At the heart of the Sira's audio circuit are its superb sounding 5687 twin-triode voltage amplifier and the super linear 6186 cathode follower tubes. We've configured these into an extremely simple audio circuit, but with an elaborate support system of voltage regulators and high impedance current sources to create an optimal operating environment for these tubes.

Think of it this way: the 5687 twin triode and 6186 cathode follower have the potential to amplify your music's audio signal with great integrity. Unfortunately, the potential of these (or any other) great audio tubes can not be realized within the constraints of conventional audio design. This is because tubes require electrically specific operating environments to reach their potential--operating environments that are difficult to provide.

The reason these environments are so hard to provide is that, often, the values that define them are in direct conflict with each other within conventional audio circuit designs. This is where the Sira is unlike more conventional preamplifiers. We've eliminated the conflicting needs within its audio circuits through the use of high impedance current sources in place of both the plate and cathode resistors for the audio tubes. The result is that these tubes can operate in a much more linear manner than in conventional circuits. And, this yields real improvement in audio quality--allowing the music to come through more freely.

The Sira is an all vacuum tube design. We've incorporated vacuum tube-type circuitry for the power supply's rectification, voltage regulation and high impedance current sources. This approach has proven to be the ultimate for providing musical sounding support circuits for the Sira's audio tubes.

The Sira is hand crafted using point-to-point wiring for its audio and power supply circuitry. Its chassis is constructed from thick brushed stainless steel and solid granadillo wood to provide a strong non-magnetic structure for its circuitry. The result is a superior sounding and elegant looking product.

Power 300B - 8.5 Watts, 2A3 - 3 Watts

Bandwidth: 16Hz to 34kHz at -3dB

Sensitivity: full power at 0.625v (300B); about 0.4v (2A3)

Gain: 12.5 at the 8 ohm tap (21.5 dBV)

The input stage consists of a 12AT7 tube. One half is configured as an actively loaded voltage amplifier. The other half of the 12AT7 operates as an actively loaded hybrid shunt regulator for the voltage amplifier, giving the driver stage great extension of both bass and treble information. The output stage may be configured for either a 300B tube or 2A3 tube using cathode bias. A custom Bottlehead plate choke loads the output tube and the output is via a high quality parallel feed coupling capacitor and custom Bottlehead parallel feed output transformer with 4,8 and 16 ohm taps to work with a broad range of speakers. In 300B configuration the two amplification stages are R-C coupled. In 2A3 configuration the additional voltage headroom is used to employ direct coupling between the stages. Both configurations use zero feedback.

The EMC 1 uses a Philips CDM-PRO 2 transport. The CDM-PRO mechanism and DSP board are housed in a rectangular metal block consisting of 4 sheets of metal alloy with soft rubber coupling feet. This electro-mechanical damping system is designed to isolate the transport’s laser mechanism from vibrations. The EMC 1 employs 24/192 kHz DACs and all circuits are fully balanced and symmetrical. Two separate transformers power the digital, analogue, drive mechanism and fluorescent display. The power supply is designed using Electrocompaniet’s Floating Transformer Technology.

Fully custom Cain & Cain single-drivers. Speakers fitted with Fostex FE168 Sigma drivers (sensitivity 94.5dB). Also sports T900A Super Tweeters, solid brass 6

Heavyweight turntable, total weight approx. 38 kg, turntable weight 7.5 kg. Multi-ply acrylic shell with stainless steel bases. Height-adjustable spike-shaped steel feet. Combination of various materials for resonance suppression and damping. Inverted precision bearings. 80 mm high, 7.5 kg acrylic turntable. Electronically regulated DC motor with fine-speed adjustment for 33 and 45 rpm, plus string drive armboards for various tonearms.

Unique one-piece pressure die-cast tone-arm utilizing the advantages of magnesium, replaces conventional fabricated construction. Internal constrained layer damps minute residual vibration leaving the tone-arm acoustically inert. Fine machined cartridge platform, enamel free to avoid interface resonance.

