Introduction

Preamplifiers act as the backbone of premium audio setups, overseeing input selection, initiating amplification, managing volume and balance, and ensuring electrical separation between sound sources and amplifiers. When you add the StellarGold Preamplifier into your audio chain—bridging devices like DACs, phono stages, tuners, or other auxiliaries with your power amplifier—you’ll experience a magical sonic revelation: more realism, life, and space around each performer. It’s time to take control of your system and add that missing element: StellarGold.

Design

The StellarGold features two hand-crafted, discrete amplification stages with extremely high slew rate, wide bandwidth, and low-distortion signal handling. Using a hybrid of JFET and BJT devices alongside hand-selected purist components, the signal path is completely free of capacitors. Each stage employs minimal global feedback, achieving low distortion through precise balancing and high-current design choices. Its high-current Class A output stage drives long cable runs without compromise, ensuring your power amplifier reaps every benefit StellarGold offers.

Application

As the heart of any standalone audio system, a preamplifier must control sources like DACs, phono stages, and tuners without leaving a sonic thumbprint. The StellarGold excels at this challenge, converting all inputs into a fully balanced signal for ultra-low distortion. With four identical balanced and single-ended inputs, it can serve two-channel stereo systems or integrate seamlessly into a home theater setup, delivering life, energy, and a sweet analog presentation.

Technology Overview

Inside, a high-slew-rate, low-feedback JFET/BJT hybrid gain stage provides remarkably low distortion without heavy global feedback. Volume control is handled by a fully balanced precision electronic stepped attenuator, offering transparent level adjustment. An oversized, high-current transformer feeds multiple regulated power supplies, preserving wide dynamic range and preventing compression or distortion. Fully balanced circuitry extends bandwidth from near DC to well above audibility, resulting in an open, transparent soundstage with instruments and voices that truly come alive. Input switching uses hand-selected, gold-plated relays chosen for sonic neutrality, and every I/O circuit enjoys complete galvanic isolation for the purest signal path.

Key Features

• Pure Class A analog amplification
• Discrete JFET and BJT hybrid architecture
• Fully balanced signal path from input to output
• Four RCA single-ended inputs and four XLR balanced inputs
• Two XLR balanced and two RCA single-ended outputs per channel
• Precision volume and balance via stepped attenuator
• Low global feedback design
• High slew rate and near-perfect transient response
• Wide frequency limits from near DC to 200 kHz
• Oversized transformer and multi-stage regulation
• Dual output trigger ports

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