PS AUDIO GCA250
AMPLIFICATORE FINALE 2 X 250 WATT RMS SU 8 OHM
2 X 500 WATT SU 4 OHM
FATTORE DI SMORTZAMENTO SUPERIORE A 1000
BASATO SU AMPLIFICAZIONE ''GAIN CELL''
Features
- Little to no heat
- Extremely low noise design
- Gain Cell for each channel
- High damping factor
- Dual regulated independent power supplies
- Dual Mono design
- Analog power output stage
- Unique locking binding posts
Benefits
- Rock solid image
- Deep bass
- Open, spacious sound
- Power doubles into 4 Ohm load
- Will drive any loudspeaker
- Effortless performance
- Ultra low distortion
Estratto in inglese dal sito ufficiale:
From the moment you unpack your
new GCA amp, press the logo on the front panel and watch the gentle
splash of soft blue light wash over the machined aluminum faceplate, you
know you’re in for a treat. Pride of ownership is the first emotion
and awe the second. A power amp like no power amplifier you have ever
owned.
Pure Power™ has been the watchword of PS Audio for a long time. We first used it when we introduced the Power Plant series of AC regenerators many years ago.
Now, with the introduction of the new GCA series of stereo power
amplifiers we are using it again; but in a musical sense. Pure Power
and Pure Resolution™ are two very good descriptions of the performance
you can expect from this new line of audio amplifiers.
The GCA
series is the finest sounding and best performing power amplifiers we
have ever designed and produced in the 30 year history of PS Audio. Uncompromising in all respects, the GCA series of amplifiers is based on
revolutionary new technologies designed by PS engineering to breath
life into any audio video system at power levels sufficient for all
loudspeakers.
To celebrate the beauty inside we commissioned
master industrial designer Alex Rasmussen to design the beauty outside. In one of Alex’s greatest designs the flowing 3/4’ machined front panel
sweeps in gentle curves that speak of the purity and flow inside. The subtle wash of blue is an elegant reminder that that this amp needs
no glitzy lights and garish bells and whistles to announce its
superiority. Every touch of the amp, every view of the amp speaks of
simple beauty and purity of design.
Dual mono and completely independent
This is an amazing series of power amplifiers. Based on the new PS
Audio Gain Cell technology, each GCA power amplifier contains two
independent Gain Cells and two completely independent mono SDAT™ power
modules. Aside from the fact that each GCA amplifier shares a common
power cable, inside they are absolutely separate and isolated power
amplifiers, each 100% independent of the other for true dual mono
amplification.
Gain Cells inside
You can read the entire story of the revolutionary new PS Audio Gain Cell™ by clicking here to view the page .
A brief overview of the Gain Cell™ would show that it is the heart of
the new GCA power amplifier as well as the heart of our new
preamplifier, integrated amplifier and multi-channel amplifier. The
Gain Cell, developed over the last 25 years of research and work by PS
Audio founder Paul McGowan, was brought to life by the engineering team
at PS Audio and now graces the insides of every audio product we
manufacture.
A Gain Cell is about the most perfect gain block
ever invented. Gain Cells are fully balanced analog gain devices that
are direct coupled from input to output in one of the cleanest, purest
audio paths ever devised. PS designers can drop a Gain Cell into a PS
designed power amplifier, preamplifier, CD player, integrated amplifier
or any imaginable audio product and the Gain Cell becomes the heart and
soul of that product.
Gain Cells have fully adjustable gain
over a 130dB range with close to zero distortion and noise, and are the
perfect gain block for any audio product.
Each GCA power
amplifier channel has its own Gain cell. The Gain Cell is the first
thing your preamplifier will see when connected to the GCA power
amplifier. The Gain cell will take the output of your preamplifier or
surround processor, eliminate much of the noise and hum found in your
cables and present a pure high resolution audio signal to the GCA SDAT
output stage.
Look! No heat!
The power output stage of each GCA amplifier is based on an improved version of PS Audio’s ground breaking  analog Power output stage. Our Class D PWM output stage was first introduced
to the world in the (now famous) PS Audio HCA-2 power amplifier which
received the coveted Stereophile Class A rating for power amplifiers and
adorned the cover of Stereophile magazine.
Similar in concept
to the original PWM output stage found in the HCA-2, this new high
efficiency 100% analog technology uses a fully independent and regulated
switching power supply to feed each of the power modules, virtually
eliminating any need for input power transformers and heavy magnetics. Because each analog power module has its own regulated power supply,
each channel of the amplifier operates without regard to the other
channel and consequently we can honestly boast of true dual mono
operation within each GCA amplifier.
PS power amplifiers are
unique because they generate almost no heat. Using PWM technology, the
output MOSFET transistors inside the analog power module operate in
their most efficient manner and we are able to achieve upwards of 85%
efficiency for the entire GCA amplifier. Compare that to a typical
class AB amplifier’s efficiency of 50% and even worse for a tube or
class A amplifier.
No heat sinks!
Notice there are no heat sinks on this beauty, no fans, no need for any
type of special mounting or cooling techniques. The GCA amplifier runs
cool and quietly, sounds unbelievably good and provides more power than
any system is capable of fully using.
Super linearity
Another advantage of our analog power technology is linearity. No
power amplifier, whether tube or solid state can boast perfect linearity
without the use of feedback or other Band Aids to help linearize the
amplifier’s performance. With a high efficiency power circuit on the
output, voltage-in equals voltage-out in an absolutely linear fashion. The net result of this linearity is an effortless sound regardless of
volume. From micro dynamics to macro dynamics, this amplifier sounds
the same on the softest passages to the loudest orchestral crescendos, a
feat unmatched by any tube or solid state amplifier ever made.