Stainless steel cross shaft, ground and thread ground. Carried in massive yoke on 10mm ABEC 3 ball races. Axis at record mean level to minimize warp-wow. Unique assembly gives high rigidity and allows bearings to be critically adjusted before tone-arm is fitted. Stainless steel vertical shaft, ground and thread ground, with integral 16mm diameter flange to couple shaft and yoke.

23mm diameter steel pillar, heat treated, ground and honed, carries two 17mm ABEC 7 ball races, widely spaced to resist tilt. Anti-skate control operates through tension springs. Dial corresponds with VTF and has positive OFF position. Lowering/raising control gives smooth positive action. Height of lift can be adjusted. Dual-lock base provides movement control with high rigidity. Tungsten-alloy balance weight carried on damped two-point suspension. Extra-low inertia design assists warp riding. Underslung weight housing corrects center of gravity and provides non-reflective tone-arm termination. Adjustment leadscrew journalled in twin ball races with lever clamping. Swiveling damped output socket minimizes vibration transmission in sub-chassis use. Reference lines on tone-arm facilitate VTA setting. Fine adjustment of horizontal tracking angle (HTA). New design alignment protractor sets HTA with great accuracy.

For years Benz-Micro has been known worldwide to produce some of the most desirable and musical phono cartridges in the world. One cartridge stood above all the rest for representing the ultimate in Benz technology and innovation...the Ruby. After many years of production, the original Ruby was updated with the Series 2 designation reflecting even more refinement and innovation. Now, from the creative minds of Benz designer Albert Lukaschek, US Distributor Garth Leerer from Musical Surroundings, and Portuguese Benz Distributor Luis Pires, comes the next evolution of the Ruby phono cartridge, the Ebony LP. Pires, who was born in Africa and was trained as a Mechanical Engineer, is instrumental in sourcing the special aged Ebony wood from Mozambique that forms the cartridge's outer shell. This rare, extremely dense tonewood, takes over 100 years to grow and mature and is extremely scarce. Output voltage: 0.35mv

Description: Battery-powered phono preamplifier. Inputs/outputs: 1 each, unbalanced (RCA). Input impedance: user-adjustable, 100 or 200 ohms, 1k or 47k ohms. THD+noise: <0.02%, A-weighted. Noise: <150µV, A-weighted, 47k ohms @ 50dB gain. Battery life: >800 hours actual listening time. Status indicators: Green (power on), Yellow (standby/signal monitor), Red (low batteries).

KS 3033 is the Kimber Select reference copper loudspeaker cable. The copper is hyper-pure and insulated with high pressure/low temperature V-teflon dielectric material. Conductor resonance and phase are controlled via Kimber's tried and true VariStrand geometry. Sonically, KS 3033 is free of grain and richly melodic. The sound field is vast and dimensional, with details that are close and inviting. Kimber Kable KS 3033 Features: Varistrand hyper-pure copper conductors High pressure/low temperature V-Teflon dielectric Kimber's unique braided and constrained matrix X38R core compound ESD Yarn

Golden Reference is an evolutionary interconnect design by George Cardas. It features Cardas patented “Golden Section”, multi-gauge stranding in a symmetrical, helical tri-axial design. Thin wall Teflon® air tubes are used as dielectric and provide air suspension for the conductors. Cardas patented, “Constant-Q” construction places the smallest of the Golden Ratio strands at the center of the conductor to reduce stored energy and conductor resonance. Cable resonance is further reduced with controlled propagation, crossfield construction, matching conductor to dielectric characteristics with carefully computed strand layering. Multi-layer shielding and cross layered conductors reduce EMI and RFI to a new low. All conductors are individually coated to insulate and prevent oxidation. Golden Reference is a perfectly neutral reference cable. It sounds the same at any length, between any component, at any originating or terminating impedance. Golden Reference is perfectly symmetrical and non-directional. Like all Cardas cables, Golden Reference is individually inspected, and hand terminated using Rhodium plated connectors and Cardas formulated Quad Eutectic solder, for a lifetime of listening pleasure.

Shelf dimensions are 52" wide x 21" deep, with 21½" width between uprights. Shelves are 2" thick. Also using 4" thick solid maple component platforms under certain electronics.