His overall design goals for the E≒00S are high efficiency, flat frequency response, low distortion, and very low output impedance, the better to control the speakers. The E≒00S's input circuits are of Vawter's design, as are its dual-mono power supplies. Hypex modules are generally regarded as the state of the art of OEM digital amplification, and it's encouraging to see them in a relatively affordable amplifier. CiAudio sells the E≒00S with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a five-year warranty.Ī strong selling point of the E≒00S is that its output stages are Hypex modules designed by Bruno Putzeys. The rear panel's fittings are of professional quality: a trigger jack, an IEC inlet for a three-pronged power-cord, insulated five-way speaker binding posts, and RCA and XLR input jacks with toggle switches to ground the antiphase legs when an unbalanced source is connected to the RCA jacks. The E≒00S's front panel has a standby/on pushbutton surrounded by a blue light pipe apart from that, only the model name and the CiAudio logo appear. Its case is of brushed aluminum with rounded corners and countersunk machine screws, all reminiscent of early Plinius gearthe look is restrained and competent, rather than opulent. Ten years ago, John Atkinson concluded, about another CiAudio amplifier: "The D-100 is a nice little amplifier that appears to offer the benefits of a switching output stagesmall size, cool runningwith none of the downside."Īt 14" W by 2.75" H by 10" D and 8.5 lbs, the E≒00S is of modest size and graceful proportions. The E≒00S two-channel, 200Wpc power amplifier ($2500) is the latest in CiAudio's line of class-D digital switching amplifiers, which stretches back to 2004. Vawter's goals are to keep CiAudio, now in its 18th year, sustainably smalland fun. Vawter does employ a small number of production workers, and, like many audio companies, CiAudio has outside contractors to do such things as metalwork and finishing. Vawter is not interested in growth for its own sakehe'd rather design and build things himself than manage others who perform those tasks. He said that while his time at AA had taught him a lot about what made that company successful, he also learned what he would do differently in a company of his own. I asked Vawter what he'd learned from his Audio Alchemy experience, and how it has shaped how he runs Channel Islands, aka CiAudio. I conjecture that the bust was caused by inadequate manufacturing-cost data and controls, and excessive discounting and promotional expenses. The boom was fueled by low prices, exceptional performance for the money, favorable reviews, and widespread word-of-mouth recommendations. I think it not unfair to say that Audio Alchemy's was one of the most notable boom-and-bust stories of the digital-audio era. I was intrigued to learn that Dusty Vawter, designer and builder of Channel Islands Audio's products, had served as a customer-service person and technician for Audio Alchemy, whose star also shone but briefly in the 1990s. Just the other day, my friend Bob Saglio was expressing regret that he'd never picked up a pair of Design Acoustics' D-12 dodecahedral (12-sided polygon) loudspeakers, which were reviewed in the September 1973 issue of Stereo Review and often advertised in that magazine. Reading audio magazines of the 1950s through the 1970seven lifestyle magazines of that era, such as Esquire and Playboyrefreshes one's memory of many companies whose stars shone only briefly. Of that list, only McIntosh and Marantz are still in business as high-end audio companiesthe latter relatively affordable, the former exclusive. Many of their products became objects of desire, and some became household names in the post-WWII era. Designers and entrepreneurs such as Frank McIntosh, Avery Fisher, Saul Marantz, Edgar Villchur (AR), David Hafler (Dynaco), and Henry Kloss (AR, KLH, Advent, Advent Video, Cambridge Soundworks, Tivoli Audio) combined technical brilliance and varying levels of business skill with flairs for publicity and marketing. The business of high-end audio can fascinate me almost as much as does high-end audio itself.
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