Karan Acoustics Master Collection POWERa Mono
Stereophile|May 2023
MONOBLOCK POWER AMPLIFIER
JASON VICTOR SERINUS
Karan Acoustics Master Collection POWERa Mono

It began with a bad outlet. Perhaps two weeks after my husband and visiting friend created several delightful holiday light displays in the living room, one of the living room outlets died. Every time I tried to plug in part of the light show, it, along with the living room sound system and reading lights, lost power. If the Grinch didn't exactly steal Christmas, he sure tried to guarantee it would arrive silently under the cover of darkness.

Evil Grinch proved no match for the visiting electrician. While our savior was here, I tapped his knowledge of the eccentricities of Port Townsend's electrical grid. When queried about the underground wiring to our house from the transformer across the street, he said, "Given the age of your house [1992], I am more than 99% certain that the wiring to the meter and your breaker panel is aluminum." After opening the panel, he shattered all illusions by declaring that the underground wiring from the main house to the second breaker panel in the detached music room was also aluminum.

SPECIFICATIONS

Description Solid state, fully balanced, sliding bias class-A, mono power amplifier. Inputs: 1 single-ended (RCA), 1 balanced (XLR). Output: 1 pair binding posts. Power output: 2100W into 8 ohms (33.22dBW), 3600W into 4 ohms (32.55dBW), 6000W into 2 ohms (31.76dBW). Peak power output: 2400W into 8 ohms (33.8dBW). Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz, ±0dB (DC-300kHz, -3dB). Voltage gain: 36dB. Input sensitivity: 2.0V RMS (for max output). Input impedance: 30k ohms (balanced/ unbalanced). Rise and Settling time: <450 ns. Slew rate: 1500V/ us (amplification stages). THD and IMD: 0.03%. Signal/noise: >120dB (unweighted).

Dimensions 19.8" (504mm) W x 11.5" (292mm) H x 23.7" (603mm) D. Weight: 231lb (105kg). Crate dimensions: 28.3" (720mm) W x 16.1" (410mm) H x 32.3" (820mm) D. Shipping weight: 286lb (130kg).

This story is from the May 2023 edition of Stereophile.

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This story is from the May 2023 edition of Stereophile.

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