Ars Sonum Armonia Class A EL34 Power Amplifier

JUST DON’T LOOK AT THE PICTURES! :-P LOTS OF DETAILS, INFORMATION, ETC THAT IS ACTUALLY WORTH READING ABOUT THIS AMP IS GIVEN BELOW! :-)

Ars-Sonum Armonia SM Integrated Amplifier - Special Offer: For several months this year (likely ending this fall 2024), save $500 off the $5,450 price and get a Armonia for only $4,950. A demo amplifier available for home demo. Give it a listen before ordering. Call/message for details.

New review on Soundtage! HiFi: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1827-ars-sonum-armonia-stereo-amplifier

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF Ars-Sonum AND A FEW NOTES ABOUT THIS AD Please Read (sorry this is a long ad, but we wanted to give full details on this amplifier in hopes it will answer most questions you may have or info you would like to know - Thanks in advance for your interest!):

INTRODUCTION & SOME HISTORY

Like some other small companies are doing, I am using this Audiogon ad as a way for us to get the word out, generate some interest, and maybe sell a few Ars-Sonum products for we are the exclusive USA dealer/retailer for. I imagine most of you are not familiar with Ars-Sonum or have ever heard of them. They are a small company located in Madrid Spain that has been manufacturing tube audio amplifiers for over 20 years. Some of you may recognize this looks like (a much later and newer version of) the integrated amplifier (the Filarmonia) that Merlin Music Systems (Bobby Palkovic) introduced and sold in the USA around 2005. That integrated amp quickly earned a reputation for delivering excellent sound with Merlin speakers and also received a excellent review in Stereophile by John Marks in 2007 (and if I recall right, it was a Stereophile Class A recommended component).

With Bobby Palkovic’s unfortunate passing in 2015 and the following closure of Merlin Music Systems, we (Signature Sound) took on all sales and support of Ars-Sonum amplifiers in the USA. Service work for the amplifiers was always performed by me (Rich Brkich) for Merlin, so I have since then continue(d) to provide authorized factory service and upgrades for all Ars Sonum amplifiers today (my background includes younger years of working as a tech then degrees in Electronic Tech and Electrical Engineering, followed by about 10 years in the aerospace industry).

While there has been several versions of the Filarmonia Integrated amp made over the years, the ARMONIA is the first Ars Sonum POWER amplifier made available and is ONLY available in the USA through Signature Sound (based on the current Filarmonia SM integrated amp).

HOW WE ARE SELLING THE ARMONIA POWER AMPLIFIERS

A few notes about how this amplifier is priced/sold:
  - This is a FIXED price listing. I’m sure a few of you will make offers at less than the posted price, but those will be politely declined or countered with a full price counter-offer.

  - We WILL consider trade-ins. Please message, e-mail, or call us with what you have to trade-in (its age, condition, inclusion of box/manual etc) and I will let you know if I will take your item on trade and how much I could offer for it towards purchase of a new Armonia.

  - Ars-Sonum amplifiers are priced here in the USA with no additional distributor mark-up. In fact if Ars-Sonum would sell you a amplifier from them in Spain to the USA (spec), after currency conversion, FedEx shipping, and import duties - you would be paying more than what we are charging for this amplifier plus you get the full benefit of support, warranty, and service here in the USA.

- Price includes free ground shipping within the continental USA on new amplifiers. All amplifiers come to us directly from Ars-Sonum in Madrid Spain via FedEx international Air. Each amplifier when it arrives goes through a 40 point test to ensure it (and all its tubes) are perfect prior to shipment to the customer. Each amp arrives double boxed from Spain, but we replace the outer box with a new (double wall) box to ensure the amp arrives to your door in perfect shape. Since Ars-Sonum has limited production capacity, lead time on new amplifiers can be as long as 8 weeks.

- How to order: Just call or message us. All we require is a (fully refundable) $500 deposit and in about 2 months (or sooner) when your amp is here in the USA and ready to ship, you make your final payment in full and the amp ships promptly off to you.

 - Lastly, if your are serious about buying one and want to hear it, contact me to make arrangements for a home listen to our demo unit (yes, I will require a modest refundable deposit to be made to secure the amp while in your possession until it is returned). We also welcome visits to our Syracuse NY area location for a listen if that is feasible.

