Jump to content
IGNORED

Townshend Allegri - Passive pre-amplifier


Recommended Posts

SOLD
Item Condition: Used but in pristine condition
Shipping Options: Pickup available but audition is not available.,Shipping is available at agreed cost.
Suburb or Town: Beaumaris
State: VIC
Payment Method: Paypal, EFT, Cash on Pickup
Reason for selling: NLR

Townshend Allegri autoformer preamp in excellent condition.

 

First and only owner, bought directly from Max Townshend (when he was alive) with original box, packaging and paperwork.

 

Quite extraordinary transparency and lack of coloration. 

 

I can't profess to understand the engineering behind the design but I always thought active preamps were necessary to help drive amplifiers but I used this to drive stereo or mono amps and two subwoofers  concurrently to fantastic effect.

 

The autoformers inside the pre-amp use Townshend's hi-end fractal wire and 80% nickel mu-metal to deliver the high perfromance.

 

(I also have some fractal interconnects which I will be selling - that when combined with the pre-amp create a magical synergy)

 

The  pre-amp brings you closer to what some will say is the ultimate aim of a good system that behaves like a "straight wire with gain".

 

Martin Colloms for Hi Fi critic gives the Allegri a massive 235 points - (If you know his scoring approach this is unheard of).  He stated:

 

“The listeners were immediately aware of the lack of electronic hash, glare, hardness and artificiality. Instead we heard near magical transparency, exceptional bandwidth, tight control, fine clarity, wide dynamic range, excellent pace and timing, and deep, wide sound stages.

Scores can become a little crazy when one encounters components that redefine sound quality, but I have to give this control unit a massive 235 under good source and load conditions”.

 

At the price it is the proverbial giant killer.  Based on the Martin Collums ranking of pre-amps it bested almost all preamps regardless of price.

 

allegri 4.jpg

allegri 5.jpg

allegri 2.jpg

allegri 3.jpg

allegri1.jpg

  • Like 2
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites



hi thanks for your interest
 

I used it with two valve monoblocks from trafomatic, a stereo amp from anthem, Amps from exposure and even a Conrad Johnson all seemed to work quite well,  it’s been a keeper despite changing amps often….

 

rgds

jurek

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

17 hours ago, Xi Jinpingers said:

What amp did you use it with?

I bought my Slagle autoformer nearly  20 years ago in DIY form and it's definitely better than any resistor based attenuator. I still use it today! everything just sounds right.
The Townshend unit at that price is cheaper than going DIY. 

 

Keep you source output impedance as low as possible - under 600 ohms (mine is below 100) and input imped. of the amp above 10K (higher the better) and it should be fine.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites



Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.




×
×
  • Create New...
To Top