Elegance. Finesse. Resolution. Grace.
Other integrated amplifier solutions on the market may offer support for app-controlled streaming, but in nearly every case, the user experience, library management, and software playback engine are an afterthought requiring third-party software and hardware to get the job done.
In AP20’s case, more than 10 years of industry-leading experience has made Aurender the digital source component of choice in the world’s finest audio systems. Now, that same holistic digital playback engine and user experience is available from an integrated amplifier that completely removes the need for more components and cables.
Just add speakers, and enjoy a premium HiFi experience, without all the HiFi boxes.
FEATURES
Ultra High-Performance Class D Amplifiers
There's Class D, and then there's ridiculously good Class D. AP20 utilizes the finest amplifier modules available. Designed by renowned engineer Bruno Putzeys, the Purifi Eigentakt 1ET400A amplifier is free of digital harshness, edginess, and grain. Featuring impressive specifications that are reflected in its extraordinary audio performance, AP20's dual-mono amplifier section represents the state-of-the-art of Class D amp technology.
Dead-Quiet Linear Power Supply
Most Class D amplifier implementations utilize switch mode power supplies because they are efficient, cool-running, and inexpensive. However, this can introduce noise and distortion to the signal path, resulting in an audio presentation that lacks a sense of natural analog grace. So, in typical Aurender fashion, AP20 uses SIX discrete toroidal transformers to power the CPU, left & right DAC boards, FPGA processor, and power output stages, respectively.
Aurender's Best DAC
Aurender designed the AP20 for those seeking the simplicity of an all-in-one unit without sacrificing a high level of resolution, transparency, and inner detail. Built around an integrated dual-mono AKM4497 DAC module, AP20's best-in-class DAC section delivers high-resolution PCM, DSD, and MQA full-decoding at the highest level.
Analog Volume Control
In any system, the quality of the audio presentation is significantly impacted by the volume control mechanism of the preamplifier. Remarkably, AP20 employs an analog-domain volume control based on an R2R stepped-attenuator system. Volume control of this quality is utterly uncommon in digitally-equipped integrated amps, and it is a major reason why AP20 provides such a natural, open sound.
OCXO Precision Clock
AP20's OCXO based precision clock generation system incorporates a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) with sub 100fs jitter-reducing clock generator to precisely time digital audio data transmissions and minimize jitter to below negligible levels.
Analog Pass-Through Inputs
The AP20 provides a suite of analog inputs including 1X balanced XLR and 2X single-ended RCA, offering an ideal solution for integrating external analog sources into your audio system. Vinyl enthusiasts can connect their phono stage to an available analog input and enjoy pure analog pass-through without any A/D conversion in the signal path.
Digital Connectivity
With a variety of digital inputs including 1X RCA SPDIF, 1X BNC SPDIF, and 2X TOSLINK optical interfaces, AP20 is well-equipped to render external digital sources such as a CD transport, media player, or TV via its superior internal DAC.
Auxiliary XLR Output
AP20’s high-quality balanced XLR output allows the user to feed subwoofers with line-level input (XLR-to-RCA adapters may be required in some cases).
Users are supposed to select the “XLR + Speaker” option in the Aurender app, which enables both XLR and speaker outputs simultaneously to augment bass.
Master Clock Input
Although AP20 is equipped with an extremely precise OCXO clock system, jitter can be minimized further by connecting a 10MHz Master Clock signal generator such as Aurender's MC10.
Dedicated Headphone Section
In addition to being a stellar amplifier for loudspeaker systems, AP20 also features a 1/4" headphone output for quiet moments.
