| AUDIBLE ILLUSIONS Modulus M3B, Full Function Tube Preamplifier, Black Finish.
- Condition: Used
- Price: 3227.89 EUR
- Status: sold
- Item number: 305502595703
- Seller: artanddrums (25|100.0%)
- Seller information: non commercial
- Item location: Livonia, Michigan
- Ships to: US
- Shipping: 0,0 EUR
- on EBAY
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Description
Will be professionally packaged prior to shipping from my home. REVIEWS: The finest full function preamp Audible Illusions ever made. $42,790 worth of preamp sound for $4695? Following the success and critical acclaim of our highly regarded, multiple-award-winning Modulus 3A preamplifier, Audible Illusions is proud to announce the Modulus 3B. The successor to the M3A (recently heralded as one of the 12 most significant preamp designs of all time-The Absolute Sound issue 223) the M3B continues to deliver on our promise to offer reference-caliber sound quality at an affordable price. Thirty years after the introduction of the first Modulus, the M3B again sets benchmarks as a breakthrough component creating new standards for affordable sonic performance and reliability. The Modulus 3B builds on the M3As legacy of sonic excellence, quality, and reliability. With more than 20,000 Modulus preamps manufactured to date, and over 150 rave product reviews from audio critics around the world, the Modulus design has proven truly timeless. To date, it is the finest full-function preamplifier we have and continues to be the benchmark by which many others are measured. To list all the innovations brought forth by our designs would be difficult, but noteworthy among these are the elimination of cathode followers, buffers, and negative feedback. The Modulus was the first preamplifier to parallel tube output stages and to incorporate high performance Teflon capacitors into the circuit. The sonic benefits of these designs are evident and have made our company a pioneer in modern-day tube technology. Adhering to our circuit design philosophy that Simple is Better and based on the proven superiority of single-ended, triode-tube designs the Modulus continues to set standards for music reproduction. The M3B remains one of the few full-function preamplifiers designed to delight vinyl and digital enthusiasts alike. Our goal was to retain the sonic signature of previous designs while improving on the fundamentals that put simply, let the music flow. The result is a preamplifier with capable of reproducing music with the dynamics, scale and timbre or the original recorded event. When compared to the previous generation M3A, the M3B adds a host of features and refinements. The circuit board has been redesigned to further simplify the signal path, improve switching, and reduce vibration. This latest design utilizes relay switching ensuring the signal bypasses switches resulting in better clarity and definition. All inter-stage coupling capacitors have been upgraded ensuring all capacitors in the signal path are now Foil and Teflon. Attenuators now feature a revised taper to ensure more precise matching with a broad range of components. The latest circuit board features full OFC traces, a Teflon solder mask, film resistors, and enhanced gold-pin ceramic tube holders. To supply power to this new design we have added more powerful inboard and outboard power supplies. The resulting sonic improvements are nothing short of breathtaking. We have again lowered M3B’s noise floor, improved musical resolution, transparency and tonal accuracy. Harmonic integrity is maintained while adding tighter low frequency extension and weight. The soundstage of the M3B can only be described as three-dimensional and cavernous. Too often, designs compromise neutrality and musicality to enhance some portion of the audio spectrum. Our philosophy is different. Be true to the signal and the music will follow. That philosophy has served us well for 30 years, and on that we will NEVER compromise. MODULUS 3B - During the past 40 years, our Modulus preamplifiers have evolved through several generations to become one of the best tube preamplifiers available. Built on the Companys design philosophy that Simpler is Better the Modulus clearly demonstrates the superiority of single-ended, pure class-A no-feedback tube designs that have garnered critical acclaim from audio authorities around the world. Completely hand-crafted this latest Modulus employs only the finest parts available. The external power supply has been redesigned with a larger toroid transformer with special circuitry to minimize common-mode noise. The precision-machined faceplate features new control knobs and pushbuttons. The company name is engraved and gold-filled. Needless to say This is the Finest Modulus We Have Ever Made. - Audible Illusions The Modulus M3B is a deceptively simple design, employing a single gain stage, class A triode circuit utilizing no cathode followers or buffers to degrade the sound. It is a basic design concept that has remained a focus of the Modulus circuit topology since its inception and is one of the reasons for the sparkling sonic clarity and resolution. Inside youll find a host of superb parts and pieces, along with excellent quality workmanship and great attention to detail. The list of parts includes: Teflon solder mask, OFC circuit board traces, custom film capacitors, and custom stepped attenuators using high-quality metal film resistors. What is it that makes the Modulus M3B such a standout? Id have to say it is a balance of strengths with few, very few, weaknesses. A strong suit has always been the soundstage, and the M3B competes with most any preamp (almost regardless of price) in this area. It develops an absolutely holographic panorama, that is truly a delight to experience. In sum, it is difficult to fault the Modulus 3B on any count. Look for yourself, but I doubt youll find a preamp with this level of performance, build-quality, and reliability at anywhere near the price. The MM phono input will accept any cartridge with 1mV of output, or greater. For