Усилители для наушников — Riviera Audio Labs AIC10Bal

The AIC10-Bal is a stereo headphone integrated amplifier from Riviera Audio Laboratories, an Italian company whose circuits are designed by Luca Chiomenti. It is the only headphone amplifier in the current Riviera range, and an internal DAC and any controls judged superfluous were deliberately left out of the circuit.

Key specs that matter

Output is 10 W per channel into 8 ohms in pure class A, with gain of 26.5 dB. Input sensitivity is 135 mV for 1 W and 440 mV for full output into 8 ohms, and input impedance is 47k ohms. For sources there are two RCA line inputs plus a single balanced XLR input. Headphone outputs are a 4-pin XLR balanced socket or a 6.3 mm jack, and switchable loudspeaker terminals are fitted as well. The chassis measures 26 x 43.5 x 14.5 cm and weighs 14.4 kg.

Engineering and use context

Like every Riviera amplifier, the AIC10-Bal uses zero overall feedback and class A operation in every stage. Voltage gain in each channel comes from a single-ended triode of the ECC82/12AU7 type, a single valve serving both channels, while BJT and MOSFET devices handle the power stage. Those output devices can dissipate 150 W continuously. The linear supply uses an oversized transformer feeding a pi filter and distributed capacitance, many smaller capacitors placed close to the power devices instead of a pair of large reservoirs, and the total exceeds 65,000 uF. As the maker describes its practice, the valve stage supply is stabilised by a MOSFET regulator, and the pi filtering also extends to the power stage supply, an uncommon choice. Riviera avoids active protection circuits, relying only on supply fuses and generous sizing of transformers, heatsinks and power devices. A front panel selector chooses between the loudspeaker output, a high-level headphone setting for low-sensitivity headphones and a low-level setting for high-sensitivity models. Finishes are Gold, a glossy sand colour with 24 kt mirror gold knobs, or Dark Titanium, a matte grey with matte aluminium controls.

Pairing

The two headphone levels let the AIC10-Bal match hard-to-drive and very sensitive headphones alike without excess gain. Through the speaker outputs it can also drive medium-sensitivity loudspeakers in domestic rooms, and the XLR input accepts balanced DACs or preamplifiers directly.

Alternatives

For loudspeaker-first systems, Riviera also builds the Levante integrated amplifier.