High damping factor
One of the classic problems with PWM and tube types of power amplifiers
is a low damping factor due to the requisite output filter or output
transformer depending on the design. Damping factor is a means of
measuring how well the power amp can control the loudspeaker. A damping
factor of 100 to 200 is considered excellent.
The first PWM
amplifier we built, the HCA-2, had a damping factor at low frequencies
of just under 100, a mighty feat in itself when you consider most PWM
and tube based amplifiers are lucky to have damping  factors above 25 or 30. A low damping factor means that the volume of
the speaker will change with the varying load impedance of the speaker! This is not a good situation when high end audio is a goal.
The new GCA series power amplifiers has a damping factor in the
thousands, a 10 times increase in control over the loudspeaker than any
other amplifier on the market. When you hear the authority and control
any of the three GCA amplifiers presents in your listening room you’ll
be setback on your heels. Jaw dropping bass and authority are just a
few of the benefits provided by this extraordinary feature of the GCA
amp.
Keeping the hybrid concept alive
Inside each GCA amplifier is a Gain Cell powering an SDAT module. This
combination of analog input stage and an ultra-efficient digital output
stage is called a hybrid design because it incorporates the best of two
worlds, analog and digital.
Our first SDAT powered amplifier, the HCA-2, was named after another famous hybrid, the Infinity Hybrid Class A . In honor of this ground breaking amplifier that combined tubes and
solid state transistors in a single design, we named the HCA-2 after the
Infinity product.
The GCA series is also a hybrid in this same
manner, but we named the GCA in honor of an even more revolutionary
invention, the Gain Cell ™. The Gain Cell Amplifier (GCA) takes the hybrid concept to another level altogether.
The models
The three models of GCA amplifiers include the GCA 100, GCA 250 and GCA 500. Each is a dual mono two  channel amplifier and each can be ordered as an integrated (Control
Amplifier) amplifier for yet another level of performance in a
two-channel system.
Each model has a rear mounted three
position switch that adjusts the light level of the front panel blue
wash to whatever works best in your environment.
Speaker
outputs are via a single set of high-end gold binding posts that accept
either spade or banana plugs. If banana plugs are used, these unique
connectors can be tightened down to clamp and hold a standard banana
plug so it will lock in place. The connectors are designed by PS
Engineering and are the finest bindings posts we know of.
Inputs are through either a balanced XLR connector or a high-end RCA
connector. There is a rear mounted switch that allows the user to
choose either input.
The GCA 100 is a stereo, 100 watt per channel power amplifier that produces 200
watt per channel into 4 Ohms and drives speaker loads as low as 1.5
Ohms. It has a damping factor that exceeds 1000 and is capable of
driving any moderate loudspeaker to live orchestral crescendo levels. The GCA 100 has an input impedance of 47K Ohms, can be remotely turned
on/off with a simple 12 volt trigger, is a fully balanced amplifier,
noise is low enough that you’ll have to place your ear next to the
tweeter of most speakers to even hear if the amplifier is on and
distortion levels below 0.05%. The GCA 100 is a perfect amplifier for
most any multi-channel or stereo system and has the best top end and
midrange of any of the three models.
The GCA 250 is a two channel, 250 watt per channel power amplifier that produces 500 watt per channel  into 4 Ohms and drives down to <1.5 Ohms. It has a damping factor
that exceeds 1000 and is the amplifier most people will want to own as
its 500 watt per channel rating is more than enough for any loudspeaker
system we know of, period. The GCA 250 has an input impedance of 47K
Ohms, can be remotely turned on/off with a simple 12 volt trigger, is a
fully balanced amplifier, and like the GCA 100, it’s ear in the tweeter
to hear any hiss out of this amplifier. Distortion levels below 0.1%. The GCA 250 is the amp of choice for any system whether it’s a stereo or
multi-channel application. This beauty can power anything.
The GCA 500 is a brute. This is one of the most powerful amplifiers available at
any price from any manufacturer in the world. The GCA 500 is a no holds
barred stereo, 500 watt per channel power amplifier that produces an
incredible 1000 watt per channel, both channels driven into 4 Ohms and
is drives down to <1.5 Ohms! It has a damping factor that exceeds
1000 and is the amplifier you will want to choose if you never want to
worry about headroom or dynamic capabilities in your system ever again. The GCA 500 has an input impedance of 47K Ohms, can be remotely turned
on/off with a simple 12 volt trigger, is a fully balanced amplifier, and
like the GCA 100, it’s ear in the tweeter to hear any hiss out of this
amplifier. Distortion levels below 0.1%.
The GCA 500 is unequalled in the world of audio amplification. The king, the
biggest, baddest power amp around that can play the sweetest violin
passage to the loudest rock and roll, dinosaur stomping audio experience
this side of the galaxy. If you’ve never witnessed true audio power
with limitless headroom and breath sucking performance, this is the one.
A triumph in audio amplification
From the 100 watt per channel beauty of the GCA 100 to the awesome soul
searching, head shaking power of the GCA 500, this new line of Gain
Cell Amplifiers from PS Audio is the finest sounding, best performing
line of amplifiers in the history of the company.
From the
moment you press the logo on the front panel, put your ear up the
speaker to make sure it’s even on, to the first cut of the first movie
or music you play, you’ll be blown away by the effortlessness, the
beauty and the passion this amplifier will evoke in every fiber of your
being.
Utterly reliable, built like the proverbial tank and
sculpted by master industrial designer Alex Rasmussen, this is truly a
work of art from PS Engineering and one you would be proud to own and
enjoy for many years to come.
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