With the knowledge in hand to design minimally invasive electronics without needing to be minimalistic, we decided that our preamp should be complete, very complete. The basic Makua is an extremely transparent gain stage and a programmable routing matrix. The chassis has ample room to fit optional extras, most notably a DAC and a phono stage. The six preset buttons are programmable via RS232 or Bluetooth to access any combination of channel, processing, and routing. In a system with mainly digital sources, the preset buttons would be programmed to select between them. Vinyl lovers, on the other hand, might want to use several buttons to select the same turntable with different EQ settings to suit their extensive collection of vintage LPs.
All five inputs are switchable between XLR and floating RCA connections, and all can be assigned as either phono or line. All stages in the Makua use discrete amplifier modules in a little-known topology called "single-ended driven differential". Compared with doubly executed signal paths, this structure prevents noise from propagating through the entire structure. The Makua is amazingly immune to influences like mains quality and choice of interlinks. The relay-based volume control directly controls the gain of the output stage. The dynamic range and linearity of this arrangement are much greater than those of stepped attenuators. Operation is smooth and entirely glitch-free.
5 balanced and 5 unbalanced inputs, selectable by switch and software2 parallel balanced outputs for bi-amping (XLR)Mastering mode4 programmable trigger outputs (3.5mm Jack)
All inputs routable through optional processor boards like the phono stageProcessing balance and input gain offsetPhase invert and mono sumFull software control of routing and processing
Maximum input/output level: 20dBu (7.75Vrms)Unweighted noise voltage at unity gain: 1.9uVInput impedance: 100kohmOutput impedance: 44ohmDistortion at maximum signal level (THD, IMD): not measurable, estimated around -150dBBandwidth >200kHzGain range: -70dB to +15dBGain resolution: <1dB, better than 0.2dB over normal listening range
6 programmable presetsStandard Remote controlMola Mola Remote appRS232 (SUB-D)
420mm (W) x 110mm (H) x 345mm (D). Depth includes volume knob and connectors.11kg
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