Design Features
Finest Part Selection: The Preface uses the best sounding OPAMPS from Burr
Brown and Linear Technology. All electrolytic capacitors, are all ultra low ESR
Panasonic Gold series. On the power supply we use the finest sounding regulators
from LT and our own custom screened mains transformers. At Chapter we also use
the finest full emersion gold Printed Circuit Boards and ‘Melf’ surface mount
precision resistors.
Wide bandwidth: This is important in preserving the vital H.F. phase information
essential to stereo sound staging and realism. The output stage was designed spe-
cifically for its speed of response, further improved by a high-speed
input stage. Frequency compensation of the pre-amplifier is achieved in such a way
as to allow excellent phase and gain margin into complex amplifier loads without
compromising high frequency phase or power bandwidth.
Balanced ground layout: Cancels the ground currents that can cause
Inter-modulation distortion and crosstalk in a conventional stereo design.
Full Emersion Gold Printed Circuit Boards: Audio signals travel on gold track. As
you would imaging, compared to copper and gold plate this is a very expensive to
manufacture, but the sonic benefits are hugely tangible in terms of space, air and
dynamics.
Custom Designed Volume Control: At Chapter we auditioned many different
volume pots, all of which had their own traits. Instead of designing electronics to
counter the sonic signature of any particular pot, we have designed our own, using
a series of precision resistors and relays. This gives us unprecedented levels of
resolution with complete volume repeatability.
Large Very Low Noise PSU’s: The heart of the pre-amplifier, where digital,
analogue and control power supplies are derived from separate custom made 50VA
transformers, the finest Linear Technology regulators and Panasonic gold series
capacitors.
Acousteel Vibration Control System: In the Chapter Preface, vibrational energy
is reduced by up to 80%, effectively isolating the pre-amp from 15Hz upwards. By
using three sheets of aluminium bonded together with a special viscose-elastic
polymer and using this as the pre-amp base plate, vibrational energy
transmitted to the components within the unit are kept to a minimum.
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