CH Precision L1 preamplifier

Product Description

Engineered to be both sonically and musically invisible, the CH Precision L1 preserves the full integrity of every signal it encounters. Its discrete, balanced, dual-mono architecture—supported by an ultra-low noise floor and continuous DC-offset monitoring—delivers the transparency, stability, and dynamic authority that come only from uncompromised control of the signal path. What distinguishes the L1 is not what it adds, but what it never imposes. It anchors performances with composure, clarity, and unforced control, making it foundational rather than ancillary within a CH Precision system.

At its core, the L1 employs a rigorously executed dual-monaural design with fully independent left and right channels. Each of its eight selectable inputs—balanced XLR, single-ended RCA, and 75-ohm BNC—feeds a path optimised for low noise, wide bandwidth, and exceptional dynamic linearity. Whether driving long cable runs or multiple amplifiers, the L1 maintains unwavering stability, preserving musical timing, texture, and spatial coherence.

Its discrete, pure Class A circuitry maintains a fully symmetrical topology, allowing signal to pass without imprinting a sonic fingerprint. Switchable absolute phase and mono modes support system optimisation, while the robust output stage ensures authoritative control in complex installations. Volume control is handled by a high-resolution, 20-bit R-2R ladder network built from precision-matched metal-film resistors. Offering 118 dB of usable range in 0.5 dB steps, this purely analog solution preserves resolution and tonal balance at any level—avoiding the losses and artefacts common to digital attenuators or IC-based schemes. Dedicated low-noise linear regulators with local shunt regulation supply the audio stages, ensuring ideal, interference-free operating conditions throughout the signal path

Like all CH Precision components, the L1 Line Preamplifier was designed not just for excellence today, but for continued relevance and refinement over time. Its modular architecture allows owners to evolve the system as their needs or ambitions grow, without ever departing from the platform's core principles of precision, balance, and musical integrity.

The first step in that evolution is the transformation from dual-monaural to true monaural operation. By adding a second L1 enclosure, the left and right channels are physically and electrically separated into their own dedicated chassis, eliminating crosstalk and enhancing channel isolation to an extraordinary degree. The sonic benefits are immediate: improved image focus, greater dynamic freedom, and a heightened sense of dimensionality and flow.

For more complex systems, each enclosure can also be fitted with an optional second analog board, doubling the available inputs from 8 to 16. Whether accommodating multiple sources, fine-tuning for system symmetry, or simply pushing deeper into the performance envelope, the L1's upgrade path offers a seamless route to refinement without compromise, without obsolescence.

The Heart of the 1-Series