PBN OLYMPIA MINI

TONAL STABILITY AND PRESICION AT ANY LOAD

The PBN OLYMPIA MINI is one of the most refined power amplifiers in existence. The PBN OLYMPIA MINI utilizes a unique 75 ohms interconnect system, which is a huge step towards the definitive musical truth. The carefully selected components are hand assembled and among the finest available in the world today. The PBN OLYMPIA MINI has all the power audiophiles require for their audio systems, and then some. The PBN OLYMPIA MINI is practically capable of driving any loudspeaker design with ease and brilliance.

Please click on the link "Bound for Sound" and read about Martin C. De Wulf impressions of the PBN OLYMPIA MINI power amplifier, hooked up on the earth-shaking MONTANA KAS at the CES 2006, which will give you a small hint of the level of performance this true state-of-the-art power amplifier represents!

PBN Audio introduced the PBN OLYMPIA MINI at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2004 in Las Vegas after many years of development and testing. An upgraded version of the MINI was launched in 2005. PBN OLYMPIA MINI utilizes the same type of printcards and Caddock resistors as featured in the flagship model PBN OLYMPIA AX. The MINI features a custom made 1500 VA power supply and 32 output transistors and an approximate 200.000 µF storage. The unique 75 ohms interconnect system has set a new standard for high-end audio performance. Please click on "PBN OLYMPIA HT4" in the menu to the left to read more about the 75 ohms interconnect system, which is a truly innovative feature in high-end audio design. Standard premium quality XLR and RCA terminals are also included for maximum compatability. The MINI offers an unparalleled performance for the money. Get a demonstration today. You will be surprised!

Like the more expensive PBN OLYMPIA AX, the PBN OLYMPIA MINI is a Fully Differential ALL-FET Design. Until now, bipolar transistors have dominated the active sections of audio amplifiers. The bipolar transistors have low distortion, but lack the ultimate resolution, especially at low signal levels. They have a tendency to sound grained and unpleasant at mid-range and high frequencies. The JFET devices, on the other hand, do not only offer ultra-low distortion, but exceptional resolution and transparency as well. No bipolar transistor, not even the famous LM394, comes close to the JFET devices in terms of resolution. Some tubes have excellent resolution, but simply cannot match the significantly lower distortion that the JFETs measure. The JFETs are without a doubt markedly more neutral. The ALL-FET circuit handles signals with truly outstanding speed. The components are chosen with no attention to price, but only on the basis of sonic features in order to acheive the ultimate musical realism.

Only JFET devices are used in the input stage. Only MOSFET devices are mounted in the output section. Many years of listening and experiments has led to a clear conclusion: Bipolar transistors is the limiting factor in order to acheive the very highest resolution. A carefully matched ALL-FET circuitry, consisting of the best components available, ensures a power amplifier design without any grain. The ALL-FET design generates a more pleasant spectrum of harmonic distortion than than the bipolars. Therefore no bipolar units will be found in the PBN OLYMPIA solid state amplifiers, only JFET and MOSFET devices.

The PBN OLYMPIA MINI can be configurated as a stereo power amplifier or as a mono power amplifier. Unlike most stereo amplifiers that can be run in bridged mono mode, the PBN OLYMPIA is designed just as much for stereo mode operation as for mono mode operation. Using the PBN OLYMPIA MINI in a mono configuration, thereby dramatically increasing the power available, sound quality will not deteriorate in mono, which is the case with many other power amplifiers. The PBN OLYMPIA MINI offers the same refinement and the same high degree of resolution in mono as in stereo. With more power at hand, mono operation will merely give you even more of the appealing sonic features that makes the MINI such a unique high-performance product.

The PBN OLYMPIA MINI is synonymous with extreme precicion, excellent imaging, detail, resolution and multi-dimensionality, combined with superior dynamics. The MINI offers musical pleasure beyond what the vast majority of so-called state-of-the-art power amplifiers are capable of delivering.

The PBN OLYMPIA MINI grips the music with superior authority in the low octaves and stunning realism in the mid-range presentation, plus a fascinating clarity and airiness in the top frequencies. The level of transient precision and speed has until now hardly been attainable. The performance of 2 ea. PBN OLYMPIA MINIs in a mono configuration, will outperform almost any other power amplifiers in the market at any price.

Specifications:
Power 8 Ohms stereo: 2 X 160 W
Power 4 Ohms stereo: 2 X 320 W
Utgangseffekt 8 Ohm i mono: 1 X 600 W
Utgangseffekt 4 Ohm i mono: 1 X 1100 W
Input impedance: 100000 Ohms single ended / 2200 Ohm balanced
Capacitance: 200 000 µF
Power supply: 1 X 1500 VA
Total harmonic distortion: < 0,001 %
Dimensions (cm): H 19 x B 43 x D 36

Read review from May 2008: Ultraaudio.com