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Due to the current fluctuations in exchange rates and the impact of the recession on manufacturers, please regard the prices on this page as ‘guide’ only. If you are interested in the equipment you must contact me for a current price.
Power Amps
Stingray iTube £2795
The famous Manley Stingray stereo integrated amplifier has been renewed and refreshed. New for 2009 we present to you the Stingray iTube integrated tube amplifier with iPod dock and full featured RF and IR remote control. The STINGRAY iTube is the next evolution from Manleys acclaimed Stingray Integrated Amplifier, legendary in the hifi world since it swam from Manleys labs in 1997.
- Originally conceived with particular attention paid to optimal component placement for the purity and symmetry of the signal path layout, the Stingray quickly became one of Manleys best-selling products. The Stingray iTube retains the same basic tube circuitry and marvelous output transformers as the original with some important improvements:
- An iPod dock has been integrated into the Stingray iTube as the 4th input source. The Manley iTube has been certified by Apple and officially sanctioned as a "Made for iPod" product. The Stingray's Remote Control commands the iPod PLAY/PAUSE and TRACK FORWARD/BACK controls.
- The iPod's video output is available at the S-Video output jack located on the left side facia.
- The high voltage tube energy storage has been increased vastly resulting in even more solid and coherent bass control and impact.
- A headphone jack has been added to the right side facia. This jack re-routes the output from the speaker binding posts and mutes the Subwoofer output feed.
- The Remote Control works with both Radio Frequency and InfraRed technoligies. Using the remote in RF mode gives freedom from having to "point and shoot." The RF remote is omnidirectional and works through walls and cabinets. IR capability is included for those with Universal Learning Remote Controls for consolidated integration into existing systems. The volume control, balance adjust, input switching, and iPod interface commands are all on the RF/IR Remote Control. Additionally user can perform the MUTE, DIM, INSERT and SLEEP commands with the Remote Control.
- Each INPUT can be individually level trimmed to match and to optimize system gain staging of various input devices.
- The fancy blue LED displays surrounding the INPUT and VOLUME encoder knobs can be dimmed down or turned off entirely, after a user-settable time period, or a "screen-saver" random light sequence can be selected. Speed and intensity of the "Starlight" mode can be tweaked to taste.
- All custom user settings are hard written into memory when the unit is put into STANDBY mode and thus retained if power is later interrupted.
- Individual sealed gold contact relays deliver the selected input into the volume control system before hitting the first 12AT7 input tubes. Following the mighty 6414 driver/phase splitter, the trusty EL84 output stage can be switched between either around 20 watts of TRIODE power or 40 watts of Ultra Linear mode push-pull operation. Individual bias for each tube is easily adjusted using the trimpots and test points, conveniently located on the top surface of the amplifier. The Stingray's power supply is extra-rugged and stiff, a MANLEY hallmark. It swims with the sharks: fast, agile, fluid, and with consummate authority.
- Post-volume SUBWOOFER OUTPUT allows easy hookup of outboard line-level driven active powered subwoofers. This output is after the volume control so that the subwoofer will track the volume level changes of the main speakers. The SUB OUTPUT is a line level and full frequency output that is AFTER the volume control so your powered subwoofer follows the same volume as your main speakers. These are unbalanced RCA jacks, line level. They feed the line inputs of your subwoofer, NOT the speaker jacks.
- Switchable TAPE LOOP is standard. The TAPE SEND is the output of the selected input before the volume control. The TAPE RETURN can also be used as a 5th line input if needed.
- RECORD OUT (aka Tape OUT) is BEFORE the volume control so you can record whatever input you have selected without your listening level affecting the level going to your recorder. These are unbalanced RCA's. It is UNbalanced RCA's and UNbuffered so check out the input Z to your recorder to make sure it won't load down the Stingray main input while it is plugged in. Usually with unbuffered record outs we recommend you only plug in your recorder only when you are actually recording...
- Tape LOOP: Also known as an INSERT point, the SEND or Tape Out comes off the selector switch as the Record Out option does going to your outboard EQ or Merlin BAM unit or tape recorder and then the signal returns (RETURN) to the Stingray in front of of the volume control so you can play tunes. A toggle switch selects whether the Tape LOOP (and whatever is plugged into the Tape Loop) is active or the signal goes straight through the Stingray as normal. If you have the Merlin BAM system, order your Stingray with the Tape LOOP option.
Stingray
£1795
• 4 x Stereo Line RCA Inputs
• TRIODE - UL Switching
• RECORDING OUT
• SUBWOOFER OUT
• TAPE LOOP (Insert) with Bypass switch
• Passive Noble Volume and Balance Controls
• All-Vacuum Tube Lo-feedback Stereo Integrated Design
• Output Tubes: 8 x EL84 Ships with Russian NOS EL84M (aka
6Pi14Pi-EB)
• Driver Tubes: 2 x 6414 Ships with GE or RAYTHEON JAN NOS
USA or 6414W
• Input Tubes: 2 x 12AT7EH Ships with: 12AT7EH large plate
Electro-Harmonix Russian
Mahi
50 Watt Monoblocks
£1995
These
cute little guys produce around 40 watts RMS in
Ultra-Linear mode or around 20 watts in TRIODE from a
quartet of EL84 / 6BQ5 tubes driven by a 6414 dual triode
driver and a 12AT7EH input dual triode. The EL84 has been
one of our very favorite tubes for many years, extremely
long lasting and reliable, and can be considered the
smaller brother of the much beloved EL34: really
quick-sounding both in the bass and especially in the top
end. And of course this has a lot to do with our Manley
Output transformer, the same one we build for the Manley
Stingray.
