Thrax Audio Enyo Mk2 built-in amplifier

The Thrax Audio Enyo Mk2 is an built-in amplifier. You can inform as a lot from the show and the controls, after you have labored out their features. What you possibly can’t inform with out turning it on and searching by way of the protecting grille is that it is a tube amplifier. Those accustomed to the sound of pentodes run in push-pull would in all probability be capable to detect a tube attribute to the sound, however the Enyo sounds loads much less prefer it produces energy with thermionic gadgets than most of its kin.

The output tubes are hid inside secondary covers inside the case with two GU50s per channel. This Russian tube shouldn’t be quite common in audio amplifiers however able to 50W when operated on this extremely linear trend. According to Thrax that output is true for each 4 and eight-ohm masses, which is shocking. This consistency is a results of the bizarre DC coupled nature of the circuit. The Enyo has only one capacitor within the DC coupled sign path and combines the GU50s with an ECC88 enter tube and a 6N6P driver. It’s assortment of gadgets which can be comparatively cheap to interchange when that second finally comes. Thrax says that the GU50s are good for 1,000 hours whereas the smaller tubes final twice as lengthy and are straightforward to put in, due to auto-biasing for the output gadgets.

Thrax Audio Enyo Mk2 integrated amplifier

It has a twin brother within the Thrax Ares. That is a totally transistorised built-in amplifier on the identical value because the Enyo. It’s smaller however practically as heavy due to the carved-from-solid nature of its metalwork. The Enyo is of a extra typical building with a heavy entrance panel and enormous show, however the primary case is in metal with loads of perforation to maintain issues cool. Both amplifiers seem to share the identical preamplifier part, which incorporates single-ended and balanced inputs, an MM/MC phono stage, and the choice so as to add a streaming DAC board. Both sections have unbiased energy provides with the intention to minimise air pollution of analogue by digital sections, and probably vice versa. Unlike 99% of tube amps, the Enyo has a house theatre bypass choice, which is actually a approach of bypassing the amount management on one enter in order that the amplifier can be utilized to energy the entrance left and proper channels in a encompass system. Quite how you’ll tonally match this with the amplifier driving the centre channel is one other query.

The DAC board shouldn’t be the standard afterthought discovered on many built-in amps. It provides the total gamut of inputs together with AES/EBU, USB and Ethernet, the latter permitting Enyo for use as a streamer with management by a 3rd celebration UPnP app or with Roon. On the numbers entrance it’s good for as much as 32-bit 768kHz PCM (384kHz through ethernet) and DSD256 (4x) that are respectable numbers indicating that it is a trendy chipset. That doesn’t essentially equate to top quality, however is an efficient begin.

Nominal vs actual

While output is quoted as being the identical no matter loudspeaker impedance there are 4 and eight Ohm faucets related to suitably marked terminals on the again panel. As ever with such options it’s best to hearken to the choices quite than choosing the one which matches your loudspeaker’s nominal impedance. The phrase nominal is used as a result of few if any audio system have a constant impedance in any respect frequencies, this key attribute tends to drop at decrease frequencies and that is what makes the distinction between straightforward and fewer straightforward to drive loudspeakers. It is commonly extra essential than sensitivity with regards to amp/speaker matching.

Initial listening was through Perlisten S7t floorstanders and this proved to be a very beneficial pairing. These audio system are very clear and the Enyo allowed them to ship imaging that was completely very good, actually strong and nearly holographic in truth. Michael Manring’s ‘Selene’ was additionally spectacular, it feels such as you’re getting double the standard information as a result of there’s a lot depth, texture and physique, and the bass harmonics are notably enticing. It’s not fairly as strong within the bass because the Ares, however the further physique and depth of tone that the tube ingredient brings makes it the extra interesting amplifier.

Thrax Audio Enyo Mk2 integrated amplifier

With PMC twenty5.26i audio system and a few acoustic music within the type of Gianluigi Trovesi’s Stravaganze consonanti (ECM) carried out with unique devices, the Enyo produces a luxurious get extremely detailed outcome. Acoustic devices and tubes are an ideal pairing with regards to amplifiers. They put again what the recording fails to seize, which is actually harmonic elaboration which whereas it is probably not completely correct, sounds extraordinarily pure. And on this occasion you get extra management and definition than is normally the case.

