Octave Audio has taken its flagship preamplifier to a new level of development, revised key technical aspects, and significantly improved integration into modern systems. Modern DA converters and power sources often operate at high output levels, requiring electrical stability, a large dynamic margin, and precise impedance matching from a preamplifier.
To achieve this, Octave Audio uses newly developed XLR input transformers in the Octave Audio Jubilee Preamp SE. According to the manufacturer, these are specifically designed for modern source devices and offer ample headroom for output levels up to 8 V RMS. Furthermore, they feature a significantly higher input impedance of 80 kOhm. In practice, this translates into greater compatibility with a wider range of high-quality sources and thus more freedom of choice when assembling complex audio systems.
Low distortion and high bandwidth
Equally important is the redesign of the circuit itself. Octave Audio quotes distortion figures of less than 0.005 percent and a bandwidth of 5 Hz to 150 kHz. According to these figures, this preamplifier will therefore not be a bottleneck in the system. Of particular interest is the 3 dB improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio. In terms of sound, this translates primarily into greater clarity in the background, sharper contours, and better spatial separation. Subtle details, reverberation patterns, and the separation of individual instruments benefit particularly from a circuit that further reduces interference.
Price: $40,000
