Perreaux Audio (ad, Nov. 1984)

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WHAT'S A GUITARIST FROM NEW JERSEY DOING WITH AN AMPLIFIER FROM NEW ZEALAND?

He's listening to the sweetness of his own pure sound on Perreaux.

World renowned jazz guitarist Al Di Meola, who spends much of his time at his home in New Jersey wanted to buy new audio components for his system. He chose Perreaux of New Zealand.

Although the country of origin may seem ludicrous, given the Kiwi, would you believe that Perreaux of New Zealand is the only facility in the world that completely handcrafts its audio components. Each Perreaux is custom crafted under the supervision of Peter Perreaux, as it has been for over ten years.

Al Di Meola, who has earned a sublime reputation for his mercurial dexterity and finesse playing jazz guitar, appreciates the work done by craftsmen at the Perreaux factory.

Handcrafting is necessary for the attention to detail demanded by the Perreaux design. From the cutting, drilling and anodizing of the rigid aluminum chassis, to the testing, matching and soldering of the transistors, Perreaux's sonic quality is unattainable by mass production.

Al Di Meola's obsession with the highest quality of music reproduction will be evident on his new album 21st Century Guitar due to be released in January 1985 on Manhattan/ EMI and pressed on the finest virgin vinyl . If you don't own a Perreaux audio component, you probably won't hear every nuance Al Di Meola has intended for you to hear.

----Perreaux Power Amplifier 1150B (not shown)

Professional Audio Consultants Milburn, New Jersey (201) 467-1950

Stuarts Audio Westfield, New Jersey; (201) 232-0483

PERREAUX--FOR THOSE INTELLIGENT ENOUGH TO BE SIMPLE-MINDED

It has been said that the history of the progress of man is the ability to do more with less-Perreaux of New Zealand concurs wholeheartedly.

In the world of audio components, Perreaux does more than anyone else, with far less. In fact, Perreaux accomplishes more because it uses less.

The "less" that comes between you and the original music signal, the more it sounds like the original music. In audio, this concept is known as "straight wire with gain". The ideal amplifier would have no parts other than a wire between the source and the speakers. Perreaux comes closer to this ideal than any other audio component ever created. The renowned British magazine HI Fl FOR PLEASURE says: "There is little more that I can add about the 'sound' of the Perreaux as it can't really be said to contribute any particular character of its own to the musical performance-it is as innocent a component as I have ever been privileged to hear."

Perreaux circuits are so simple that a single integrated circuit chip usually contains more circuitry than a Perreaux component. No integrated chips or trick circuits are used by Perreaux. Each circuit has been refined over and over again until it accomplishes its task with the shortest circuit path and the fewest parts.

Perreaux simply designs the most refined audio components in the world.

Other manufacturers use additional parts to correct for differences in transistors, Perreaux tests, calibrates and matches every transistor. Others use additional parts to block radio interference, Perreaux plates its circuit board with 24 karat gold, creating the most conductive ground plane possible to "absorb" and isolate interference. Others require complex protection circuits to prevent their amplifiers from self destructing, Perreaux power amplifiers require no protection circuitry whatsoever--the stability is inherent in the design. While other manufacturers require additional circuitry to boost the gain of a low output moving coil phono cartridge, Perreaux preamplifiers accept moving coils without any additional preamplifier circuitry.

PERREAUX -- EVERY PART IS A PART APART FROM THE REST

Perreaux has even created an amplifier capable of harnessing all the electricity your power company can supply to your home--the PMF5150B. Its brute strength is also derived from elegant simplicity.

Perreaux can deliver more massive power than any other home amplifier with only five transistors in the driver stage and twelve transistors at the output. The filter capacitors and power transformer can deliver over 2,000 amps to the circuit, eliminating the need for dual transformers which cause severe phase shifts.

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----------Perreaux Power Amplifier 5150B


--------Perreaux Preamplifier SM-2: Over 90% of the transistors tested are rejected for use in Perreaux preamplifiers.

