Ianus Protos

Reviewer: Simone Ragionieri
Source: Generic 5G router into Taiko Audio network switch both powered by a Zayin Audio Suprareg; Taiko Olympus XDMI Server; LampizatOr Horizon 360 DAC
Headphone amplifier: Riviera Audio Labs AIC-10
Headphones: Spirit Torino Valkyria, Raal 1995 Immanis
Loudspeakers: Diesis Audio Aura SE
Cables: complete Faber's Cables La Potenza loom
Power delivery: Faber's Cables La Potenza power distributor and ground box, Furutech NCF AC wall plugs on a dedicated spur
Room size: 5 x 4.5 x 2.7m
Room treatments: Eight ceiling diffusers, floor-to-ceiling acoustic curtains on sidewalls, Vicoustic VicTotem Ultra VMT in front corners
Review component retail: €30'000 as reviewed

From the Grail's unattainable perfection to a silver bullet's magical powers, human lore contains symbols for idealized achievements which remain out of reach but still bestow a kind of nobility or excellence on those who pursue them. In power amplifiers, the concept of circuit simplicity peaks in the idea of a single stage which performs minimum signal manipulation. For that it must combine high input impedance with low output impedance and pack all the required voltage and current gain to require naught else. As if that weren't enough—Nelson Pass has worked on it with pure transistors at FirstWatt—designers like Dejan Nikic of NAT and Stavros Danos of Aries Cerat dreamt of a tube/FET hybrid gain cell without typical input or driver stage. In Serbia it's called the Magneto Evo, a 100wpc DC-coupled affair with 6CW4 nuvistor interleaved with a high-power FET capable of 1'800W dissipation. In Cyprus it's called the Protos, today's 20wpc class A integrated as the entry model in their Ianus range, hence 'protos' as 'the first'. It doesn't just drive speakers but has an XLR4 headphone output which delivers the circuit's uncut power into higher impedances without user adjustments.

Our Italian correspondent Simone laid ears on both modes to report on the Cypriot promise of SET purity with un-SET-like drive. Is it a pipe dream or does Protos realize it?

The last hybrid amp Simone reviewed was Serbia's SAEQ Astraeus which bills itself as a 20/30wpc into 8/4Ω class A/B headphone amp first, speaker amp second. Its first five watts bias in pure class A. Today's Cypriot challenger waves comparable paper power but as always, the real proof is on our own speakers in our own room. Over to you, Simone. – Ed.

November 15th: "Protos arrived yesterday. With the help of a friend, we managed its 100kg crate and installed the unit on my rack. This amp is a bewitching sight. Perhaps the vaguely satanic logo on its lid has already started to cast its spell. First sonic impressions are promising to say the least. Protos came with the upgraded PSU, a much larger unit than the original using tube rectification. I still need to ask Stavros whether the smaller one had it too. This upgrade adds €6K to the package. Exciting times ahead!"