Constellation Audio have announced that at Munich High-End they will be demonstrating their Reference Series Altair II preamplifier and Hercules II monobloc amplifiers in Atrium 4, 1^st Floor, Room F-118.

The engineering accomplishments of the Altair II are many claims the company’s recent press release, beginning with the separate triple- transformer power supply which is itself shielded by a machined aluminium chassis.

Construction of the completely dual-mono control center is highlighted by the use of a machined solid aluminum enclosure (called a raft) which is constructed with 8.2mm-thick walls. The raft is secured to a platform incorporating an isolating polymer sheet between sheets of stainless steel, and this platform is in turn mounted on an elastomeric suspension.

Hercules II monoblocs begin with a solid foundation using two 3,000-Watt transformers housed in their own shielded, suspended enclosure. The shielding and suspension prevents electromagnetic noise or mechanical vibration from entering into the system. Using the 125- Watt fully balanced building block modules that have become a signature of Constellation Audio amplifier designs; the Hercules is configured using multiple modules in a single chassis to deliver 1,000 Watts into each mono chassis. Connection between the Altair II and Hercules II is optimized using the Constellation Direct interface which eliminates an extra gain stage in the signal path. However, for those users of other preamplifiers, Hercules II is also equipped with balanced and single-ended inputs.

Source components will include the Constellation Audio Cygnus Media Server/DAC and a Continuum Audio Labs Obsidian turntable with Viper tonearm paired with a Constellation Audio phono stage. Martin-Logan Neoliths will be used in the system too.

The Constellation Audio Reference System will be on display at the MOC, Atrium 4, 1st Floor, Room F-118.

SPECIFICATIONS

Altair II

Bandwidth: 10Hz-200 KHz @ 0.5% Output = 17 Volts RMS

Inputs: 4-XLR Balanced, 4-RCA Unbalanced

Output: 2pr XLR & RCA/channel

Volume control resolution: 0.1, 0.5, or 1 dB; user-selectable Remote Control: Volume, Balance, Input, Mute, Phase Features: External power supply, 12V trigger, USB control, DB-9 Dimensions

Preamp: (W x H x D): 17.5” x 5.5” x 14.8”; 44.5 cm x 14 cm x 47.6 cm; Weight: 84

lbs.; 38.2 kg.

Power Supply: (W x H x D): 17.5” x 2.8” x 14.5”; 44.5 cm x 7.2 cm x 36.8 cm; Weight: 26.2 lbs.; 11.4 kg.

Hercules II Mono

Power Output: 1.1 kW into 8 Ohms, 1.5 kW into 4 Ohms, 2 kW into 2 Ohms Frequency Response: 10Hz – 100 KHz +1/-0.5 dB

Gain: 32dB

Inputs: XLR Constellation Direct, XLR Balanced, RCA Unbalanced Output: 2pr. Binding post/Banana socket/channel

Input Impedance: 10KΩ Unbalanced, 20KΩ Balanced Features: 12V trigger, USB control

Dimensions (W x H x D): 19” x 13” x 32”; 48.3 cm x 23 cm x 81.3 cm

Weight: 220 lbs.; 100 kg.

The US retail price of the Altair II is $78,000

The US retail price of the Hercules II Monos is $180,000/pr.

Read more news about Munich High End 2016 Here and Hifi Pig’s coverage of last years High End Munich here