Simaudio Education - Global Technologies

This section discusses various technologies, both proprietary and common-place, that are found in various types of Simaudio MOON components, such as CD Players, Preamplifiers, Power Amplifiers and Integrated Amplifiers, hence the term "Global".

Customized Toroidal Transformers

Simaudio firmly believes that an audio component's power supply be outstanding - not just adequate or substantial. However, one essential detail almost always ignored in the technical discussion of amplifiers must be addressed here: The transformer's regulation factor. Audiophiles are all too often interested with the power of transformers when comparing various amplifiers. The difference between 500VA and 1000VA means very little on its own unless a regulation factor accompanies the VA figure. Simaudio uses toroidal transformers that have regulation factors ranging from 3 to 6 percent. Perfection, in theory, would be 0 percent, but this isn't feasible. In the case of a fully regulated power supply, the regulation factor can be overlooked, but this type of power supply would substantially drive up both the price and size of the audio component. Transformer regulation factors as high as 20 percent are common-place in the audio industry.

Transformers experience a multitude of losses, each of which will contribute to the degrading of the performance of an audio component. Unfortunately, most high-end audio manufacturers have little if any background in transformer design, and therefore, will simply order them from a transformer manufacturer by simply specifying the VA, the different voltages and perhaps the regulation factor. The end result is what you find in a majority of the audio equipment available; a low efficiency, a poor regulation factor, high heat losses, high eddy current losses, vibrations and a great deal of magnetic field losses. All of these negative elements find their way into the audio signal and reduce the sheer purity of the music.

The grade of steel used in the transformer's core will have a significant impact on the amplifier's sonic character. The "M" rating defines the grade of steel used, whereby "M1" is regarded as the highest quality grade of steel. The steel used in the transformer cores found in Simaudio components exceeds the quality found in the M1 grade. It is a high quality steel from Japan which is slowly rolled with extreme precision, possessing superb chemical purity and minimal loss characteristics. The transformer design itself is made with less flux density than usual, thus reducing the sensitivity to electromagnetic disturbances. Furthermore, we use a very unique process called "Vacuum Pressure Impregnation" on the core to reduce its mechanical micro vibration that often disturbs the sonic purity in any electronic environment.

These custom toroidal transformers function at a very low temperature (the same as their operating environment) due to their stress-free performance characteristics. They also have virtually undetectable vibrations and of course, an exceptional regulation factor. The result of all this is an electronic component with better electrical and sonic performance, as well as a much longer life expectancy.

Independant Inductive DC Filtering (Simaudio Ltd. Proprietary Technology)

More commonly referred to on this website as i²DCf, this is a unique type of DC voltage regulation that was developed initially for the MOON Evolution series of components that has found its way into many models in the MOON Classic series.

One stage of i²DCf represents a unique and specialized circuit. It eliminates all the glitches resulting from the DC power feeding the electronic parts found in a component’s audio signal path and isolates these parts from each other. For example, the MOON Andromeda CD Player and MOON P-8 Preamplifier, have a total of 56 and 40 separate stages respectively of i²DCf. Shown below is an example with 16 stages that are used in both channels ( 8 stages per channel) of the MOON SuperNova CD Player’s analog section. i²DCf circuitry has even found its way into MOON series components such as the MOON P5.3 SE Preamplifier and MOON 310LP Phono Preamplifier.

This unique voltage regulation circuit achieves better noise filtering, substantially lower THD, improved channel separation and lower crosstalk, a reduction in jitter for CD players, and more consistent DC voltage throughout the entire circuit. Refer to the 2 diagrams below for a graphical comparison:

An audio component using i²DCf has a dramatically reduced noise floor, a dead quiet “black” background, a more realistic 3D portrayal of the recording and perfect level matching between channels.

Audio components not using i²DCf circuitry can suffer from imperfect voltage regulation. This often results in various inefficiencies such as a lower signal-to-noise ratio, increased crosstalk, unneccessary CD jitter and a less realistic sonic landscape.

Sheer realism ... the genuine impression that the musical performance is taking place in your very own listening space ... your audio system feels as if its effortlessly running on its own, without any electricity.

Highest Quality Parts

Circuit design is a key factor to getting the best possible sonic performance, but only when the design employs the highest quality parts possible, can this goal be achieved.

Clockwise from the top left; Motorola high-current output devices, mica capacitors, matched dual JFET transistors and Wima polypropylene capacitors.

Clockwise from the top left; Surface mounted analog IC’s, capacitors, D/A converter and thin metal-film resistors.

These parts provide MOON components with a very long life span and no forced obsolescence ... The sonic signature will remain constant for many many years.

Low Operating Temperatures

All Simaudio MOON componenents operate at temperatures well below what's considered common-place in high-end audio. These low temperatures effectively put less stress on the high quality parts used inside. This results in a much longer lifespan for these parts which leads to improved reliability and a longer life for the component as a whole.

4-Layer PCB's with Pure Copper Tracings

All MOON Evolution Series Preamplifiers, Disc Players and DAC/CD Transports use a main audio PCB comprised of 4 unique layers, each using pure copper tracings. The four layers are oriented as follows: The left and right channel audio signals occupy the first and third layers respectively; The ground plane occupies the second layer, and the bottom layer is for power supply circuitry. The advantages of this type of circuit board include more efficient ground and power supply circuit layouts with extremely low impedance characteristics, as well as a much shorter signal path.