More musical

Using the onboard DAC the outcomes stay wonderful, higher in truth than many standalone converters. With my Lumin U2 mini related to the USB enter the Enyo provides a very broad, relaxed and inevitably barely tubey sound that whereas it’s not as crisp and exact as strong state options makes up for this with an basically extra musical, extremely participating sound. That mentioned, low-level decision may very well be a little bit higher, even in a tube design that’s as nicely thought by way of as this it’s not doable to push the noise ground down so far as Thrax achieved with Ares.

Phono achieve

With the turntable related to the transferring coil inputs and my Rega Aphelion 2 cartridge offering sign I acquired a hum free outcome, one thing that couldn’t be achieved with Ares (maybe because of the absence of an earth connection on the Rega P10). On a Thiago Nassif monitor (‘Soar Estranho’ from Mente) the kick drum had the requisite impression and the sound was good and open with respectable articulation within the bass. The phono stage doesn’t have an enormous quantity of achieve so you want to whack it up fairly a bit to get the dynamics going which is ok till you turn to the digital enter and the amount jumps dramatically. The absence of enter achieve adjustment implies that care must be taken when making this change, you have got been warned!

Thrax Audio Enyo Mk2 integrated amplifier

Overall the phono stage is nice however not in the identical league because the DAC. It’s in all probability equal to a separate phono stage at round £1,200, whereas the digital facet is pretty much as good as one thing at twice that value possibly extra. You’re definitely not very inclined to begin scrolling and swiping when Patti Smith is singing ‘Beneath the Southern Cross.’ This proved to be an intense expertise that exposed all the ability and glory of that exceptional artist. I additionally like the way in which that you just get a very sturdy sense of dynamics and vitality, with out having to show the extent up too excessive. Well-made trendy recordings like Mirage by Lilja sound completely scrumptious with big scale and actually sturdy presence, there’s even a sumptuousness that you just solely discover on the perfect analogue recordings. This amp makes it plain that requirements in professional audio have taken a considerable leap within the final decade or so.

Listen for longer

An instance of classic analogue sound is Miles Davis’ Live Evil, which doesn’t sound fairly so polished by any means, however makes good musical sense with the Enyo’s digital enter, particularly the guitar and horn on ‘Medley: Gemini – Double Image’, which is great, highly effective and menacing however clear. The fantastic thing about this amplifier is that it could actually ship the vitality of a bit like this however doesn’t have the graininess of transistor options which might make brass sound brash. It has loads of energy too and can drive a speaker like this PMC with ease, not all tube amps can do that and positively not one of the single ended selection.

When I spoke to the Thrax distributor in regards to the Ares and Enyo, he advised me that the tube amp is extra in style than its chunky strong state brother. Having heard each I’m not stunned, the Enyo brings out element and timing exceedingly nicely and delivers the music in a richer and extra fluid trend. That mentioned I acquired wonderful outcomes with Ares too. It’s uncommon to search out this type of different inside one vary and implies that it ought to be doable to audition each in a single place, so take your audio system to that place and see which amp works greatest with them. There will likely be some pairings that favour Ares for certain, however on stability the Enyo is the extra musically beguiling of the 2. Any amp that makes you wish to hear for longer all the time goes to be a winner.

Technical specs

Type: Push-pull tube, two-channel built-in amplifier with built-in phono stage
Analogue inputs: One MM/MC phono enter (through RCA jacks), three single-ended line-level inputs (through RCA jacks), one balanced enter (through XLR connectors)
Digital inputs Two S/PDIF (one coaxial, one optical), one USB port, one AES/EBU (through XLR), one streaming (through RJ45)
Analogue outputs: loudspeaker binding posts
Supported pattern charges: Coaxial and optical S/PDIF not specified, USB as much as 32-bit —768kHz, DSD256
Input impedance: High-level 40kOhms, Phono variable, Power amp N/A
Power Output: 50Wpc @ 8 & 4 Ohms
Signal to Noise Ratio: 103dB
Dimensions (H×W×D): 190 × 430 × 480mm
Weight: 29kg
Price: £12,900, DAC £2,900