 |
 |
In the beginning there were tubes
In the early days of musical reproduction, tube amplifiers were not a choice but a necessity — technology did not offer an alternative. Tubes may now be old tech, but their benefits have survived: airiness, refinement and musicality. They are not, however, without their limitations (output transformers) and they are not usually generous in the delivery of current, showing some limits in “speed.”
Then came solid state
The transistor quickly took over from the seemingly antiquated vacuum tube. It was the era of muscle, punch and watts galore. And it was also the era of decimal competition: high levels of feedback allowed long lines of zeros after the decimal point and before that sad numeral 1, the only clue to an almost nonexistent distortion. The result was to de-naturalize sound. To make matters worse, the CD arrived which, with its digital “coldness,” made the limits of solid state even more apparent and caused many to dream of a return to tubes . . .
And then the hybrids
Someone then thought the solution to the limitations of either technology was to combine the best of each: an enchanting mixture of tubes and transistors. Often, instead of providing the best of both worlds, the opposite was the case!
Now there is INPOL®
Then one bright day, after numerous sleepless nights, a clever designer
and engineer, Gianni Borinato, decided to make a clean sweep of all the schemes and conventions applying to amplifiers and — we don't know whether presumptuously or frivolously — tried to re invent everything from scratch in the light of modern technological wisdom. He chose to use tubes for the input stage not in deference to fashion or nostalgia, but because they are still the best means of amplifying tension. And he found a way to make use of what the transistor does best: amplify current in order to adequately drive the speakers. “But it's a hybrid!,” you say. Yes, apparently. The big difference is the fact that it doesn’t introduce any manipulation of the audio signal. In order to express the idea better, INPOL® works like a pantograph, copying the signal absolutely faithfully. That is to say, it does what an amplifier is supposed to do. Certainly we are still light years away from the ideal “Straight wire with gain.” But an important step forward has been taken, and it deserves listening to.How to listen to INPOL®
When preparing to listen to INPOL® for the first time, it is necessary to make a little effort: free yourself from all convictions, cliches and pre-conceived ideas. If not, staunch tube fanatics would remain enraptured by a sound that is too exquisitely “tube,” but would be perplexed by the unfamiliar speed and dynamics. The solid state fans, on the other hand, would be enthusiastic about the efficiency of these parameters, while remaining bewildered by the absence of angularity, coldness and listening fatigue. In order to overcome the initial impact of INPOL® it is advisable to concentrate solely on the music from the very beginning. Only after the spirit has been uplifted by it can one rationally appreciate the transparency, airiness and natural quality of emission, the speed and dynamics in both micro and macro-contrast, the firmness and breadth in reconstruction of the stage, solidity and control in the low range, and liquidity and mellowness in the high.
Pathos • Endorphin • Digit • Classic One • Logos • TT • InControl • InPower • InTheGroove MkII • InPol2 • Cinema-X • About