analog output stage is powered by vacuum tubes: two 12AX7, two 6922 (or E88CC), and one 6CA4EH.
- DACs
Verto D4S
by Canor Audio
The Canor Verto D4S digital-to-analog converter is based on two Sabre ES9038 chips from ESS Technology, operating in a dual mono configuration, which allows for a wide dynamic range and exceptionally low noise levels. The analog output stage of the component is completely discrete. Canor Audio engineers have fundamentally abandoned operational amplifiers in the signal path.
- Integrated amplifiers
VIRTUS I2
by Canor Audio
An integrated tube amplifier with an innovative pure class A circuit with automatic current offset of the output stage, which is implemented on KT88 lamps with the ability to quickly switch the "triode-ultralinear" modes. A pair of amplifiers can be used in a bridge connection as monoblocks with double the power.
- Floorstanding loudspeakers
A3t
by Perlisten
The Perlisten Audio A3t is an A—series outdoor speaker system with two 215 mm carbon fiber speakers and a light, controlled sound with deep bass. Designed for audiophiles and the home theater, providing clear detail and powerful sound in a stylish matte case. The excellent balance of power (50-300 watts) and precision with phase reflex design makes it an ideal choice for high-quality listening.