The Joule-Electra series of OTL power amplifiers are state-of-the-art. They are truly unique amplification devices that handle musical signals with absolute honesty, beauty, and integrity. The Joule-Electra OTL’s are alone at the top in their tonal and dimensional purity, yet possess an effortless transient quickness that is startling and completely natural. Free of etch, coloration, exaggeration or hype, the Joules deliver a musical experience closer to the real thing in every meaningful way.

Eliminating the output transformer with its consequent problems and compromises, allows OTL amplifiers to directly couple to the loudspeaker. The direct coupling of the Joules output tube, in this case the incredible 6C33 Russian triode, delivers analog voltage directly to the speaker’s voice coil. The resulting amplifier-speaker relationship is tighter, more responsive. The 6C33 is an unusually robust and musical tube with an output impedance that is uncommonly low. It is the ideal OTL output tube, in the right circuit, and the Joule implementation IS the right circuit. Joule OTL’s operate as two single-ended amplifiers in one chassis running in parallel. One leg of the signal is inverted at the driver stage and uninverted at the output stage of the amplifier; the other leg remains uninverted. Both legs run differentially, always in full class A (even at full power). Each leg has its own power supply and is paralleled at the output. The popular misconception that phase inversion always compromises the signal is often true in the case of conventional push-pull series coupled output stages (usually transformer coupled). However, the signal remains uncompromised in the Joules because the two legs of the signal are paralleled at the output. The result is transparency, real world power, harmonic fullness and natural, lifelike dynamics – revealed clearly after one brief listening session.

Joule OTL’s include a variac as part of its power supply. This device allows the amps to float with respect to the radical variation in power in different parts of the country. The variac optimizes the line voltage the amps see, to allow precise biasing of each tube. This means the amps always receive the correct amount of voltage for optimum musical playback.

The OTL's are available in multiple configurations depending upon your power requirements and budget. Increasing the power output requires increasing the output tube count, which also lowers the output impedance of the amplifier. This means the higher power versions will drive exceeding demmanding speaker loads which quite often prefer lower output impedances in an amplifier. Conversely, a simpler less demmanding speaker may very well benefit greatly from a lower powered version the amp and higher output impedance. The size and demmands of the room on the whole system play an important role in selecting the necessary power capability. Optimum results are obtained by carefully matching the loudpeaker and room requirements to the particular amplifiers capabilities. Regardless of power capability Joule OTL's all offer unpralleled musical performance that reproduces music as a living breathing entity.