those using low output moving coil cartridges, optional Gold Phono Boards are available for increased gain. Designed by the legendary John Curl, the ultra-quiet pre-pre amp boards give the M3B the ability to handle even very low output MC cartridges with low noise and superb fidelity. FEATURES: Circuit design is Pure Class-A, Single-Ended Triode, Zero Feedback, Dual-MonoAudio Circuit has no Cathode Followers or BuffersTo prevent unwanted AC-induced distortions, the M3B features an External Power Supply housing three separate regulated supplies and a large-shielded custom-wound transformerThe main chassis has three-separate, fully-regulated FET power supplies driving the audio circuitry in addition to separate filament suppliesAutomatic-timed muting circuit with Dual-Color LED indicatorLow-light illumination for Selector Switch and Volume ControlsStandby Mode avoids cold starts and prolongs tube life and circuit componentsActive Tape Output Circuit is FET regulated, set for unity gainCircuit boards are OFC copper and hand-soldered with silver solder. Polypropylene and Polystyrene capacitors used are proprietary designs of Audible Illusions.Resistors are 1% film Vishay-Dale and RoedersteinProprietary gold-plated RCA Jacks with Teflon InsulatorsVolume-Balance controls are precision stepped attenuators The Modulus M3B adds a host of features and performance enhancements over its predecessor, the M3A. M3B vs M3A Relay Switching – the signal does not pass through switches resulting in better clarity and definitionUpgraded interstage coupling capacitors – All capacitors in the signal path are film and foil for better resolution and lower noiseLarger, low-noise toroid transformer in the outboard power supply for improved performance in all areasCleaner, more direct signal path resulting in improved performance in all areasRevised taper on attenuator for better matching with a wider range of source componentsUser-adjustable gain settings CUSTOMER REVIEWS: Let me begin at the end, with the bottom line: the Audible Illusions Modulus 3B is the biggest bang/buck preamp on the planet. Yes, its not inexpensive. But it performs at a world-class level, rivaling the sound quality of pres in the 5-figure range. I am a lifelong audiophile, and have had the good fortune over the last three decades of owning and/or directly experiencing preamps from many of the major players in the audio industry, including: Pass, Rowland, Conrad-Johnson, Audio Research, Aesthetix, Sonic Frontiers (back when they existed!), BAT, VAC, and Classe (to name a few). Between my own ownership, that of my best audio-friend in town, and attendance at RMAF, Ive been able to sample many, many components. As a consequence, I dont make my bank/buck claim lightly. Probably the finest-sounding pres Ive ever heard are the top of the line offerings by BAT and VAC, which I spent some time with at last years RMAF. But - and heres the but - the Audible Illusions gives up little to them. In terms of every sonic parameter - tone, texture, dimensionality, breadth and depth of soundstage, rhythm and pacing, frequency range - it is simply superlative. Most surprisingly, it SERIOUSLY cranks some bass. That is, it sounds equally exquisite playing Tchaikovsky as it does Soundgarden. The Modulus ROCKS. I recently did a shootout between it and a custom-built ARC unit (with Great Northern Sound Company upgrades), and it was no contest. Mind you, I love my GNSC-modded unit, and Steve Huntley (back in the days of GNSC) did fantastic work. But the AI kicked its ass (in fairness, it is an SP14, so it wasnt ever top-of-the-line to begin with). I have a Modulus 3A with Gold phono board. The gold phono board is all fet designed by John Curl and is very similar to the sound of the Vendetta phono preamp. The Gold phono board adds about 20db of gain to the signal, then it passes through the M3B tube phono preamp. I use it with a ZU/Denon DL103. The sound is to die for. I also have a Modulus 3B in my main system and the sound of the 3B is light years ahead of the 3A. It is much quieter, has greater bandwidth and the sound is much more relaxed and analog sounding. I am using a Dynavector 20xl low output mc cartridge on this preamp with a Denon AU320 step-up transformer. I must say that the gold phono board on my Modulus3A sounds better than using the Denon SUT. The tube phono preamp on both units are very satisfactory. Both phono preamps are very quiet using the Ultra-low noise 6h23neb tubes from Audible Illusions. I have to put the preamp volume 3/4 of the way up before I hear even the slightest amount of hiss with my 89db efficient speakers. The L3 is just the line portion of the M3B preamp, it only uses 2 tubes instead of 4. Everything else is the same. If you do not have a turntable, get the L3 instead. - Stereo5, AG Member GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS: Overall Gain: 58dB at 1kHzTube Compliment: 4-6922 or 6H23EB twin-triodes, graded & matchedWeight: 20.5 lbs, 24 lbs (shipping weight)Dimensions: 19?W x 3.5?H standard rackChassis is 17?W x 11?D x 3?HPower Supply, 6?W x 10?D x 5?HMuting:45 second warm-up and automatic brown-out protectionPower Requirements: 115-125VAC, 60HzOptional 100, 220, 230, 240 50-60Hz transformers. PHONO SECTION: Gain: 28dB at 1kHzFrequency Response: +/- .25dB of RIAA from 20hz to 20kHzSignal Phase: Non-InvertingSignal to Noise: 74dB below a 5mV input widebandDistortion: Less than .015% at 20 kHzInput Impedance: 47 kOhmsPhono Overload: 1.2v RMS at 1 kHz (100k load)750mv RMS at 1 kHz (IHF load) HIGH-LEVEL SECTION: Gain: 30dB, Tape & S/S Processor 0dBFrequency Response: Within +/-1 dB2Hz to 100kHz measured w 1-1 probe(50 kOhms, 100pf load)Signal to Noise: 90dB below 1.5V RMS output widebandInput Impedance: 50kOhm – allOutput Impedance: Main-1.2 kOhms, Tape-150 OhmsDistortion: .10% at 1.5V RMS, 20-50 kHz, into 50kOhm load. Less than .12% THD at 1v out into IHF loadSignal Phase: Main Outputs – InvertingTape Outputs – Non-InvertingMaximum Input: 9v RMS
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