In response to overwhelming demand, KS Park has restarted production of the T-1800 integrated amplifier. The new T-1800 MK2 is, like its predecessor, an EL34 powered push pull design boasting 40 WPC, with remote, SE and XLR inputs and custom permalloy output transformers, now updated to the latest version.
This outstandingly fine sounding integrated amplifier, now even better, sits between the T-1500 MK2 300B SET design and our potent KT150 based T-2000 25th Anniversary.
The T-1800 MK2 is a Best Buy for those seeking a reasonably powerful but extraordinarily excellently built and sounding amplifier. The 2015 October Stereophile issue contains the late Art Dudley’s feedback on the original T-1800 (he loved it!).
T-1800 mkii
$9,600.00Price
Key Features
- 40 watts of high power output. The T-1800 MK2 is a push-pull, EL34 power tube based stereo integrated amplifier.
- Remote controlled 41 step silver contact attenuator. The T-1800 MK2 employs this house made quality attenuator instead of standard, outsourced carbon film potentiometers. The Allnic attenuator provides complete channel balance and less distortion.
- Powerful Driving Circuitry. Allnic believes in the importance of using high-quality, low noise and powerful driving circuitry in all its amplifying devices. The T-1800 MK2 uses only two stages of driving circuit.
- “Full Engagement” Output Transformers. Conventional output transformers use pre-set secondary windings to accommodate 4, 8 and 16 ohm loudspeaker loads. However, these conventional transformers utilize only one secondary winding at a time, while the other secondary windings remain “idle”. This approach has two adverse effects. First, the output transformers are not working at their maximum efficiency, reducing their output relative to their potential. Second, the “idle” windings are not actually “idle”; they are subject to parasitic oscillations, producing their own “signal”. This undesirable electrical information is additive to the transformer’s output, distorting the amplified signal going to the loudspeaker. Allnic’s “Full Engagement” transformers address these issues by having 4 independent, secondary windings that are always fully connected, never “idled”. This means that all secondary windings are always connected to your loudspeakers, regardless of which output switch position you use (4 ohms or 8 ohms or 8 ohms or 16 ohms, depending on the factory configuration you have selected). The result is that there is neither a loss of transformer output efficiency, nor the introduction into the output signal of distortion from parasitic oscillations of the secondary windings.
- Large Nickel/FeSi Core Output Transformers. As with our other models, Allnic uses very large output transformers (96 mm) with nickel, mixed with FeSi, cores. This provides for higher inductance with fewer windings than other designs can provide and results in the great benefit of an extremely wide range of output frequencies.
- “Soft-start” Circuitry. Allnic uses soft start circuitry that, after sufficient warm-up only, provides the high voltage supply to the plate of each tube. This protective design results in prolonged tube life and fewer and less frequent issues with tube performance.
- Analogue Power Tube Current Monitors. In order to provide constant current (bias) monitoring for the power tubes, Allnic uses a separate analogue current meter for each tube. The meters make it exceptionally easy to see the status of each tube at any time. The meters offer a simple, unambiguous indication of each tube’s status compared to conventional LED bias monitors.