In our series showcasing high-end hi-fi to die for, Paul Rigby takes a closer look at the ingenious design of hif-fi legend Dan D’Agostino’s new monoblock amplifier model, the Relentless, which will cost you a whopping £275,000 per pair!
Eye-wateringly expensive and larger than you might think at 22.5×11.5×32.5 inches, while weighing in at a hefty 484lb, this 1,500W monoblock amplifier features a precision input stage that majors on balancing the positive and negative components of the signal.
So if you have any distortion developing from the outside world on one half of the signal, it will also appear on the other half. The idea is that they cancel each other out, lowering noise and improving overall sound quality. The Relentless uses ‘Super Rails’, which help to turbocharge the unit, improving dynamics as well as removing distortion and adding a helluva bass grip, too.
Your record collection has never sounded this good…
1. Invisible Touch
You can’t see it, but the core of the amplifier is the transformer that is split into multiple sections. These all pull in the same direction, reducing veiling noise.
2. Lovely Meter
A ‘statement’ product needs a dial – you gotta have a dial. Actually, it’s a power meter, designed especially for the Relentless. It measures more than eight inches in diameter.
3. Classy Chassis
The chassis is machined from solid aluminium with copper inlays for shielding, thermal stability and vibration damping.