IceH2O Audio FIRE 2.0 Preamplifier - NO RETURN

DISCLAIMER: No affiliation with h2oaudio dot com
 
DESCRIPTIONS:
- Class-A MOSFET FIRE 2.0 Preamplifier. Handcrafted in the USA
- Less is More! Beautiful music is passed through with very little to none alteration, yet conditioning original music signal to be suitable for feeding any amplifier, however the requirement might be.
- Sonically, Highly competitive with others in the sub $15K. Competitive with some $15K+ preamps
- Circuit topology remained as original (per Henry Ho's)
- Dual Mono design
- Power transformers upgraded from 250VA to 400VA each
- Regulated power supplies were upgraded to higher performance type
- Larger heatsink area (lower temperature compare to smaller original FIRE)
- Single chassis - Power supply and Preamplifier circuitries are in the same enclosure
 
CONDITION: New, fully tested, 150+ burn-in hours

SPECIFICATIONS:
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-20KHz (0dB), 5Hz-120KHz (-3dB)
- Gain: 9.5 dB
- Input Impedance: 22 Kohms
- Output Impedance: 20 Ohms
- Inputs: 4 Single-ended RCA
- Outputs: 2 Single-ended RCA (in parallel)
- Power Consumption: 110 Watts
- Volume: Remote/FIRE (Adjustment, Mute/Unmute, Pre-programmed level)
- Input Select: Remote/FIRE
- Power Transformer: 400VA x 2
- Dimensions: W17" x H7.9" x D16.3"
- Weight: 57 lbs (65lbs shipping weight)
 
PAYMENT: Accept PAYPAL, Money Order, Wire Transfer, Bank Transfer
 
SHIPPING/HANDLING: Free shipping to US
 
RETURN POLICY: NOT ACCEPTED

WARRANTY: 1-year, parts and labor, buyer pays 2-way shipping costs

PACKAGE CONTENT:
- FIRE 2.0 Preamplifier
- Milled solid aluminum remote control
- AC power cord
 
REVIEWS & DISCUSSIONS:
forum.audiogon.com/discussions/h2o-audio-owners
"Henry's equipment is so revealing that good material sounds great, bad CDs, sound just that. I put away my tube equipment for Henry's designs and have not looked back."

"I've spent the past year auditioning many preamps and as far as solid state goes, I haven't found anything better. The Fire is incredibly musical, warm and fully fleshed out, with wonderful extended highs."

forum.audiogon.com/discussions/h2o-audio-fire-preamp-review
"If you can't yet tell, my foremost impression is that the Fire creates beautiful music. There is no annoying glare of a problematic solid state upper midrange, or the masking of a bloated midbass, or the false leading edges and harmonics of over-hyped detail. One might think from reading my notes that the Fire is colored to the warmer end of the spectrum, but I don't think this is the case. Instead, the Fire is letting the natural warmth and detail inherent in a recording pass on to the amplifier. I hear more body, warmth, detail, dimension and dynamics, and can't help but get drawn into and swept away by the music."

6moons.com/audioreviews/h2o2/1.html
"The Fire also played an unusual trump card more often associated with low-wattage tube amplification. It made low-level information more apparent, trevealing complex leading and trailing edges on instruments as well as enhancing dimensional solidity and soundstage boundaries.

It recreated not only the musicians but the totality of the event in a musically coherent manner.

Where the other preamplifiers emphasized transparency and the distance between objects, the Fire filled those empty spaces with huge amounts of acoustical information. Which was right? See-through clarity or the dense atmosphere of a smoky jazz club? I can say with conviction that if the Fire was wrong it certainly was absolutely compelling and consistently drew me into its version of the event.

The Fire Preamplifier is hot in more ways than one. Yes it runs a fever like a power amplifier; yes it is bare-boned in its functions and deserves a metal remote in keeping with its intended pedigree. But all of that is forgotten once the first notes play. Its calling card of ambience retrieval is stunning and its ability to suspend disbelief, pulling you into the event rather than presenting the event to you, makes this effort something very special."