Audio Note I Zero Valve Integrated Amplifier – Black

Here we have a superb integrated valve amplifier from Audio Note. The I Zero is very well regarded and comes in very good condition with all original packaging, manual, mains cable and our regular three month warranty.
Audio Note Say….
The I Zero is a stereo push / pull line level integrated amplifier with an output power rated at around 8 watts. It has been specifically engineered for sonic performance rather than technical specification, and fulfils all Audio Note (UK) Level Zero criteria: Valve output stage; Class A weighted operation (switching to class AB at high output); Materials and component quality.
It is well known that the accurate reproduction of music, not just sound, requires the purity of the incoming signal to be preserved. It is therefore not difficult to conclude that, in order to achieve this goal and to retain the musicality of the original performance, the complexity of the circuitry itself must be kept to a minimum.
In contrast to the majority of the audio industry, we design our circuits with the aim of minimising non-harmonic and time base anomalies, rather than producing vanishingly small harmonic or low intermodulation distortion measurements. These non-harmonic amplitude and time base distortions have a highly perceptible and adverse effect on the signal waveform, and it is far more important to address these factors than participate in the increasingly irrelevant numbers game that chases ‘perfect measured response’.
As a result, the I Zero has been designed for maximum linearity and minimum transient distortion, within the capabilities of its cost effective and compact design.
We chose to use a pair of the now rarely seen triode / pentode ECL82 valves for the output stage in push / pull configuration. This marvellous small envelope design was widely used in radios and early televisions as an output valve, and is run in Class A until 80% of its rated power. After this, when the amplifier is operating at high power / close to its maximum possible output, the I Zero switches to class AB which provides low-heat, reliable and long life.
Audio Note (UK) copper wiring, high quality film resistors and metalized Mylar film signal capacitors are used in key areas of the circuit, along with in-house designed and manufactured, custom Audio Note (UK) output transformers with copper primaries and secondaries. Our own high quality connectors, switch gear / volume control and trimmings are also included.
Specifications:
Input Impedance: 100 kOhm
Input Sensitivity: 400 mV for full output
Maximum Output: 8 Watt RMS per channel into 6 ohm load
Channel Balance: +/-0.3 dB
Valve Complement: 4 x ECL82
Mains Input: AC 100 – 120 V / 220 – 240 V 50/60 Hz
Max. Power Consumption: 75 W
Dimensions: 300 (W) x 310 (D) x 96 (H) mm
Weight: 7.0 kg