We have been building EL84 amplifiers for well over a
decade. The Manley-branded Tiny Triodes were much acclaimed
in the early 1990's. In 1993 after the Manley company split
off from VTL, the Manley Tiny Triodes underwent a chassis
rework to become the Manley 35 watt Monoblocks soon
followed by the 50 Watt Monoblocks. The more powerful
Ultra-Linear mode operation became the standard with
hard-wired Triode operation or Triode/UL switching
available upon special request.
After the introduction of the Stingray Integrated amplifier
in 1998, we then went back and incorporated the Stingray's
new circuitry design refinements into the 50 Watt
Monoblocks. Finally, big bass out of a small amplifier! So,
topology-wise, the post-1998 50 watters were the monoblock
version of the stereo Stingray, with the additional
variable feedback feature. After the introduction of the
fabulous Manley Snappers in 2002, it was obvious that we
had to update our classic EL84 50 watt monoblocks both
cosmetically and feature-wise.
Snapper
100 Watt Monoblocks
£3295
Another
brilliant design from Mitch Margolis features a quartet of
EL34's in a fully differential circuit topology, including
the input (12AT7) and driver (7044 or 5687) stages. This
Snapper can be driven fully balanced all the way through
via the XLR inputs. If you have balanced outputs on your
preamplifier, this amplifier is the first Manley design to
really let you take advantage of your XLR's without
additional balancing input circuitry or input transformers.
Very cleverly, the unbalanced RCA's can alternatively be
used in this special topology with equally impressive
results.
Biasing is easy with all measurement points and trimpots
located on the top deck and speaker connection is made with
heavy duty WBT binding posts.
Over three months of prototyping in the Manley Magnetics
department resulted in a brand new output transformer
design, a true 19-section incredibly complicated piece. The
Snapper will crank out 100 watts at 10 cycles all day long
and a full 110 watts from about 15Hz all the way up to
40KHz. Don't let frequency response specs fool you when
people give you amazing bandwidth measured at... oh,
five puny watts. We're talking full power bandwidth
here! Continuous duty. Real muscle.
Neo-Classic
SE/PP 300B
£5495
With
its decidedly (and studiedly) 'retro' physical proportions-
very deep front-to-back dimensions with a narrow
side-to-side width, this layout closely follows concepts of
a bygone era, where the well-conceived intention was to
keep the power supply as far as possible from the hum and
noise susceptible octal input tubes. The output tubes
themselves require careful distancing from the mains
transformer and, of course, require pure DC on their
filaments. Again, reverence to past times begs the use of
vacuum tube rectification with its very gentle voltage
rise-time. But to bring the performance up to modern
demands, we use two rectifiers to enable the use of very
substantial filter / reservoir capacitors... over 1300
microfarads in the B+ rail- much improved from the 4 or 8
microfarads utilized in the 1930's.
- Vacuum Tubes: 2 x 300B (Output), 1 x 6SN7 (Driver), 1 x 6SL7 (Input), 2 x 5U4 (Rectifier)
- Output Power @ 1Khz with 5 dB FeedBack in SINGLE-ENDED: 11 Watts @ 3% THD
- Output Power @ 1Khz with 5 dB FeedBack in PUSH-PULL: 24 Watts @ 1.5% THD.
Neo-Classic 250 Watt Monoblocks £6895
Neo-Classic 500 Watt Monoblocks £9250
The Manley 500 and 250 Watt Monoblocks are our most
powerful push-pull production-models.
Both the circuit design and the selected componentry have
been refined over years and years of development.
Reliability that you can depend upon combined with musical
accuracy and emotional authority is what these amplifiers
promise- and deliver. They are able to switch operation
modes allowing the listener to choose between the sonically
seductive qualities of triode and the more powerful tetrode
configuration. We use big, beefy reservoir capacitors in
the high voltage supplies giving plenty of instant energy
for dynamic performance of transient peaks and bass impact
and weight which often exceeds that of rival solid-state
amplifiers. We run high voltages on the plates of the
output tubes but operate them at lower current which will
result in their longer life. Although each output tube has
its own bias-adjust. We carefully fit each amplifier with
computer-batched tubes for optimum performance. The bias
adjustment pots and measuring points are conveniently
located behind the oval front panel insert.
To avoid a heavy power drain when the cold amplifier is
first switched on, we conceived a "Soft-Start" mode which
also functions as an "Ever-Warm" position allowing the
amplifiers to be always warmed up for pleasurable
listening. Each amplifier only consumes 30 watts of power
in Ever-Warm mode. A blinking green LED reminds the user
that the amplifier is in warm-up mode because as all the
power supplies are at half-voltage, the amplifier will
still play tunes (albeit not-so-great-sounding-tunes) when
the Ever-Warm mode is engaged.
