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Here are two more images from the prior factory tour. A year ago, this was still a prototype assembly.
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Here is a close up that shows the proto's mains transformer and power supply and input boards above the mother board.
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While we're still in guts & glory mode, here is a screen shot of part of the 300i's schematic.
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For how all these circuit boards and sub assemblies finally come together, here we face Nagra's 300p power amp just as you'd see it on top of your equipment rack without the decorative and protective Pyrex chimneys.
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The top view affirms how the design does max out all available real estate which Nagra's signature foot print and form factor imposed. Schlup abhors gigantomania electronics. He prefers compact and smart.
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The 300i and 300p offer 4, 8 and 16-ohm outputs to complement a wide variety of conventional and esoteric speaker mates (HighEnd Zürich 2010 used B&W 804Ds as shown next).
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The amplifier is provided with rounded spike footers. While the twin-plinth VFS absorption platform with viscoelastic decouplers and strategically lined-up dimples for the support component spikes is an option for other Nagra models, it is standard issue for the 300i and 300p.
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With four power triodes on deck, densely packed innards and a substantial transformer tower, there really was no room for small-signal input tubes anywhere. Career rollers will cry foul, others will applaud one less chance of tube aging and possible noise.
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In this montage we see just how easily the OPT module dis- and reattaches in the final production version.
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To remount takes three bolts and a bit of a steady hand with three pins as guide. It's no more involved than screwing in a light bulb.
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Here we go topless one last time before my tour guide intervened for some suit 'n' tie culture.
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Prior to my Chesaux visit, he'd emailed me an invitation to a public unveiling of the 300i at Château d'Aigle later in the month. This castle in the vineyards is a 10-minute drive from my house. He rightly assumed that I might like to attend. Nagra does things in style.
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Confusing the dates however, my wife and I had made tracks to the château on the wrong weekend. Because our stint happened to fall on an exceptionally sunny day, I took some preemptive photos in case the real day a few weeks later would prove to be gloomy. These images shall wrap up today's reportage with some impressions of the Chablais region—about 30 minutes east of Nagra's Chesaux digs—during the fall season.
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It's admittedly a bit like fairytale postcard land. Working the vineyards rather than sampling wine in the château's tasting room would get you right back to earth of course but let's not spoil the mood.
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The castle is vacant over the winter but available for occasions. Here it had been rented for two weddings. The glamorous wedding planner who spoke a bit of English had never heard of Nagra and was confused why'd anyone expect anything as nerdy as audio at 'her' château that day. Duly exposed, any attempts at crashing those weddings had been foiled.
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A look southeast at the surrounding vineyards.
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Here's a quick squinty glance into the sun for some retina burn before it would set behind the mountain range. And that's it.
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If some of these images were a bit bright...
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... and others cast the long shadow, that perhaps is the most appropriate way to bow out. À bientôt! |
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