Margules I-240
The Margules I-240 brings natural tube tone, holographic imaging, and unexpectedly assured Class A drive to a purist integrated design. HomeTheaterHifi heard expansive depth and scale, while Part Time Audiophile praised its realistic, emotionally engaging presentation. Active Servo Bias adds welcome ease to the glowing EL34 experience.
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Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
92/100
Build Quality
85/100
Features Connectivity
81/100
Value for Money
86/100
Pros
Exceptionally dimensional, holographic imaging with impressive depth and image scale.
Natural, detailed, emotionally involving tube sound that avoids sacrificing inner resolution for warmth.
Its 25-watt Class A output drove several monitor speakers confidently, including at high volumes.
Active Servo Bias delivers low-fuss tube ownership without routine bias adjustment.
Cons
Sparse connectivity: three RCA inputs only, with no balanced, digital, phono, or headphone connections.
Bass weight and control can trail powerful solid-state amplification, particularly with demanding floorstanding speakers.
Some reviewers found the soundstage more centred than maximally expansive.
Remote volume changes can be overly sensitive, and early-production control knobs felt less precise than the amplifier’s overall standard.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 92/100
Reviewers consistently describe an unusually involving tube amplifier with natural tone, strong detail retention, and a notably dimensional presentation. Its modest Class A output proves more capable than expected, although its stage breadth and bass weight may not equal that of powerful solid-state alternatives.
Transparency Resolution
92/100
Part Time Audiophile found that, after run-in, the amplifier preserved inner detail rather than smoothing it away for warmth. Audiophilia also heard a three-dimensional translucence and clearly formed individual instruments, supporting its reputation for purity and clarity.
Tonal Balance Musicality
93/100
The strongest consensus concerns musical naturalness. Part Time Audiophile praised its warmth, humanity, texture, and satisfying realism, while Audiophilia found it more tonally unforced than conventionally warm; both perspectives point to an organic, engaging presentation rather than a colored or fatiguing one.
Dynamics
91/100
Despite its 25-watt Class A rating, reviewers repeatedly found it capable of convincing volume and control. Part Time Audiophile never felt it run out of steam across several speaker loads, and Audiophilia reported steady performance with dynamic material, though also described its character as softer than some solid-state and hybrid rivals.
Soundstage Imaging
93/100
The I-240 earned especially enthusiastic comments for image scale and dimensionality: HomeTheaterHifi heard a holographic stage extending beyond the speakers, while Audiophilia praised its cohesive, solid instrumental picture. One reviewer found the presentation centered and less expansive than desired, so the exceptional depth does not always translate to maximum lateral width.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
85/100
Reviewers describe an attractive, substantial amplifier with polished visual details, a matching wood remote, and notably protective packaging. However, HomeTheaterHifi found noticeable play in the controls, and Part Time Audiophile noted that the input selector spins freely rather than indexing positively.
Features Connectivity
81/100
This is a deliberately simple analog integrated amplifier with three unbalanced inputs, a remote control, and flexible compatibility with several output-tube types. Reviews repeatedly note the omissions of balanced connections, phono capability, headphone output, and digital inputs, which limit its convenience in a modern all-in-one system.
Value for Money
86/100
At USD 7,000, the I-240 faces strong integrated-amplifier competition, particularly given its sparse connectivity and 25-watt output. Still, HomeTheaterHifi said buyers get a lot for their money, while Part Time Audiophile considered it a genuinely great integrated at a reasonable price because of its natural and memorable sound.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
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Specifications
- Power at 8 Ohms
- 25 watts per channel
- Response in frequency
- -3dB 10Hz – 40KHz
- Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)
- 0.15% at 1 Watt 0.7% at Full Power
- Bandwidth (full power)
- 30 – 30,000 Hz
- Supply voltage
- 120 VAC
- Electrical consumption
- Stand-by mode: 145 Watts
- Maximum consumption
- 350 Watts
- Dimensions
- Height: 19 cm Width: 40 cm Depth: 38 cm
- Vacuum Tubes
- 4 x EL34 (6L6, KT66, KT77, 6CA7) 4 x 12AU7
Manufacturer's Description — Margules
This one-of-a-kind high-end integrated amplifier was handcrafted with materials and components of the highest quality, observing the strictest production processes and looking after the smallest detail.
