Description
Announced at CES 2018, the Drop + THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier (THX AAA™) 789 is a linear bipolar amplifier with feed-forward error correction. It’s designed for objectivists who appreciate an incredibly clean, transparent amp—the sought-after “wire with gain” whose amplification is wholly uncolored by a sound of its own. Made in collaboration with THX Ltd., it features the company’s groundbreaking THX AAA and feed-forward topology, which reduce distortion by 20 to 40 dB for realistic, fatigue-free listening. In fact, this bridged-output amp’s performance figures speak for themselves: It’s powerful (2 x 6W at 32 ohms) and quiet (136 dB SNR) with a record-low THD of -140 dB at 300 ohms, 100 mW. That’s four times the power of the Objective 2 amp, for example, with far less distortion. THX AAA TECHNOLOGYCapable of driving any headphones, including high-impedance, high-current, and high-sensitivity types, the THX AAA 789 amp transmits the original audio in its purest possible form. That’s thanks in large part to THX AAA technology, which reduces harmonic, intermodulation, and crossover distortions. Virtually every conventional amplifier distorts significantly when driving current into a headphone, producing crossover distortion that fatigues the listener. The engineers at THX set out to solve this problem—and to deliver the performance of a class-A amplifier without the heat and weight—and THX AAA technology was born. To learn more about Laurie Fincham, the chief scientist behind THX AAA, check out this interview on Home Theater Geeks. ABOUT THX LTD.Founded by legendary filmmaker George Lucas in 1983, THX Ltd. and its partners provide premium entertainment experiences in the cinema, in the home, and on the go. Over the past 30 years, THX has expanded its certification categories beyond studios and cinemas to consumer electronics, content, and automotive systems. Today, THX continues to redefine entertainment, providing exciting new technologies and assurance of experiences with superior quality and high performance that guarantee the artists vision is truthfully delivered to audiences worldwide. Fun fact: Composed by Lucasfilm sound engineer Dr. James “Andy” Moorer and screened at the start of the 1983 premiere of Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, THX Deep Note remains one of the most recognizable sonic identities to this day. SPECSGeneralAll parameters measured at 0 dB gain, 1 kHz, with balanced inputs and 300-ohm load unless otherwise notedInputs: Stereo XLR-3 gold-plated Neutrik; Stereo RCA gold-platedOutputs: 1/4 in (6.35 mm) TRS gold-plated Neutrik; 3.5 mm TRS gold-plated; XLR-4 balanced gold-platedFrequency response: + 0.01 dB / - 0.03 dB 20 Hz–20 kHz; + 0.05 dB / - 0.15 dB 10 Hz–50 kHzInput impedance: 50 kOhms balanced or unbalancedChassis: High-grade CNC-milled aluminum with bead-blasted finishPower supply: 24 VDC inline brick, universal input 100–240 VACDimensions: 8.3 x 9.1 x 2.2 in (210 x 230 x 57 mm)Weight: 3.4 lbs (1,520 g)Balanced OutputOutput power: 6000 mW, 16 ohms, <1% THD (watts per channel)Output power: 6000 mW, 32 ohms, <1% THD (watts per channel)Output power: 800 mW, 300 ohms, <1% THD (watts per channel)Output power: 400 mW, 600 ohms, <1% THD (watts per channel)THD: -143 dB, 300 ohms, 1 mW: 0.000007%THD: -140 dB, 300 ohms, 100 mW: 0.000010%THD: -130 dB, 32 ohms, 1 mW: 0.000032%THD: -130 dB, 32 ohms, 100 mW: 0.000032%THD: -122 dB, 16 ohms, 1 mW: 0.000080%THD: -122 dB, 16 ohms, 100 mW: 0.000080%IMD: -123 dB, SMPTE 70 Hz + 70 kHz, 300 ohms: 0.000071%IMD: -124 dB, DFD 18 kHz + 19 kHz, 300 ohms: 0.000063%Crosstalk: -127 dB, 300 ohms: 0.000045%Noise (A-wt): 2.4 uV, potentiometer at nilSNR: 136 dB, 300 ohms, <1% THDGain: 0.66x , 2.0x, 6.6x (-4, +6, +16 dB), selectable via front switchOutput impedance: < 0.1 ohmsSingle-Ended OutputOutput power: 3000 mW, 16 ohms, <1% THD (watts per channel)Output power: 1800 mW, 32 ohms, <1% THD (watts per channel)Output power: 200 mW, 300 ohms, <1% THD (watts per channel)Output power: 100 mW, 600 ohms, <1% THD (watts per channel)THD: -143 dB, 300 ohms, 1 mW: 0.000007%THD: -135 dB, 300 ohms, 100 mW: 0.000018%THD: -135 dB, 32 ohms, 1 mW: 0.000018%THD: -133 dB, 32 ohms, 100 mW: 0.000022%THD: -130 dB, 16 ohms, 1 mW: 0.000032%THD: -125 dB, 16 ohms, 100 mW: 0.000056%IMD: -117 dB, SMPTE 70 Hz + 70 kHz, 300 ohms: 0.000141%IMD: -125 dB, DFD 18 kHz + 19 kHz, 300 ohms: 0.000056%Crosstalk: -90 dB, 300 ohms: 0.003162%Noise (A-wt): 1.2 uV, potentiometer at nilSNR: 136 dB, 300 ohms, <1% THDGain: 0.33x , 1.0x, 3.3x (-10, 0, +10 dB), selectable via front switchOutput impedance: < 0.05 ohmsINCLUDEDSwitching power supply that handles 100–240 VAC (US plug; adapter needed for global use)
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