Интегральные усилители — Canor Audio Virtus I4S

The Virtus I4S is an integrated amplifier with transistor output stages, made by Canor Audio in Slovakia and listed in the company's Foundation Line. It brings three functions into one compact chassis - a line integrated amplifier, a phono preamplifier covering both MM and MC cartridge types, and a headphone amplifier. Operation centres on one central knob and a small LCD touchscreen, and the case combines aluminium, glass and steel in bronze, black or silver.

Key specs that matter

Output power is 2 x 75 W into 8 ohm and 2 x 120 W into 4 ohm. Line gain is 35.5 dB with an input sensitivity of 380 mV, and input impedance is 50 kOhm on RCA and 100 kOhm on XLR. The phono stage offers 40 or 46 dB of gain for MM cartridges and 60 or 66 dB for MC. Line frequency response covers 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz within 0.2 dB, total harmonic distortion is below 0.005% at 1 kHz and 5 W, and the rated signal to noise figure is above 90 dB. Damping factor is 160 into 4 ohm and 330 into 8 ohm. Inputs comprise one phono RCA pair, two line RCA pairs and one XLR pair. Outputs are a variable RCA pair and a 6.3 mm headphone jack rated at 580 mW into 30 ohm and 190 mW into 300 ohm. The unit measures 430 x 75 x 300 mm, or 340 mm deep including connectors, and weighs 12 kg net and 14 kg packed. Power draw is rated at 620 VA from a 230 V supply at 50 to 60 Hz.

Engineering and use context

Its power section is a fully discrete class AB circuit built on a true dual-mono architecture, with each channel kept separate. A custom flat-coil inductor sits in the output stage and is intended to preserve signal integrity. Heat is handled by a hybrid system in which large copper elements are thermally bonded to the output transistors and a large aluminium top plate spreads the heat. The XLR input is a discrete circuit rather than an adapter to single-ended operation. Phono gain can be switched from the remote control, which saves reaching behind the unit after a cartridge swap. The touchscreen gives access to all functions of the device.

Pairing

Its extra power into lower impedances and its high damping factor make loudspeakers with lower impedance a workable match. Record decks fitted with MM or MC pickups plug in without an outboard phono stage, a balanced DAC or streamer uses the XLR input, and the variable RCA pair connects onward to a powered sub or to a stand-alone power stage.

Alternatives

Canor also builds the TP101 A30, a valve integrated amplifier with four EL34 output tubes, five RCA inputs and a headphone output.