The Audio Note (UK) Cobra integrated tube amp will be demonstrated at the Bristol Show.
Based in West Sussex, Audio Note (UK) boasts being "the largest European manufacturer of ultra-performance valve-based audio equipment" which is, in itself, impressive. Moreover, they keep much of the manufacturing in-house, including winding their own transformers and foil capacitors.
The Cobra is stated at giving out a maximum output of 28 watts per channel from a pair of EL34 valves operating in Class A push-pull. The result is being able to drive a wide range of speakers thanks to Audio Note (UK)'s custom C-core output transformers, according to the Partridge Green-based hi-fi maker. There are also a pair of 6UA6 and a brace of 5670 valves in the system.
Around the rear of the amp, you'll find three analogue stereo inputs, and an additional three digital inputs, via the onboard DAC. The Cobra's digital coax inputs can accept signals up to 24-bit/176.4kHz, with the optical SPDIF accepting up to 24-bit/96kHz. The USB input can accept up to 16-bit/48kHz. The native bit-depth for the Cobra-employed Philips TDA1543 D/A converter chip is 16bit, so anything above this is truncated down.
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Where at the Show?
See Audio Note on the fourth floor in Room 402.
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