SPL Performer S800 Stereo Power Amp With VOLTAiR Tech

Performer s800 is a stereo power amplifier that delivers 2 x
285 W to 4 ohms loudspeakers. In Bridge Mode it delivers 450 W into 4 oder 8
ohms.

 

• Bi
  polar transistor power amplifier with VOLTAiR 120V technology

• 2 x
  285 W into 4 ohms; 2 x 185 W into 8 ohms (stereo operation) 

• 450
  W into 4 or 8 ohms (mono operation – Bridge Mode)

• Toroidal
  transformer with 855 VA

• 40800
  µF capacitance for faithful reproduction of impulse peaks

• Gold-plated
  loudspeaker binding posts with protection covers

• Neutrik
  XLR connectors for balanced in- and outputs

• Direct
  slave through of the input (e.g. for bi-wiring)

• Input
  trim switch for attenuation up to -5.5 dB in 0.5 dB steps

• AMP
  CTR connector for remote power on/off switching (e.g. with Director or Phonitor
  x)

• Overheat
  protection with Temp LED

• DC
  (direct current) voltage protection with Protect LED

• Made
  in Germany

 

The technical basis of all Professional Fidelity
units is our proprietory 120 V Rail Technology, which we also call VOLTAiR
technology. The name makes reference to the unequalled high voltage of 120 V
(+/-60 V DC) and the huge dynamic range of over 140 dB that goes with it.

The Performer s800 amplifier is an ultra-compact power amplifier.
Thanks to the VOLTAiR technology this power amplifier has absolute control over
the speakers up to their load limits.

In stereo operation this bi-polar transistor power amplifier
delivers up to 2x 285 W into 4 ohms speakers. In Bridge Mode it delivers 450 W
into a 4 or 8 ohms speaker.

The Performer s800 is equipped with slave-through outputs
and input trim switches.

Toroidal transformer

The Performer s800 is equipped with a 855 VA toroidal
transformer. After many listening test we are convinced that an fully analog
power amplifier with a power supply built around a toroidal
transformer sound superior to digital amplifiers and power amplifiers with
switch mode power supplies.

The power supply is equipped with a capacitance
of 40800 µF for screening and electricity storage for faithful
reproduction of impulse peaks.

Protection

The Performer amplifier has a protection circuit against DC
(direct current) voltage at the output and against overheating.

At about 70° C at the heat sink, the amplifier will switch
off. After the temperature has fallen below 55° C, the amplifier automatically
switches on again. The Temp LED on the front indicates the overheating.

If DC is detected at the outputs, the amplifier
automatically switches off. DC voltage can be an indication for a defect in the
power stage. The Performer s800 does not automatically switch on again. It
needs to be disconnected from the power (on/off). The Protect LED on the front
indicates that the protection circuit is activated and the power stage has been
switched off.

Inputs and outputs

The Performer s800 is equipped with Neutrik XLR input and
output connectors for balanced operation. The input signal is passively routed
to the output connector to feed e.g. a second power amplifier for bi-wiring.

The input can be lowered via a Trim rotary switch from 0 dB
to -5.5 dB in 0.5 dB steps. This is useful in order to a achieve an optimal
stereo sweet-spot in acoustically sub-optimal rooms. In bi-wiring line-ups
or in the studio with multi speaker sets it allows to level speakers with
different efficiency to equal loudness.

The speaker outputs are gold plated binding post connectors.
The terminals can accommodate both banana plugs, as well as a strand of up to
4mm diameter. To protect against short-circuits the Binding post is equipped
with a clear plastic cap.

Amp Control

The Performer s800 has a 3.5mm mono
jack designated as AMP CTR (amplifier control). With the appropriate
cable, the Performer can be connected to a pre-amplifier, so
that when you turn the pre-amplifier the
amplifier is automatically switched on, too. In our Pro-Fi
series the Director and the Phonitor x adequate AMP CTR ports.

Professional Fidelity
• Pro-Fi-Serie

Performer s800 is part of our Pro-Fi series of
products. Pro-Fi stands for Professional Fidelity and it expresses that these
products have their roots in professional studio technology being optimized for
high-fidelity music playback.

We love simple elegance and a certain level of
understatement. Therefore we renounce over-dimensioned housing milled out of a
solid block and other mostly price-driving attributes of many high-end
products. Our background is come from professional studio technology, where inner
values and audio performance count the most.

Mastering studios give your records and CDs the final
tough – with SPL 120V technology. And because the Performer s800 is
built with the same technology it belongs to best amplifiers. With its
extraordinary specifications and enormous headroom Performer
s800 amplifies audio in the most relaxed and detailed fashion.

VOLTAiR-Technologie

VOLTAiR technology is what we also call the 120V rail
technology to express the unequalled high voltage, which is four times as high
as usual. The performance characteristics are unique and they have just such
effect on the listening experience.

The 120V electronics operate quasi ‘idle’ even at highest audio
levels and impulse peaks. They never operate on the limit and therefore never
get stressed. The music presents itself with a serenity that you feel pleasant
when listening.

The Sound

120V Rail Technology is our reference
technology developed and manufactured to run on an operating voltage of
120 volts, which corresponds to twice that of discrete operational amplifiers
and four-times that of semiconductor operational amplifiers.

120V Rail Technology reaches outstanding technical and
sonic performances. Technically especially in terms of dynamic range and
headroom and sonically especially in reproducing the finest details and
delivering a totally relaxed sounding audio experience. Music sounds absolutely
natural and hearing fatigue is drastically reduced.

Even the best audio measuring equipment arrives at the
boundaries. In same situations we ended up just measuring the Audio Precision
Cascade 2 measuring device and we cannot say how good the 120V Rail Technology
actually performs.

Comparisons

 

The direct relation between operating level and maximum
level is fundamental for the classification: the higher the operating level,
the higher the maximum level a circuit can handle. And since virtually all
essential acoustic and musical parameters depend on this relation, a higher
operating voltage also has a positive impact on the dynamic range, distortion
limit and signal-to-noise ratio.

Do bear in mind that dB scales do not represent linear but
rather exponential increases. A 3dB increase corresponds to doubling the
acoustic power, +6dB correspond to twice the sound pressure level, and +10dB
correspond to twice the perceived loudness.

When it comes to volume, the 120V Rail Technology exhibits a
performance, in regard to maximum level and dynamic range, that is twice that
of common components and circuits given that its values are approximately 10dB
higher.

THD measurements of the 120V op-amp show a difference of
more than 3dB compared to the OPA134 at 36V — in terms of sound pressure level,
that corresponds to an improvement of more than 50%.

The operating level most commonly used for audio equipment
is 30 volts.