Sister-companies iFi Audio and Abbingdon Music Research (AMR) have announced that John Curl, one of the world’s most respected high-end audio engineers, has been engaged as a technical consultant.

Curl is working across all new product designs from iFi and AMR, collaborating closely with iFi’s Technical Director Thorsten Loesch to ensure that all circuit designs are fully optimised. The first products to feature his input include iFi’s forthcoming ZEN range of desktop audio products, the first of which launches at the end of August, together with all-new high-end components from AMR, due in 2020.

High End Hifi Hall Of Fame

John’s status at the forefront of high-end audio’s hall of fame has long been secure. In 1968, whilst building a mixing console for the Grateful Dead, he developed a solid-state circuit that became a benchmark in high-performance audio – the “complimentary differential-input” circuit, which still appears in application handbooks published by transistor manufacturers today.

Mark Levinson

This led to Curl working with a young Mark Levinson in the early 1970s, creating the legendary Mark Levinson Audio Systems JC-2 preamplifier – the first standalone product to incorporate Curl’s complementary differential-input circuit – followed by the ML-2 Class A power amplifier. He went on to work with many other luminaries of the high-end audio scene, including Dave Wilson and Jeff Roland.

Audio Engineer

Curl is unquestionably one of a small band of engineers whose influence is so great it has altered the direction of audio design. Many of us have listened to the equipment he has designed, or that was inspired by his work, often without even realising it. His solid-state circuit designs are lauded as classic exemplars of the type; when asked what makes him different to other audio electronics designers, he once replied, “I have circuit sense”.

Today, Curl works with a select group of highly reputed audio companies. iFi Audio and AMR are delighted to reap the benefits of the exceptional experience he has gained whilst devising some of the finest audio circuits of the last 50 years.

Vincent Luke, Sales Director at iFi Audio and AMR, said: “We are excited to have the opportunity to add John’s exceptional expertise to our talented team of technical designers, led by Thorsten Loesch (pictured with John). His insight will help us to further raise the sonic bar with products from both iFi and AMR – from portable and desktop audio to the very finest high-end hi-fi components, we will continue to push the boundaries of design, functionality and performance.”

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