The Icon Audio CD player

Designed in Leicester by David Shaw, founder of Icon Audio. Using a similar circuit to our acclaimed PS1 and PS3 phono stages we turned our attention to the common problem of uninteresting or harsh sounding CD players.

A tube output stage can be beneficial for the sound of CD. But the common practice of putting a couple of low voltage, radio frequency valves (ECC88/6922) sharing the same circuit board and power supply is far from ideal! So the results will be disappointing.

What we have done

The CDX1 uses the latest 192kHz 24bit upsampling technology for high resolution. But we need to do much more than this to avoid the “mechanical sound” of many digital systems.

It is commonly known that RF noise degrades the tiny delicate audio signal the recording engineers have strived so hard to perfect. CD players are full of RF noise from the high speed processing of the digital signal.

We decided to completely separate the digital and analogue sections, and give the valve section a dedicated power supply which is sympathetic to the best traditions of valve design. This involves a choke regulated power supply and a valve regulator, both of which are excellent at absorbing RF.The output valves are the legendary 6SN7 (CV181) a rugged, long lasting valve giving exceptional insight to recordings.

The valve analogue section has its own hard wired chassis away from the digital section

A winning combination of traditional design, excellent valves, audiophile components, hard wired, no printed circuit boards, custom wound transformers, massive choke regulated power supply.

You can expect a more musical presentation with more warmth and colour, being very easy to listen to. We think it sounds very similar to our “Reference Standard” PS3 phono stage. You will also get better results from the “mediocre” recordings that you have.

As each amplifier is prepared to your order in our Leicester workshop. We can offer a range of upgrades including, premium and “new old stock” valves, the superb Jensen Copper foil “oil in paper” capacitors. Ask us for a quote.

As a small company we make customer service a priority. Valve amplifiers do need a little more TLC than transistors, they will need a valve change every few years but the sonic benefits are more than worth it. When re-valved, you get a new amplifier again! An Icon engineer is always on hand at the end of the phone or by email to help you get the best out of your amplifier

Specifications and features

• Latest 192kHz 24bit upsampling technology
• Three independent power supplies
• All hand wired point to point
• Class A, all Triode output stage
• 2x 6SN7 output and buffer stage (0 feedback)
• EZ80 Valve rectifier
• Valve regulator
• Signal to noise level -100db
• Freq response better than 20hz-20kHz +0 – 5db
• Japanese steel EI transformers with low oxygen copper
• High quality 2W metal film, & wire-wound resistors
• Solen Polypropylene audio capacitors
• Jensen Copper foil caps option
• Various valve upgrade options
• Silver TEFLON audio cable
• Special custom wound PSU Choke
• Ceramic valve holders for minimum leakage
• Gold plated RCA
• Output 2v (0db reference standard).
• 220/240volts approx (adjustable to 115v)
• Power Consumption: 50w
• Comprehensive manual supplied
• Full instructions for valve change included
• CE, ROHS, WEEE compliant where applicable
• Size in cm W43.5 D37 H15 (Carton: 44x40x18 weight 16kg)

*Analogue section. Specifications subject to change

Source Iconaudio