PRODUCT OVERVIEW/TECH SUMMARY
 

Ars Sonum NEW Armonia Power Amplifier - $5,450 Hand crafted (limited production) optimized classic design made with very high quality parts, materials, (unique to the Armonia special hand wound output) transformers, and more - all lovingly put together by designer/engineer Ricardo Hernandez in Madrid, Spain. The Filarmonia uses a special screen grid regulated pentode circuit, unique custom hand wound output transformers, and a low 6dB of feedback to deliver 30W/ch of glorious sound. The Armonia is a new product from Ars Sonum based on tier Filarmonia SM Integrated amp with some unique touches:

1. Highly optimized circuit board design. The Armonia shares its circuit board with the Filarmonia SM integrated amplifier. It has the same optimized audio signal path routing, improved ventilation, and audio circuit refinements for considerably better performance and sound. With the volume control and input selector switch of the Filarmonia integrated gone, the signal path is pure and directly into the E88CC (6DJ8/6922) input tube.
2. Very high quality capacitors in the audio signal path. The front end uses V-Cap Copper Teflon capacitors and in the driver/output stage there are Mundorf Supreme Silver/Gold/Oil parts. All are top quality highly rated (and expensive) parts.
3. Special output transformers that are unique to the Armonia power amplifier. These are considerably more complex and labor intensive (and physically larger too) to make than the output transformers used in the Filarmonia integrated amp. They have a wider bandwidth and lower source impedance for improved damping (and better sound of course!).  They are also more efficient, allowing the Armonia to eek out a few more watts per channel over the Filarmonia integrated. They are also a BUNCH more expensive to make than the older version Filarmonia integrated’s output transformers. 
4. Other special touches in the Armonia power amp include two inputs with different input sensitivities. This allows the owner to optimize matching the amplifier with a wide range of pre-amplifiers (with varying voltage gains) and speakers (with different efficiencies). The amplifier is only available with the gold color faceplate shown in the pictures at this time.

 

The Armonia comes with thoroughly tested and matched JJ E34L output tubes, select NOS 5814A driver tubes, and a carefully screened (only about one out of four to five new tubes meet Ars Sonum’s spec’s for use in their amplifiers) low noise JJ E88CC gain/preamp tube for excellent performance right out of the box without any tweaking or tube-rolling necessary. Additionally, all signal path capacitors go through a 1,000 hour run in process (on a proprietary coupling capacitor break-in device) before being installed in any Ars-Sonum amplifier. While the amplifier does require break-in to sound its best, the run in process minimizes the coupling capacitors effects during this period.

Ars Sonum produces its amplifiers in limited quantities. Generally they are built to order, but we are working with Ars Sonum to pre-order units in order to minimize lead time. As well, we also have a fully broken in demo model that is available for audition here at Signature Sound or in YOUR home (please call or e-mail to make arrangements for a home demo of the Filarmonia SM) before placing your order.

For the ultimate turn-key experience, the Armonia power amplifier can be purchased with a optional Cardas Power cord (model and length of your choice) at a substantial savings. Please contact us for details, recommendations, and pricing.

Signature Sound is a small Hi-End HiFi shop located near Syracuse New York. We have been in business since 1990. Feel free to check out our website www.sigsound.com or call us at 315-622-4137 with any questions. We accept all major credit cards and PayPal. A note to my fellow New Yorkers.... New York state residents (i.e sales billed/shipped to a New York State address) will be charged applicable local New York state sales tax on the total sale amount.

Signature Sound is a authorized dealer for: Audience Cables, Atma-Sphere, Clearaudio, Cardas Cables, Benz Micro Cartridges, Fried Audio Speakers, DH Labs, Dynavector, EAR USA, Grado Labs, JPS Labs, Joule-Electra, iFi Audio, Kiseki, Merlin Music Systems, Musical Surroundings, Mark Audio-SOTA Speakers, Power Modules (Belles), Rega Research, Roon Labs Nucleus, Rogue Audio (NEW!), Ryan Speakers, and Wavelength Audio.