Constellation Audio 1.0 Integrated Amplifier

Description

MY TAKE: In a unique and brilliant approach, Constellation Audio assembled a team of some of the most respected names in the audio world to pool their talents and design state of the art, industry-leading line of electronics. Luminaries including Peter Madnick, Bascom King, the late James Bongiorno, John Curl, and Demian Martin collaborated to create a range of products that not only sound amazing, but offer outstanding value. Very impressive gear! - Galen Carol

Constellation’s original mission was to create reference-grade components without compromise. We always hoped, though, that we could someday distill the technolo-gies developed for our Reference Series into a simple integrated amplifier most audiophiles can afford. With the Inspira tion INTEGRATED 1.0, this is exactly what we’ve achieved.

The Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 mea sures a mere 5.5 inches high, yet includes the core technologies that our “dream team” of engineers and designers originally developed for the Reference Series Altair line stage and Hercules power amplifier. The very same technologies that, according to one of the world’s top reviewers, “… set new standards in transparency, resolution, absence of grain, and sheer realism …”

From input to output, the Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 is Constellation through and through. Signals coming in through its two XLR and two RCA analog inputs first enter our Line Stage Gain Module, a unique preamplifier topology that uses high-precision field-effect transistors and servo circuits to achieve an essentially perfect balance between the positive and negative halves of an audio signal. Voices and musical instruments do this naturally, of course, but it is a rare quality in an audio component, and one that results in exceptional musical detail and spaciousness.

The power amplifier stage relies on the same innovative Balanced Bridged circuit concept pioneered in the Hercules. To maintain the perfect balance of the Line Stage Gain Module, this design combines single-ended modules using only NPN output transistors, rather than splitting the signal between imperfectly matched NPN and PNP transistors as almost all other amplifiers do. It’s the sound of a single-ended amplifier, with the power and control of the best Class AB amplifiers.

The Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 includes a feature of particular importance to today’s audiophiles: an integral headphone amplifier powerful enough to drive any headphones to concert-level volume. This means one less component—especially important considering that the Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 was designed for simplicity and a minimal footprint. Powerful, clean, independent power supplies

All audio circuits require an abundant supply of clean power to perform their best. This is why the interior of the Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 is dominated by a mas- sive toroidal power transformer and banks of large storage capacitors. These give the Pure Constellation sound in a compact chassis 100-watt-per-channel Balanced Bridged amplification Two XLR and two RCA inputs plus headphone output Perfectly balanced Line Stage Gain Module preamp stage Large toroidal transformer with dual-mono rectifiers and capacitor bankpower amplifier section all the voltage and current it needs to effortlessly double its
power into 4-ohm loads.

Because the DC stages of the Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 power supply are dual-mono, with separate rectifiers and capacitor banks for left and right channels, each channel maintains optimal performance even in the event of extreme demands on the other channel. Additional local capacitance at key circuit points assures that every section of the Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 can tap all the clean power it requires at any time. Impeccable construction for superior sound

Even though the Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 is the most compact integrated amplifier we have offered to date, it incorporates most of the now classic Constellation construction concepts.

Most of the Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0’s chassis is made from machined 8.2mm aluminum slabs, thick enough to block any electromagnetic radiation encountered in the home. The design employs a unique joinery system that combines steel but- tresses with machined grooves that help
lock the panels together. Audio circuits are well-shielded from each other and from the power supply, to minimize interference from outside or inside. Soft, pliable isolators “float” line-level circuits so they will not be affected by external vibration.

The Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 features an advanced control system for exceptional versatility and precision. A 432 x230-pixel, high-contrast touchscreen provides easy access to every adjustment, while a machined aluminum remote controls key functions from a distance.Thanks to the resistor-ladder volume
control, digitally controlled through a smooth- spinning volume knob on the front panel, the Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 achieves precise channel matching impossible with potentiometers.

A home theater bypass feature allows the Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 to serve as the centerpiece of a home theater system. This mode passes the left and right front channels from a surround decoder directly to the amplifiers and speakers, without affecting the surround-sound system’s volume or channel balance. XLR output allows the Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 to be used as a preamp with a larger amplifier.

A high-end headphone amplifier is built in. Simply plug in your favorite headphones and enjoy state-of-the-art sound, with no extra components or connections required. Audiophiles may be shocked when they hear such a compact amplifier deliver effortless dynamics and detail even with the world’s most demanding speakers. But we’re not surprised. The performance of the Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 is exactly what our “dream team” has working toward through our entire history … and far better than we ever dared hope for.

Specifications -

Inputs: 2 XLR stereo, 2 RCA stereo, USB (for control)
Outputs: 1/4-inch/6.2mm headphone jack, 12-volt trigger
Power output: 100W, 8Ω (1 kHz @ 1% THD+N),200 W, 4Ω (1 kHz @ 1% THD+ N)
Gain: 31 dB
Output noise: -84 dB, A-weighted
Damping factor (8Ω load): 64
THD+N: <0.001%, 20 Hz - 20 kHz @ 2V out, <0.1%, 20 Hz - 20 kHz @ 10V out
Frequency response: 10 Hz to 100 kHz, +/- 0.5 dB
Signal-to-noise ratio: >-105 dB, A-weighted
Input impedance (balanced): 20K ohm
Input impedance (single-ended): 10K ohm
Output impedance: < 50 ohm
Volume control resolution: 0.5dB from 0dB to -90 dBFS
Weight: 25 lbs / 11.3 kg
Dimensions (W x H x D): 17 inches x 5.5 inches x 19 inches
43.2cm x 14cm x 48.3cm