British hi-fi manufacturer Avid has introduced the Opus Pre and Opus Power, a separate preamplifier and stereo power amplifier designed around analog playback. The preamplifier includes an adjustable phono stage for moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges, while the power amplifier delivers a specified 110 watts per channel into 8 ohms.
An analog-only preamplifier
The Opus Pre is intended for systems centered on analog sources. It does not include digital inputs, keeping its connectivity and internal design focused on line-level components and vinyl playback.
Avid says the preamplifier draws on technology developed for its flagship Celsus Pre. Volume adjustment is handled by a motor-driven ALPS RK50 control, allowing the Opus Pre to combine a traditional analog volume component with motorized operation.
Its construction includes a substantial toroidal transformer, purpose-developed analog circuitry and Avid polypropylene capacitors. The chassis weighs close to 20 kilograms, underlining the scale of the power supply and internal hardware used in the design.
Adjustable phono support for MM and MC cartridges
Vinyl playback is handled by an integrated Pulsus II phono stage. Avid supplies this section from a dedicated 35VA transformer, electrically isolating it from other parts of the preamplifier’s power architecture.
The phono stage uses passive RIAA equalization and provides adjustable gain and loading. Those settings allow the Opus Pre to accommodate both moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges, giving owners scope to match the input to different cartridge requirements without adding an external phono preamplifier.
The inclusion of configurable phono circuitry is central to the Opus Pre’s positioning. Rather than treating the turntable input as a basic convenience, Avid has incorporated a separate transformer and user-adjustable parameters for a wider range of analog front ends.
Opus Power delivers 110 watts per channel
The matching Opus Power is a purist stereo power amplifier rated at 110 watts per channel into 8 ohms. Its power supply is built around a 1.1kVA toroidal transformer and 132,000 microfarads of reservoir capacitance.
Avid also specifies a custom amplifier topology and polypropylene capacitors. The company says the design is intended to work with a broad selection of loudspeakers, although no additional output ratings or load specifications have been announced in the supplied details.
Both balanced and unbalanced inputs are provided, making the amplifier compatible with preamplifiers and source systems using either connection type. The Opus Power weighs close to 32 kilograms, making it considerably heavier than the already substantial Opus Pre.
A separates pairing for vinyl-led systems
Together, the Opus Pre and Opus Power form a two-component amplification system aimed at listeners who do not require digital processing inside their preamplifier. The combination of analog line connectivity, configurable phono amplification and a dedicated stereo power stage gives the pairing a clearly defined role in turntable-focused hi-fi installations.
The products can also be considered independently: the Opus Pre offers balanced phono flexibility within an analog control component, while the Opus Power accepts balanced and unbalanced signals for integration with other preamplifiers.
Avid has not confirmed when deliveries of the Opus Pre and Opus Power will begin. Further market-specific availability information has also not been provided.
The new Opus separates extend Avid’s amplifier range with an intentionally analog approach. Their defining features are the Opus Pre’s adjustable, transformer-fed MM and MC phono stage and the Opus Power’s large power supply, substantial capacitance and 110-watt-per-channel output.
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