Bricasti M20 Preamplifier, Fully Balanced, Class A, Dual Mono, New, '24 Model

Bricasti M20 Preamplifier, Fully Balanced, Class A, Dual Mono, '24 Model

Retail Price € 14.900,00

(Non EU buyers and EU buyers with a valid EU VAT number pay € 12.314,05)

This is the latest version of the Bricasti M20. It features a new adjustable display.

EN.

General: The Bricasti M20 is the new reference preamplifier from Bricasti. Bricasti has been making excellent power amplifiers and D/A Converters with built-in preamplifier output buffers, but for many music lovers nothing beats an active preamplifier. Why an active preamplifier? It allows you to completely isolate the output stage of the source and the input stage of the power amplifier from each other. Of course, a manufacturer can choose for an enormous output voltage, say 20 volts, but that is not necessary at all. The result is that the output stage of these preamplifiers always operates at too low a voltage. Bricasti has chosen for a very useful gain of 3dB. This ensures that the output stage always operates in its ideal range. Useful and well thought out, but also perfectly executed.

Housing: The housing of an audio device has a major influence on the final sound of the device. This has everything to do with vibrations and, to a lesser extent, shielding. All components such as power supplies, capacitors, resistors, ICs, clock signals, etc., change their values when subjected to vibrations. This results in a less good 3D image, less clear details, and a roughening of the signal. In short, it becomes more restless and less beautiful, and ultimately comes across as less refined and emotional. That is why Bricasti manufactures all their High End Audio equipment, as well as their Studio effects equipment, in CNC milled housings. And not just a "thick" front panel, but all panels come from the CNC milling machine. Front, back, left and right side panels, and bottom and lid are all made this way. These panels are milled to order with a precision of 1/1000mm. All circuit boards and components are mounted very precisely at the exact correct position. Once assembled, the cabinet is very rigid and resonance-free. Vibrations barely reach the components. To ensure that no vibrations from outside can enter the housing of the Bricasti M20, the housing sits on Stillpoints feet. These feet are also CNC milled and feature a ball decoupling. In short, the housing of the Bricasti M20 is as perfect as it can be.

Balanced: The Bricasti M20 is fully balanced from input to output. The M20 has 2 XLR inputs and 1 RCA input. The RCA signal is duplicated at the input and balanced. The Bricasti M20 then has three fully separate outputs available. 2 x XLR and 1 x RCA. These outputs can be used simultaneously. Ideal for Bi-Amping for example. The input buffers are ultra-fast operational amplifiers and the output stage is a fully discrete Class A design, all designed for sound. What also contributes to the very beautiful sound of the Bricasti M20 is the fact that all PCBs are made of expensive ceramic material. These circuit boards are known for having a very low memory effect, and that is why the Bricasti M20 sounds so beautifully clean and analog.

Volume Control: The Bricasti M20 of course has an excellent volume control. It is fully balanced, and the gain is controlled with very beautiful Vishay film resistors. These resistors were chosen by Bricasti for their unique sonic properties. There are 100 steps of 1dB available, and the Bricasti M20 also has an excellent balance control. This balance control is often overlooked, but in many situations it is important to shift the balance by 1 or 2 dB, and it is very nice that this control is present on the M20. The balance control also has no separate circuit, but the main volume control of one channel is shifted instead.

Power Supply: The Bricasti M20 has 3 fully separate power supplies, with 3 separate transformers. The control electronics are powered separately, and the left and right channels each have their own power supply. The power supplies themselves are heavy and fast linear power supplies with large buffers. The rectifiers are mounted directly on the CNC milled bottom of the M20 housing. All cutouts and mounting points are machined.

Remote Control: A good remote control is essential for an audio device. The Bricasti M20 has a CNC milled remote control, with all essential operating buttons. Volume, balance, source, everything can be controlled with this very comfortable to hold and logically laid out remote control.

Sound: The Bricasti M20 is an analog preamplifier, and it sounds like one too. Analog and very musical. Somehow Bricasti manages to put the listener in direct contact with the performers, rather than the technicians who recorded and mixed the recording. Many top-class equipment unfortunately do that, and then you immediately slip into demo/test mode, which prevents you from listening properly to music. Music should be embraced, not attacked. Of course, the Bricasti M20 also does all the High End things very well, such as fine and large dynamics, detail, 3D, and so on, excellently, but that is not what it is about. One of the first reviews of this Bricasti M20 can be found here: Review Bricasti M20 and M25 in Hifi News & Record Review of 2020-10.

The conclusion is clear: To draw a distinction between musicality and hifi may seem an artificial construct, but there is no shortage on equipment out there, appearing to work so hard on detail-retrieval, that we end up listening to the system, not the music. That is not the case with this Bricasti Pair. Yes, they do the hifistuff rather well, but much more, Bricasti gives a more musically fulfilling sound, so Bricasti knows that people listen for pleasure, not analysis.

Specifications of the Bricasti M20:

Brand: Bricasti USA

Model: M20

Type: Balanced Preamplifier

Inputs: 2 x XLR and 1 x RCA

Outputs: 2 x XLR and 1 x RCA

Distortion: 0.0007% 20Hz-20KHz

Maximum Input Level: +20dbu Balanced, +16dbu RCA

Maximum Output Level: +23dbu Balanced

Input Impedance: 200k ohm

Crosstalk: > 120dB

Trigger Out: 5v ring minijack

Dimensions: 430mm W x 310mm D x 100mm H

Weight: 15Kg net, 20Kg shipping