Интегральные усилители — Westend Audio Monaco

The Monaco is a valve integrated amplifier from Westend Audio Systems of Munich, a company led by managing director Stefan Trog, who earlier produced chrome finishes for Burmester and AVM, with Guenther Mania as developer - a founder of AVM with some 35 years of amplifier design behind him. Assembly and finishing take place in Munich, while the electrical parts are produced in Malsch in Baden. The price begins at EUR 20,000, and a unit in a custom finish was listed at EUR 29,000.

Key specs that matter

The output stage delivers 2 x 100 W RMS into 4 ohm in a Class AB push-pull layout. Each channel uses two E130L power tubes plus two ECC82 double triodes in the input and driver stages. There are five line inputs, of which three are XLR and two are RCA, with an input impedance of 17.6 kOhm on XLR, while there is neither a phono stage nor Bluetooth. Outputs comprise one variable XLR and one fixed-level RCA. Frequency response runs from 10 Hz to 40 kHz at -3 dB, noise sits more than 95 dB below signal, and distortion is given as 1 percent at 1 kHz. The chassis measures 47.0 x 22.25 x 37.3 cm (W x H x D, depth including the speaker terminals) and weighs 46 kg. Power draw is about 170 W.

Engineering and use context

Signal handling is fully balanced and symmetrical from input to output, with roughly 10 dB of global negative feedback and an internal supply voltage of 430 V. A processor-controlled auto-bias system sets the operating points of the power tubes at the press of a button, and the maker suggests running it about once a month. A soft-start sequence of around 30 seconds, tracked by LEDs, brings the tubes up gently. The same microprocessor allows the Monaco to be reconfigured as a power amplifier through a USB update. The housing uses metal walls of varying thickness up to 1 cm, and finishes include chrome, silver, black, gold, white and matte black powder coat, with other special surfaces on request. The whole unit can be operated from the listening seat through the supplied remote handset.

Pairing

Westend states that the output stage stays stable into loads as low as 2 ohm, so demanding low-impedance floorstanders are within range. A second power amplifier or a powered subwoofer can take signal from the variable XLR socket, and the fixed RCA output suits a recorder. Owners of a turntable will need a separate phono preamplifier.

Alternatives

The Westend Audio Leo is the smaller integrated model, built around 300B triodes for 2 x 20 W and fitted with phono and Bluetooth inputs.