We added a front-panel mute switch and created a new
angled-back chassis to make it easier to hook up the
interconnects, speaker cables, and IEC power cord.
In our own in-house magnetics department, our R&D team
completely redesigned all of our output transformers in
1998 with the goal to reclaim that luscious rich mid-range
of our vintage designs. In 2000 the 250's were completely
overhauled once again. We also specifically set out to
achieve a deeper bottom register at higher power with lower
distortion. Hours and hours of listening tests,
measurements, and fine-tuning brought an exciting and
stunning result to our ears. We hope you will agree.
Pre
Amps
Shrimp
£1795
- Very short, simple minimalist signal path. All-tube design. 2 x 12AT7 input, 2 x 5670 driver, and 2 x 7044 output.
- Signal path furnishes very high dynamic range with prodigious input and output signal headroom.
-
Signal path also delivers high bandwidth, low noise,
modest local negative feedback and low distortion, and is
voiced for best musical performance.
- Radio-Frequency based remote command of the silicon-free high-quality motorized VOLUME attenuator set, for infinitely resolvable control of listening levels. No need to "point" the remote in any direction. Now the Shrimp's attenuator set can be controlled from another nearby room, through walls, floors and doors, and through opaque equipment closet or cabinet doors too!
- Dedicated White Follower stage using the 5670 dual triodes effortlessly drives all passive interstage circuits; volume, balance and output stages receive crisp instruction from the Follower regardless of control settings.
- Generous energy storage via large power supply capacitors for more impact in the bass.
- No global feedback makes the Shrimp very fast sounding.
- Non-inverting two-triode gain stage is direct-coupled for most pure signal path.
- Cool White-follower output stage provides low 50 ohm output impedance. This is much better than a boring plain ol' cathode follower. The Shrimp can drive anything, not to worry.
- Filament supply floated 80V above chassis ground for quieter operation and longer tube life.
- ALPS audiophile-grade balance and motorized VOLUME pots. We use the nice parts in here!
- MIT/MultiCap polypropylene audiophile-grade signal coupling capacitors, including two 30 uF monsters on the output stages.
- Warm-up delay / MUTE button. Features and quality components usually not found on entry-level pieces.
Neo-Classic 300B Pre £4250
Our most esoteric product is THE 300B RC PREAMPLlFIER, now featuring Radio Frequency Remora Remote Control! This is the first and only preamp to feature the classic directly heated 300B Triodes. We had been designing the 300B into small power amps for many years and have always had great respect for the smooth natural sound of this tube. However, a single 300B provides truly appropriate power and voltage swing for headphones and makes a remarkable line driver. Here is where the impedances are not too low and the power requirements are not too high: ideal for this kind of tube in a single-ended configuration. This was the genesis of a new preamp.
We combine the historic 300B with another classic, the
large octal based 6SL7GT, for the input stage- all triodes
running in pure Class A operation. To complement this
'retro' feel, we implemented vacuum tube rectification and
regulation in the power supply along with plenty of
capacity. We also developed an additional (and innovative)
ripple rejection circuit to filter out power supply noise
making this an incredibly low-noise preamplifier-
especially critical for headphone users.
Steelhead
£5795
It
has two Moving Coil inputs with selectable impedance load
25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 ohms via Mr. Clever "Steelhead"
transformer/autoformer. It also has variable and
selectable Moving Magnet input impedances too 25, 50, 100,
200 ohms and 47Kohms. Very nifty is the
selectable-dial-able-in-able-from-the-faceplate-able
capacitive loading for all three of the MM & MC inputs
0 to 1100 picofarads in 10 picofarad steps. Very cool!
Equalize baby! TEN picofard steps! Wow! Now you can really
dial this in for perfect cartridge matching with ZERO
penalty. None of this switching detracts from the sound
quality or adds any extra anything to the signal path. Rest
assured.
It's got six glowing vacuum tubes: two 6922 tubes for the
gain plus four 7044 (or 5687) output tubes. It's got a big
honkin' volume control knob controllable from afar by the
new REMORA REMOTE. The Remora is a Radio Frequency
commander for the volume up/down functions for the Variable
Outputs introduced to the Steelhead with the RC version in
late 2008.
The
Steelhead can drive an amplifier directly if you want, via
these Variable Outputs, and there is also a LINE level
input you can also invoke. Hey and if you happen to have
three turntables set up, we give you 2 x MC and 1 x MM
selectable inputs! The Variable and
Fixed
level outputs are also totally vacuum tube buffer circuits
and deliver really low impedance high current drive. Like
inherently 20 ohms plus the little 47 ohm "OK drive those
high capacitance audiophile cables why doncha" resistor, so
it's real output impedance is only 67 ohms. No wanky
cathode follower (oh bor-ing) output here like the other
guys. We got your real low impedance all-tube outputs right
here! It will drive anything and everything. Long
cables, no problem.