Every Perreaux component reflects its internal beauty and simplicity with its external design. Perreaux has no flashing lights or panels that glow in the dark.

Perreaux has no need to shout its authority.

Every Perreaux is handcrafted in New Zealand from the finest parts the world has to offer.

Transistors are custom made for Perreaux in the United States. Filter capacitors are built in Japan to Perreaux's specifications.

Power transformers are custom built in New Zealand. Polypropylene capacitors in the signal path are carefully selected in West Germany.

Perreaux places each of these superlative parts through stringent test procedures.

Over 90% of the transistors tested for use in Perreaux preamplifiers are rejected as not meeting the demanding requirements.

When a circuit is nearly completed, Perreaux continues the quest for perfection by inserting critical circuit elements at the very last, thus "tweaking" each amplifier individually for ultimate performance.

By the time each Perreaux audio component reaches its final quality control stage, it has been through over 100 quality control checks of sonic performance.

The Chassis

Only the finest quality aluminum is used to create a Perreaux chassis. Each aluminum component is blasted with chemically inert glass beads, etched and anodized. To achieve the smooth, even finish of Perreaux, the metal must be completely free of imperfections such as grain pattern. You will see no sanding marks that hide imperfections on a Perreaux front panel. (Other component manufacturers just aren't willing to go to the same expense for the level of craftsmanship that Perreaux demands for a part as basic as the front panel.) The heat sinks are one of the most complex extrusions in the world. Designed by Perreaux for maximum heat dissipation, each fin contains over 60 ribs per inch.

This attention to the smallest chassis detail maintains the relative temperature of the output devices within +1°C. Knobs are individually machined from solid aluminum, rather than molded plastic, as on many other supposedly high quality components. All this prompted STEREO REVIEW magazine to say of Perreaux's construction: "This sort of 'no-holds barred' approach to doing a first rate design and manufacturing job is uncommon in all walks of life these days, and the result is an audio component of which both the manufacturer and the lucky owners can be justly proud" Perreaux-awarded the Hi Fi Grand Prix for "its Mercedes-like construction" by AUDIONIDEO magazine.

PERREAUX INTRODUCES THE OBSOLESCENCE OF PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE


-------Module for 2150B

When you acquire a Perreaux audio component, you enter into a company. Our future does not lie in throw-away components, since the components we manufacture do not become obsolete. Our future does not lie in trendy styling, but in the enduring elegance of fit and finish. Perreaux understands that performance can become obsolete by an advance in technology. In fact, Perreaux has been responsible for significant design and manufacturing breakthroughs:

  • The first high power MOS-FET amplifier
  • The first high power amplifier requiring no protection circuitry
  • The first wide bandwidth amplifier (3,000,000 Hz)
  • The first preamplifier capable of accepting any phono-cartridge with a single gain stage
  • The first passive RIAA phono section with low noise
  • The first pre- and power-amplifier combination with +1° phase accuracy.

When Perreaux develops a new circuit, it makes certain that existing Perreaux amplifiers and preamplifiers can be upgraded to the new technology for substantially less than the cost difference of a new component. Perreaux's classic styling will never appear out of date. You do not purchase Perreaux... you invest in Perreaux. With your investment in Perreaux, comes the assurance of the highest level of service.

Perreaux is available only at the finest audio specialists. Personnel, trained by Perreaux, both sales and service, have a thorough understanding of each component. They will be happy to install a Perreaux system in your home and be sure it is operating properly.

If by chance, your Perreaux should require service, it is backed by the longest warranty period in the industry. We assure you in writing that Perreaux's value is unsurpassed.

Perreaux--the ultimate tool for the reproduction of music.

TS-2: NOW AVAILABLE

Tape and phono switching accessory for preamplifiers

Tuner available: early 1985

Tone Control Section: available early 1985

Perreaux International, 875 Merrick Ave., Westbury, N. Y. 11590, USA. phone: 516-683-3000

(Audio magazine, Nov. 1984 )

Also see:

Perreaux SM2 Preamp (July 1984)

Phase Linear 400 (Oct. 1977)

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