Due to its manufacturing philosophy, the I-240 integrated amplifier merges design with functionality, offering versatility, convenience and, most of all, a realistic sound with an appropriate frequency response, low distortion and precise harmonic reproduction.
In the same way, this amplifier will allow you to enjoy a captivating, engaging and natural sound since its conceptualization and development are built on the implementation of our Neuro-Acoustic Alignment technology (ANA®) based on the way the human brain perceives sound, prioritizing harmonic structure over fundamental tone.
I-240 Tube Integrated Amplification System
The I-240 is a tube integrated amplification and preamplification system (based on the legendary U280 ASB, which is a reference in the audio world) that recreates realistic and dynamic scenarios thanks to the fusion between the application of cutting-edge technology and the tonal benefits of the tubes: the formula of Casa Margules' characteristic sound.
CLASS-A OPERATION AND ACTIVE SERVO BIAS
This amplifier incorporates our exclusive Active Servo Bias (patent pending), which guarantees an optimal operation since it does not require any polarization adjustment, always operating at pure Class-A to ensure a detailed sound scenario.
By continuously adjusting the polarization based on the signal, this circuit radically extends the useful life of the output tubes and allows them an ideal operation, which in addition optimizes energy consumption by avoiding overheating.
ULTRA-LINEAR OPERATION
The output tubes are configured to operate in ultra-linear mode in order to improve the efficiency in amplification.
SHUNT REGULATED POWER SUPPLIES
The power supplies for the small-signal stages are independent and of the SHUNT type.
By not having a control loop circuit, they avoid the induction of harmonics, guaranteeing the integrity of the audio signal.
Another advantage of the SHUNT power supplies lies in the carefully designed circuit to protect them from the common and uncommon defects of the tubes, which makes them practically indestructible.
ZERO NEGATIVE FEEDBACK
On the other hand, the I-240 avoids the use of negative feedback, a common practice that results in a loss of details and sound richness.
BACK ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE SENSOR
In order to improve the damping factor without recurring to negative feedback, Margules Audio has developed the Back Electromotive Force Sensor system or BEFS, which changes the output impedance of the amplifier per the load requirement.
The optimal impedance of the equipment ranges between 4 and 8 Ohms, which is already pre-set. Hence, the BEFS together with the Active Servo Bias allow the amplifier to drive with excellent dynamics and controlled bass the difficult loads in low-efficiency or low-sensitivity speakers.
CONNECTIVITY
As to connectivity, the I-240 comes with three different line inputs and an attenuation or high precision volume control, which allow the use of the equipment with several sources.
NEURO-ACOUSTIC ALIGNMENT (ANA®)
The ANA® technology (Neuro-Acoustic Alignment) is one of Margules' technological innovations developed from a fundamental principle: the human brain perceives sound by prioritizing the harmonic structure above fundamental tone; that is, it focuses on how humans perceive sound and not on how we measure it.
This technological advance originates from the engaging sound theory and is based on the way in which our brain decodes the information from the sound waves through the ears: when sounds are closer, they keep us focused due to the relation between perception and sound, the distance at which we perceive them and their intelligibility, whereas distant sounds, even when intelligible, do not catch our attention and are easily ignored.
Our ANA® technology is designed to achieve a realistic sound, with a wide frequency response, low distortion and precise harmonic reproduction, optimizing to the utmost the relationship between the source and the receiver, so that you can enjoy your music in a way you have never experienced before.
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Margules I-240
- Audio Vision San Francisco — online and in-store — San Francisco, California, United States (website)
- AV Luxury Group — online and in-store — Las Vegas, Nevada, United States (website)
- Deep Dive Audio — in-store — Palm Bay, Florida, United States (website)
- Holm Audio — in-store — Chicago, Illinois, United States (website)
- Northern Audio — online and in-store — Pennsylvania, United States (website)
- Salon One Audio — in-store — Ormond Beach, Florida, United States (website)