C31 (Discontinued)

Pre Amplifier

The C31 is a superbly transparent music preamplifier and provides a level of performance and flexibility that will delight even the most demanding music enthusiast.

Overview

With nearly 30 years experience in high fidelity audio design, Arcam has gained a world-class reputation for audio performance. The new FMJ C31 pre amplifier represents the pinnacle of Arcam’s achievements in stereo playback systems. When partnered with the FMJ P1 monobloc power amplifiers, it represents the very best of Arcam’s quest for ultra-high quality music playback and delivers a wonderfully faithful reproduction of even the most demanding source material.

The design of the C31 features a simple, accurate and clean signal path. The reed relay input switching dispenses with the compromises of mechanical or conventional relay designs, resulting in switching with immeasurable noise and distortion. The studio grade electronic volume controls deliver precision variation of volume level whilst maintaining the subtle nuances of the music and delivering long-term reliability.

Connections are designed to be flexible with conventional unbalanced (for direct connection to power amplifiers and the purest fidelity), buffered unbalanced (for longer cable runs) and balanced output connections for use in electrically noisy environments. Inputs are wide ranging and include five line level inputs, two independent tape loops and an optional single stage MM/MC phono input .

Technical spec

Pre-amplifier section

All new audiophile pre-amplifier design with very low noise and distortion
Very short audio signal path for cleanest possible sound
No tone controls for lowest distortion and noise
DC coupled using servo to remove any DC from input signals
New improved Burr Brown volume control
High quality Burr Brown op-amps in signal path
Hermetically sealed reed relay input switching with immeasurable distortion and noise*
Four-layer printed circuit boards allow control of power supply reduction of electrical noise
Processor mode option for seamless integration with AV surround decoders
Audiophile grade Stargate and Rubicon capacitors for signal transparency
Optional single stage MM/MC phono preamp

* Note:- Because the contacts in reed relays are hermetically sealed, they can switch low-level signals as low as fempto amps and nano volts. Electromechanical relays cannot do this because they are not hermetically sealed and have polymer films build up on their contacts that require a voltage arc to break through this layer before conduction can take place. Similarly, semiconductors have capacitance, leakage currents and semiconductor offsets to deal with that introduce distortion and limit the switching and detection of low voltages and currents. Also, the reed relay has no moving parts and therefore, under signal conditions will switch greater than 50 million operations fault free. Electromecanical relays can at best switch up to the low millions of operations. Because its armature moves about a pivot point, wearing occurs, reducing life.

Output stage

Buffered balanced and unbalanced audio outputs
Independently buffered tape paths
Front panel headphones socket driven by dedicated headphone driver circuit

Construction

Acousteel critically damped chassis to reduce microphony
8mm extruded aluminium faceplate for mechanical integrity and electrical shielding
Additional aluminium casework and unique electrical shielding materials
Clear easy-to-read front panel display

Power supply

Large core low flux density toroidal based power supply
Massive 2x10,000uF bulk decoupling capacitors to reduce voltage variation on input to audio regulators
Dual regulated system for analogue power supplies

General