Niimbus took the high-end approach of his Violectric brand and carried it even further with Niimbus US 5 and US 5 Pro headphone amplifiers. The essence of the company's 35 years of experience culminates in the two brand new headphone amplifiers Niimbus US 5 and US 5 Pro, helping to deliver the most musical high end experiences directly to the ear.
"Headphone playback is particularly demanding since the sound source is placed very close to the head. Due to its completely symmetrical dual mono layout, internal operating voltage of 50V and high power output, our new flagship models drive headphones of any type with utmost precision. Working with ultra-low distortion they unveil absolute sound bliss," CMA describes.
From high-quality dynamic systems to planar magnetic drivers, open or closed back designs, high or low impedance, the new Niimbus US 5 and US 5 Pro headphone amplifiers are ready to support every transducer type and achieve the best possible performance. The innovative Pre Gain adjustment with a wide range from -18 to +24 dB guarantees low internal amplification factors and low noise with all headphone impedances. The four powerful amplifier levels effortlessly drive high and low impedance headphones with up to 7,000 mW at 50 Ohms and output voltage of 32V RMS at 600 Ohms. The low output impedance warrants a high attenuation factor, which combines with the sophisticated power supply with two toroidal transformers and 50,000 µF capacitors for accurate transient reproduction, high dynamics and minimum distortion.
In addition to the two unbalanced 6.3mm jacks, the Niimbus US 5 and US 5 Pro offer 4-pin XLR and 4.4mm Pentaconn connections for balanced headphones. This provides a significantly better channel separation via individual grounding as well as an even better dynamic response. With four amplification stages, the new Niimbus models work as a push-pull-setup when wired with balanced connectors, so positive and negative membrane movements are amplified individually.
Regardless of whether the signal consists of a powerful, dynamic orchestra or fragile acoustic instruments, the amplifier is always in control of the headphone drivers, delivering a precise and vivid sound. One balanced and two unbalanced stereo inputs, together with balanced and unbalanced line outputs allow the connection of further components. The line outputs can be set to either fixed or variable levels, turning the Niimbus US 5 and US 5 Pro into reference preamps for subsequent power amplifiers or active loudspeakers.
"Niimbus delivers uncompromising perfection down to the last detail. Accordingly, when developing the reference models US 5 and US 5 Pro, particular emphasis was placed on accurate volume control. The amplifiers achieve an accuracy and channel consistency that really does justice to their high-end claims," the company states.
The US 5 employs a high-quality motorized potentiometer, while the US 5 Pro uses a Relay Controlled Attenuator system for the best – albeit most complex – analog level control available today. The volume control is connected to a microcomputer, which in turn controls a network of fixed resistors via wear-free reed relays. The relay network spans an impressive 256 discrete volume levels with a step size of 0.4, offering the greatest possible accuracy without coloring the signal. "All this effort pays off: with the US 5 and the US 5 Pro, Niimbus offers an outstanding stereo image with detailed and artifact-free spatial instrument localization," CMA adds.
On the outside, the Niimbus US 5 and US 5 Pro headphone amplifiers feature ten-millimeter thick, black anodized front panels, input and output selection buttons, a balance control and headphone outputs, in addition to the volume control. The remote control, milled from a single metal block, controls all important parameters and offers maximum ease of use, especially when employing the new Niimbus models as preamps. All devices are manufactured exclusively with high-quality components in the company's own facilities near Lake Constance, in the South of Germany.
The US 5 and US 5 Pro headphone amps from Niimbus are available from early August 2021 from selected specialist retailers. The announced MSRPs are 4,999 EUR / $5,799.95 USD for the US 5, and 5,499 EUR / $6,399.95 USD for the US 5 Pro.
US and Canada Distribution: www.power-holdings-inc.com
www.cma.audio | www.lake-people.com | www.violectric.com
