Halcro Eclipse Mono

Halcro-Eclipse-Mono-Statement-Twin-Chassis-Mono-Power-Amplifier-1

Halcro-Eclipse-Mono-Statement-Twin-Chassis-Mono-Power-Amplifier-2

Statement Twin Chassis Mono Block Power Amplifier (Pair)

Categories: Amplifiers, Amplifiers - Power, Halcro

Make an Enquiry

Our Happiness Guarantee:
No obligation home demonstration for total peace of mind.

Our showroom
Find out about our Melbourne showroom and how you can visit us.

Description

Description

To say that a Halcro amplifier internal design is unique is an understatement. When the genius of Bruce Candy turned its attention to amplifier design, he had not spent his life studying traditional amplifier circuits. He was not influenced, guided or limited by other people’s methods or ideas. He had a specific expertise in electronics and designed an amplifier topology that was so left-field, that many engineers could not even identify the circuit as even being an amplifier. This completely pure approach focused on reducing distortion because Bruce believed that for the purity of the music signal to be properly communicated, it needed to be free of distortion.

What quickly became obvious is that he had created an amplifier that had such low distortion that it was virtually non-existent. Most amplifiers have distortion measured in percentage points (parts per hundred) whereas his new amplifier displayed distortion in parts per billion! This is so far below a human’s ability to hear distortion that it can be considered to be the distortion free.

In recent years, the new Halcro team has put a lot of effort into exploring every aspect of the original circuit design to look for possible improvements. Some improvements were made and the result is the Eclipse – the new reference in amplification. All models in the Eclipse series have the same internals with the exception being that they are available in stereo and mono versions. The Signature versions simply have a more elaborate and costly external luxury paint finish.

The Eclipse enjoys a completely redesigned input stage, further reducing non-linear effects and distortion. There are multiple independently tracking power supplies, state-of-the-art componentry, superior internal shielding and higher output power. The Eclipse also offers a new, modern, ‘lighter’ interpretation of the distinctive and award winning Halcro aesthetic. Even this contributes to better performance with the new, machined-from-solid casework reducing microphonics.

Halcro amplifiers offer an unmatched insight into the music. They position everything precisely in the soundstage due to their unique ability to avoid adding ‘ghost’ notes that are thrown into the mix by the non-linear distortion of a conventional amplifier. Lack of distortion aside, one of the many things that make Halcro amplifiers so good is the way they maintain the phase coherence of the signal source. Phase coherence is a measure of the degree to which a system maintains the relative timing of various notes or tones within complex music. You can hear micro details previously lost in the distortion.

When it comes to driving your loudspeakers musically, the Eclipse has 180 watts/per channel into an eight-ohm loudspeaker, 350 watts/channel into four-ohms, providing plenty of dynamic headroom. Beyond all the technology, there is only one thing that matters – the ability to convey the emotion of music.

Have you heard what a superbly designed distortion-free amplifier sounds like?

Head to Nirvana Sound, take a deep breath and… experience music.

Videos

Zero-Distortion Amplification: Halcro Out of Hiatus – SoundStage! Talks (August 2020)

Reviews

Audio Esoterica, Greg Borrowman, 2019

The Halcro Eclipse Mono is a superb amplifier, one whose visual presentation captures the imagination like no other amplifier I have ever seen. Its sound quality is so breathtakingly good that I had to pinch myself through my listening sessions to remind myself I was awake, and not in some blissful audiophile dream. They’re certainly not cheap – though recent changes in Halcro’s distribution model and a streamlined paint process have reduced them from the launch price of AU$135,000 a pair to now a US dollar price of $69,990 a pair (around AU$91,000 as we write). But to describe the performance of the Halcro Eclipse Monos, I can do no better than echo the praise of Stereophile’s Paul Bolin, who in turn paraphrased Shakespeare to say: “Feed them the best, and the Halcros will give you an experience that is such stuff as dreams are made on”.

Read Review

Product Specifications

Type	Twin Chassis Mono Block Power Amplifier
Power	Power output into 4 ohms resistive > 500 W Power output into 8 ohms resistive > 280 W (Both channels driven, measured at 1kHz)
Distortion (Footnote 1)	At full power output, all harmonic distortion orders: THD <-120 dB (<300 parts per billion) up to 20 kHz (100 kHz B.W.) at 450 W into 4 ohms. THD @ 1 kHz <-134 dB (<200 parts per billion). For sum of 19 and 20 kHz tones, each delivering 112.5 W into 4 ohms = peak power 450W, resulting intermodulation products each <-120 dB relative to output. SMPTE-IM intermodulation products each <-120 dB relative to output.
Inputs	There are four input modes: An unbalanced voltage mode input with an impedance of 22 kOhms A balanced voltage mode input with an impedance of 22 kOhms + 22 kOhms A current-mode input with a 60 Ohm input impedance (infinite impedance current source) A minimal path voltage mode with an input impedance of 660 Ohms The voltage gain of the balanced and unbalanced inputs is 30 V/V and for the minimal path mode is 15 V/V. The gain of the current mode is 9 V/mA
Noise	The equivalent input noise at the input is 5 nV/sqrt(Hz) for the voltage modes and 6 pA/sqrt(Hz) for the current mode.
Frequency Response	3Hz – 215kHz: -3db 7Hz – 90kHz: -1dB (Measured at 1W output)
Slew rate limit	Maximum slew rate for both small signal and maximum output voltage is 100V/μs, (which is equivalent to a maximum output voltage at approximately 250 kHz.)
Power Supply	Active power factor correction minimizes mains current harmonic distortion. Operates at all voltages from 85 to 270 V r.m.s. 45-65 Hz, without any internal or external switches. Less than 100 parts per million mains hum and ripple on the amplifier power rails. Conforms with PFC and EU emission standards set for 2002.
Overload (Footnote 2)	Recovery from hard overload at 20 kHz into 4 ohms is 1 ms.
Amplifier Protection	Is short-circuit proof Has over current limiting Has gradual power limiting if amplifier becomes too hot Will cut out if a continuous DC offset appears on output Will cut out if output current exceeds 12 A average continuously over a period of a few minutes Is protected against most input overloads
Power Supply Protection	Will cut out if most common faults are detected in the power supply (such as over-voltage, master clock at incorrect frequency, excessive temperatures) Is protected against most mains transients
Components (Footnote 3)	For reliability, all semiconductors are at least industrial grade. All electrolytics are rated to 105°C. Only highly linear resistors and MKP10/FKP1 capacitors are employed in the critical audio path. Six-layer PCBs are used in the power amplifier to minimize stray magnetic fields and to accurately define voltages. Four-layer PCBs are used in the power supply to minimize E.M.I. and voltage transients, which improves reliability and power efficiency.
Compartments	There are four heavily shielded compartments: A power supply unit An input amplifier section A power amplifier compartment An output filter compartment
Filtering	Series and common mode EMI filtering is present: On the mains input Between the amplifier and power supply High frequency filtering is present at the inputs and output.
Dimensions (per Mono Block)	79cm (H) x 40cm (W) x 40cm (D)
Weight	62kg (Shipping weight 85 kg)
Footnote 1	THD specifications of our typical best competitors are 200,000 parts per billion.
Footnote 2	Indicates no excessive negative feedback.
Footnote 3	“Industrial” grade is a higher grade than the “commercial” grade used by most manufacturers.