The affordable high-end preamp

Succeeding the X-P500, the X-P700 offers technical refinements rarely encountered in this range: dual mono design and the most direct signal processing possible (Direct Path). Supreme refinement, it is possible to choose between two output schemes: the class A mode using bipolars in double cascade assembly, close to a tube gradient, and the discrete mode, based on a JFet differential and current mirror in the bipolar, polarized in class AB, more traditional. Its design is very sober and refined, a single rotary knob is present with a push button to validate the choices: access to inputs, volume adjustment, bass/treble tones, balance or even intensity. The remote control activating these functions remotely.

The X-P700 is really very complete: nine analog inputs, one of which is balanced, and one MM/MC phono. Digital side: two optical inputs, one coaxial input, one USB-B (Xmos) and one USB-A. The DAC is the powerful Burr Brown PCM 1796 -24 bit/192 kHz converter. On the output side, the X-P700 offers an RCA lined with a balanced XLR, plus a high pass output and two for the sub. Headphone enthusiasts are pampered: two inputs on the front (6.35 and 3.5 jack) plus a double independent gain adjustment below +6, 0, -4 dB and output impedance 0 or 100 ohms.

The X-P700 is very seriously built, starting with the understated 10mm black methacrylate front panel, common to the Classic Line. But the inside is more telling: two high-capacity toroidal transformers feed filtered and regulated dual-mono power to the motherboard, which also contains the preamp stages. The quality of the adjustable MC high and low level phono stage, as well as the MM capacity is remarkable for this budget, hard to imagine better.

In summary, at the price at which the new X-P700 is offered, it is difficult to offer better. This is what we wanted from the start of the development of this new preamplifier. We didn’t skimp on the quality of components, decoding or power, the kind of attention that counts when listening.

The X-P700 is the ideal preamplifier, it can be associated with our range of power amplifiers such as the famous X-A160 (or EVO), X-A220 (or EVO), BX2 or the new X-A600 or any other Audiophile grade power amplifier.