Design Features
Finest Part Selection: The Preface uses the best sounding OPAMPS from Burr
Brown. All electrolytic capacitors, are all ultra low ESR Samwha or Panasonic Gold
series. On the power supply we use the finest sounding regulators our own custom
screened mains transformers. At Chapter we also use the finest full immersion gold
Printed Circuit Boards and ‘Melf’ surface mount precision resistors.
Wide bandwidth: This is important in preserving the vital H.F. phase information
essential to stereo sound staging and realism. The output stage was designed
specifically for its speed of response, further improved by a high-speed differential
input stage. Frequency compensation of the pre-amplifier is achieved in such a way
as to allow excellent phase and gain margin into complex amplifier loads without
compromising high frequency phase or power bandwidth.
Balanced ground layout: Cancels the ground currents that can cause
Inter-modulation distortion and crosstalk in a conventional stereo design.
Full Immersion Gold Printed Circuit Boards: Audio signals travel on gold track.
As you would imaging, compared to copper and gold plate this is a very expensive
to manufacture, but the sonic benefits are hugely tangible in terms of space, air and
dynamics.
Custom Designed Differential Volume Control: At Chapter we auditioned many
different volume pots, all of which had their own traits. Instead of designing
electronics to counter the sonic signature of any particular pot, we have designed
our own, using a series of precision resistors and relays. This gives us
unprecedented levels of resolution with complete volume repeatability.
Large Very Low Noise PSU: The heart of the pre-amplifier, where digital,
analogue and control power supplies are derived from a custom made 400VA
transformer, utilising cascaded super regulators and banks of Low ESR capacitors.
