First encountered by us at The Newcomers stand at High End Munich and gaining a name for themselves with their high-end DACs, the French startup B.audio have now got to work on a power amplifier, the B.amp.

Intelligent Output Drive

Operating in both mono or stereo mode, the B.amp makes use of the proprietary IOD “Intelligent Output Drive” technology, which allows, say B.amp  “an exceptionally natural sound reproduction”, in line with the brand’s philosophy.

Class AB Power Amplifier

The B.amp is a class AB “bridgeable” power amplifier, which has been engineered to be used in stereo mode while being primarily a fully symmetrical mono block. The output transistors operate in class AB, providing a large power reserve. B.audio’s Intelligent Output Drive (IOD) technology, which makes use of local feedback, eliminates the associated crossover distortion. All other stages operate in pure class A, including the driver part of the output stage.

“The research on amplification was conducted in the same philosophy we adopted for the D/A conversion: we started by scanning all the technical possibilities without preconceived opinion before selecting the most relevant solutions. This is why we have chosen to set the power at a reasonable but comfortable level, the current capacity being still four times higher than usual.” explains Cédric Bermann, one of the two brothers behind the project.

Made In France

The elegant design is the result of the work of designer Olivier Hess. The front panel features CNC-machined microblasted aluminium and the ventilation holes evoke the idea of amplification through their progressive shape. The hyperbolic feet from B.audio’s products are also present on the B.amp.

The products manufactured by B.audio are handmade in the company’s workshops in Mutzig, near Strasbourg. The assembly of the electronic boards as well as the crafting of the housing components are carried out locally by partner companies. The B.amp will be available for sale as of April 30th, 2019. B.audio will also be exhibiting at High End Munich 2019 in May, Hall 4 stand P14.

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