Hercules II Stereo Power Amplifier
Product Reviews:
 |
發燒音響 (Audiophile) Feb 2021 |
|
家庭影院技術 (Home Theater Tech) Vol.225 |
The same effortless, extraordinary sound.
The horizontal format of the Hercules II amplifier made it practical to create a stereo version - an amplifier in the same chassis as the Hercules II Mono, with the same effortless, extraordinary sound, but with two 500-watt channels instead of a single 1,000-watt channel.
The Hercules II Stereo uses exactly the same circuit as the Hercules II Mono and the original Hercules. The same circuit that inspired a leading reviewer to describe our original Hercules amplifier and Altair preamp as "the most transparent, detailed, and cleanest electronics I've heard." The Hercules II Stereo cannot quite match the dynamics of the Hercules II Mono, but the fundamental sound quality is the same.
A Balanced Bridged circuit topology.
The revolutionary Balanced Bridged circuit topology used in all Constellation Audio amplifiers gives the Hercules II Stereo exceptionally low noise and outstanding common-mode rejection ratio. But those are just technical terms. What?s more important is that with an essentially perfect balance between the positive and negative halves of an audio signal, the Hercules II Stereo achieves a level of musicality previously heard only in our other amplifiers. The key element in our topology is the use of only N-type output transistors, instead of a mix of N- and P-type transistors as found in other fully-complementary solid-state amplifiers. Because every element of the musical signal passes through exactly the same types of circuit components, all the musicality of the original single-ended module is preserved.
500 watts per channel into 8 ohms
Our 500-watt/8-ohm per-channel power rating for the Hercules II Stereo is actually pretty conservative; it's really more like 550 watts. And 750 watts into 4 ohms, and a full 1 kW into 2 ohms. Thanks to its increased power supply capacitance and ample cooling capacity, the Hercules II Stereo drives low-impedance speakers with ease.
Modular circuit concept
Instead of achieving the Hercules II Stereo's in the traditional way ?just bulking it up with more output devices? we build it from numerous 125-watt single-ended modules. It thus has the musicality of smaller amplifier, and the power and control of a large amplifier.
Balanced drive design for superior musicality
In the Hercules II Stereo, as in all Constellation Audio amplifiers, both the positive and negative halves of the audio signal see exactly the same type of output devices: N-type transistors. In other amps, the transistors are half N-type and half P-type, resulting in an inherent signal imbalance.
Inherently stable circuit design
Specifications
- Dual-mono design with one 3,000-watt transformer per channel
- High-efficiency passive cooling
- Perfect balancing through Line Stage Gain Module
- Constellation Direct balanced interface
Hercules II Mono Power Amplifier
Reviews from America's best.
When one of America's best-known audio reviewers described our original Hercules amplifier, along with our Altair preamp, as "the most transparent, detailed, and cleanest electronics I've heard," we knew our "dream team" of top audio engineers and industrial designers had achieved its goal: to create the world's best amplifier.
A revolutionary twist.
The Hercules II Mono employs a revolutionary twist on the concept of a fully balanced amplifier. In all balanced amplifiers, mirror-imaged amplifier circuits are used, with one part amplifying the positive half of an audio signal, and the other part amplifying the negative half. Yet in other balanced amps, the two halves are not quite equal, because one uses N-type transistors and the other uses P-type transistors. Hercules II achieves an essentially perfect balance by combining two matched single-ended amplifiers using only N-type output transistors. Every element of the musical signal passes through exactly the same types of circuit components, maintaining all the musicality of the original single-ended module.
1,000 watts of power into 8 ohms
With 1 kilowatt of rated power into 8 ohms (and even that is a conservative number), the Hercules II monoblock has more than enough power for any speaker, any space and any listening taste. It handles low-impedance speakers with ease, delivering 1.5 kW into 4 ohms and an incredible 2 kW into 2 ohms.
Balanced drive design for superior musicality
By using only N-type output transistors, instead of half N-type and half P-type as in other amplifiers, Hercules II achieves an essentially perfect balance between the positive and halves of the audio signal. As in a single-ended amplifier, the entirety of the audio signal passes through exactly the same type of output device.
Modular circuit concept
By building Hercules II from numerous 125-watt single-ended modules, we achieve the sound quality of a small amplifier with a full 1,000 watts of power.
Dual 3,000-watt power transformers
These custom-wound toroidal transformers contain several isolated sets of windings to supply independent power feeds to various circuits within the amplifier. Because the windings are isolated, the demands of one circuit do not affect the performance of other circuits, and consistent voltage and current are always supplied.
Specifications:
- No Zobel network needed
- Large heat sinks with high-flow ventilation ports
- Line Stage Gain Module
- Constellation Direct balanced interface