Insight – Dual Mono Tube Preamp with ICCF

Audiozen’s Insight preamp is unique, as is the intuition behind it. There is no preamplifier on the market with its peculiarities, in the price range at which it is offered and beyond.

Insight is a preamplifier consisting of two cabinets: the power supply stage and the main unit. This choice, certainly more expensive, allows excellent performance, both in sonic terms and in reliability.

The separate power supply unit is equipped with four oversized toroidal transformers, connected in pairs for supplying the two channels separately: Insight is totally dual mono. Rectification is performed by four metal-bodied bridge rectifiers, normally used for power amps. Innovative high efficiency, low drop-out integrated circuits are used together with Jantzen polypropylene bypass capacitors to stabilize the voltage of the tube filaments.

The main unit houses the modern shielded printed circuit, where the four NOS tubes selected for this project are arranged: in each channel the PC88 (single low microphonic triode) preamplifies the audio signal and the PCC189 (variable conductance double triode) is used in ICCF (Improved Cascode Cathode Follower) configuration, designed and developed in the Audiozen laboratories for the best interfacing, in terms of low impedance and high dynamic range, with any power amplifier on the market.  

For the best audio signal decoupling, Audiozen chose the CSA series by ClarityCap, objectively excellent polypropylene capacitors. The CSA Series incorporates unique CopperConnect technology that reduces signal path resistance and capacitor ESR to achieve new levels of audio performance.

Volume control is managed by an excellent motorized ALPS potentiometer. Insight is supplied with a remote control for volume management: the remote control has more functions easily programmable by the user to manage the operations of other devices.

Four pairs high impedance inputs, one pair line output, one pair monitor out and a 30 Amperes power supply connector with golden pins are located on the Insight rear panel.

8 mm thick Asian doussié solid wood sides, transparent perspex cover, solid machined aluminum knobs, 10 mm thick aluminum front panel, first class RCA connectors: all of that complete an Audiozen creation conceived without compromise.

Listening experience is enriched with an extreme feeling of naturalness, the musical event is sharpened with space between the instruments and the sound stage is perfectly focused, with a warm and transparent timbre.

Insight delivers a level of resolution, refinement and control that improves dramatically in every sense the listening experience.

A moment’s insight is sometimes worth a life’s experience – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.