Предусилители — Ayon Audio Ayon Conquistador EVO

The Ayon Conquistador EVO is a line preamplifier from Ayon Audio split across two enclosures, designed from a blank sheet as a no-compromise project and built in a very limited run of five units per year. It operates in pure Class A with single-ended triodes, and the power supply is housed in a second enclosure of the same width.

Key specs that matter

Inputs are four line RCA and two balanced XLR, with outputs on two RCA pairs and one XLR. Input impedance is above 1 MOhm, output impedance is 30 ohm and maximum output reaches 30 V rms at 1 kHz. Frequency response runs from 3 Hz to 100 kHz, signal to noise ratio exceeds 98 dB and harmonic distortion stays below 0.01% at 1 V. The tube complement is AA45 Mesh triodes from Ayon's own production together with 5744 and 12AU7 types, while two 5U4G tubes rectify the supply. The preamplifier chassis measures 50 x 43 x 25 cm, the power supply 50 x 43 x 13 cm, and the pair weighs 52 kg net.

Engineering and use context

Four AA45 Mesh triodes are paired with a quadruple VTC volume control and four separate grid bias drivers. The circuit keeps transistors, followers and buffer stages out of the audio path, uses no negative feedback of any kind, and has only one coupling capacitor, at the output stage. Three separate power transformers, with their own chokes and filters, isolate input and output stages, and each amplification stage receives its own supply. Filaments run from regulated DC with soft start, and AC line filtering blocks external noise. A switchable dual grounding topology with a central star earth point and a ground switch completes the design. Parts include WBT-NextGen RCA sockets, Neutrik XLR connectors, Elma input selectors, valve holders with spring contacts in beryllium copper, isolated internal wiring and signal cable of soft annealed copper. The high-grade aluminium chassis has improved ventilation, resonance-absorbing aluminium feet and hand-engraved panel markings, with a finish in black or chrome. Volume and mute are controlled by a metal remote commander, and the input selector is switched by an RC circuit. Ayon describes the design as offering the shortest signal path it could devise.

Pairing

Ayon states that the very low output impedance suits any amplifier type, so tube and solid state power amplifiers are both valid partners through the XLR or RCA outputs.

Alternatives

A smaller single-chassis option from Ayon is the Auris II line preamplifier with 6H30 triodes and an optional phono board.