TL Audio A1 - Manual (Page 3)

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INTRODUCTION
New from TL Audio, The Ebony Series is a sleek looking range of discrete Class A
processors designed to heighten your audio experience.
The range consists of 3 units, all of which use Discrete Class A circuitry and have an
optional tube stage with variable drive putting you in control of how ‘creamy’ or how
‘cool’ your unit sounds.
Hand assembled in England to the highest standards, the Ebony uses stylish, quality
chrome knobs together with a high gloss black finish to make the exterior look just as
smooth as the circuits sound.
The Ebony Series have all the features you come to expect with TL Audio, including
balanced I/O, multi input options, analogue VU metering and intuitive, precise
controls.
All units are also compatible with the TL Audio DO-2 digital SPDIF interface for easy
digital connectivity with high quality conversion.
A combination of supreme quality, unrivalled sound and stylish aesthetics - this range
offers superior analogue processing to accompany a digital world.
Why Class-A?
Class A circuits are designed with a constant current flowing through all of the
transistors, which is sufficient to drive the peak output required from each block of the
circuit. This ensures that every transistor is kept at its optimum operating point,
minimising non-linearities due to changes in current and internal thermal effects, and
eliminating the objectionable “cross-over” distortion typical of class AB circuits.
Due to the higher steady state (or “quiescent”) currents used, the power dissipation of
class A circuits is substantially higher than can in general be handled by integrated
circuits. It is also possible to design discrete transistor circuits to operate at higher
voltage rails than are available for audio integrated circuits, adding the benefit of
greater headroom and improved dynamic range. For these reasons, there are no
integrated circuits in the audio paths of the Ebony Series.
The outstanding audio quality is reflected in the technical specification of the units, with particularly
low noise and distortion, and wide frequency response.