A shorter signal path is sonically more accurate, lends itself to less potential for signal loss and provides a dramatically improved signal-to-noise ratio. The pure copper tracings further reduce measureable impedance, resulting in virtually non-existent sonic colorations originating from the PCB.

All MOON Evolution Series Power Amplifiers and select Integrated Amplifiers feature a gain circuit that is mounted on a four-layer printed circuit board using pure copper traces. This four layer topology significantly reduces the physical size of the circuit board, allowing for a more efficient ground plane which passes through all four layers. Measured impedance is slashed to extremely low levels, consequently lowering the noise level and virtually eliminating the possibility of sonic colorations from the PCB. At the same time, a shorter signal path is also realized, which is sonically more accurate, effectively minimizing potential signal loss, as well as diminishing noise levels even further.

Due of their smaller size, each gain board can be mounted directly to its respective output circuit board, further reducing the length of the amplification circuit’s signal path – an integral aspect our proprietary Lynx Circuitry for amplification

Unlike the four layer PCB used in a preamplifiers, disc players and DAC/transports, there are no surface-mount type electronics parts used and none of the layers serve a specific purpose – its all about (i) reducing the physical size of the circuit board, (ii) reducing the length of the signal path and (iii) increasing the efficiency of the ground plane.

Over-sized Power Supplies

With a typical power supply, as the current draw increases the available voltage decreases. However, an oversized power supply, common to all MOON products, will minimize this inverse relationship, yielding a voltage level that barely decreases as the demand for current increases. This allows for significantly improved performance.

A greater power reserve results in a more effortless sonic character.

Thick Extruded Aluminum for Ultra Rigid Chassis Construction

Meticulous attention is paid to mechanical isolation, chassis materials used, and vibration control. These factors contribute to increased resolution and accurate reproduction of details, without any harmonic alternation of the original music signal. For example; cones provide minimal point of contact and triangular pillars provide great strength and support for heavy chassis’. This results in exceptional mechanical grounding and the reduction of negative sonic effects of external vibrations.

Precision fit, high tolerance, extruded aluminum chassis parts exhibit significantly reduced mechanical resonances and provide for a more rigid construction which contributes to uncolored sonic performance. As well, aluminum doesn't corrode which helps to extend the product's life expectancy. Aluminum also provides excellent shielding from RF and EMI, both major causes of audio signal degradation.

SimLink™ (Simaudio Ltd. Proprietary Technology)

This in-house developed protocol provides for communication between MOON components, allowing you to control various functions of several components from just one location. For example, if you switch one component into standby mode, all linked components will also go into standby mode. As well, when you adjust the brightness level of one component's digital display, the linked component's displays will adjust accordingly. In a nutshell, SimLink™ provides for genuine ease-of-use.

Most MOON components also come equipped with additional communications facilities; The RS-232 port for full unsolicited bidirectional feedback in custom installation setups and firmware updates; The IR input for external control.

Balanced Differential Audio Circuitry

When using an unbalanced interconnect, the audio signal runs through both the center wire and the shield/ground wire. Any noise picked up by this interconnect (ie. nearby magnetic fields such as an AC power cord) will be reproduced by the amplifier and heard through the loudspeakers. Conversely, a balanced interconnect has three separate conductors; one for the ground and two for the actual signal. These two signals are identical except that one is 180 degrees out of phase with the other. The audio information is not transmitted by either of these two signals, but in reality is the difference in the voltage between them. When these two inverted signals on a balanced line are input into a differential power amplifier (i.e. MOON W-7, W-7M, W-8), any noise picked up by the interconnect will be eliminated since a differential circuit amplifies only the difference between these two signals: Noise on a balanced interconnect will be equal on both conductors and therefore not be processed.

A balanced differential audio circuit will only be effective when properly implemented. This means identical circuit layouts – essentially a mirror image of each other - each using the exact same electronic components with very low tolerances, for the two phases of the audio signal; A very costly proposition but worthwhile expense. The end result will be an overall increase in dynamic range, increased headroom at all frequencies, better signal-to-noise ratio and much higher resolution.

Capacitor-free Signal Paths

Audio circuits without capacitors (i.e. DC-coupled circuits) in the actual signal path typically sound better. Capacitors are the single most detrimental components to sound quality which can be placed in a signal path with respect to sonic colorations. One benefit to not using capacitors is that more bass information passes through the circuit. However, such circuits will also pass along any distortion coming from the component connected to it. Therefore an effective DC circuit must have enhanced protection. Another consideration is that all capacitors, even those of the highest quality and tightest tolerances, will deteriorate over time and consequently, change the sonic character of a component.

Please refer to "DC–Coupled Amplifier Design" in the Amplification Technologies Section for a detailed example showing the effects of capacitors in the signal path.

Teflon Insulated Wiring

Teflon insulation is much less susceptible to long-term deterioration from typical environmental factors; this is the result of its very low dielectric constant; It's an excellent insulator against heat, moisture and high voltage. This type of insulation also maintains lower signal resistance and capacitance over long term use, thus allowing a component's sonic character to remain constant over many years.