SPL Performer s900

The SPL Performer s900 stereo power amplifier marks the middle of the line and is based on the big SPL Performer s1200 stereo power amp in terms of the selection of components and conceptual design.

This is where sonic greatness meets performance specs that perfectly
match high-resolution but not overly power-hungry speakers of any size.
With an amplifier output of 2 x 370 W (4 Ω) [2 x 420 W (2 Ω); 2 x 200 W (8 Ω)],
it truly has enough reserves to powerfully drive any loudspeaker.

The Performer s900 stereo power amplifier is a compact size powerhouse. It excels in exceptional headroom thanks to the SPL VOLTAiR technology and impresses with a detail-rich, vivid, honest and musically outstanding sound.

With its appearance, the SPL Performer s900 stereo power amplifier fits perfectly into the
SPL “Professional Fidelity” HiFi product line – and is of course available in the three basic colors black, red or silver.

A class of its own

Conventional solid-state power amplifiers tend to operate in a critical range of the built-in components – this results in unpleasant harmonical artifacts. Tube power amplifiers also distort at their limit but their characteristical behaviour softens this roughness and harshness. Non the less this is a falsified representation of the sound image. 

Thanks to VOLTAiR Technology, the Performer s900 can process much higher levels without even coming near to a critical range. All components constantly operate in the optimal range. The result is a very pleasant, natural and relaxed sound experience. Enjoy your music in every detail and without any listening fatigue.

Full power

The Performer s900 features individual
amplification stages for voltage and power amplification, which ensures a perfect operating of the class-AB amplifier circuit. Thanks to each stage’s own negative feedback path, it is ruled out that feedbacks from the loudspeaker are interacting with the input stage – this way the SPL VOLTAiR technology can play out its full performance.

Freedom of choice

The Performer s900 features a stereo pair of XLR and RCA inputs. This makes it compatible with all preamps on the market without the use of adapters.
The stereo input can be selected via the Input Select switch on the rear panel.

Trim to fit

With reference to the Performer s900, “fit” means adapted. You can adapt the input sensitivity in 0.5 dB steps from 0 dB to -5.5 dB. In contrast to a panorama potentiometer in a preamplifier, this trim switch is the more audiophile solution. The optimal operating range of the loudspeakers and preamplifier can be perfectly adjusted this way.

Power to the speakers

The loudspeaker binding posts can accommodate banana plugs as well as a stranded wire with a diameter of up to 4 mm. Thus, any common type of speaker cable can be used. However, we do not recommend connecting a speaker with less than 2 ohms impedance.

AMP CTL

The standby mode of the power amplifier can be switched on and off using the AMP CTL connection between a preamplifier such as the Director Mk2, Elector, Phonitor x or Crossover. To do this, connect the 3.5 mm phone jacks with a cable with 3.5 mm mono or stereo jack plugs. Thanks to its 12 V trigger input, third party preamps can also switch the Performer s900’s standby mode on and off.

Better safe than sorry

The Performer s900 has a protection circuit against DC voltage and against overheating.
If direct current (DC) is detected, the output stage switches off automatically and the Protect LED lights up red. To protect the Performer s900 against the unlikely event of overheating, a temperature sensor at the heatsinks continously monitors the temperature of the device. The TEMP LED lights up yellow when the Performer s900 is getting too hot. As a result of this the output stage is switched off until the device has cooled down.

Sounds good

With all devices of the Professional Fidelity series we develop not only according to plan, but also by ear. Many important components are installed on the circuit boards using Through-hole technology. This way we can ensure that we can use the best sounding components.

The VOLTAiR Technology

The 120V technology is our reference technology. The 120V technology is unique in the world. It operates at a DC voltage of 120 volts. This is four times that of IC-based semiconductor op-amps. In our Professional Fidelity series, we refer to this unsurpassed technology as VOLTAiR technology.

The 120V technology works with +/-60 V. To be able to handle such a high voltage, we have developed special proprietary operational amplifiers that can operate with a DC voltage of +/-60 V: the SPL 120V SUPRA operational amplifiers. This high voltage would destroy conventional components and operational amplifiers.

The 120V technology achieves exceptional technical specifications and sonic benefits. Technically, in terms of dynamic range, signal-to-noise ratio and headroom. Sonically, in terms of richness of detail and an absolutely relaxed listening experience.

By the way, the “120V” in the name of the technology has nothing to do with the local mains voltage from the mains power socket. This is about the operating voltage inside the device with which the audio signals are processed.

The mains voltage from the mains power socket is transformed to the required secondary voltage in the device’s internal linear power supply with toroidal transformer. Rectifiers convert this AC voltage into DC voltage required in the audio device.

VOLTAiR is a composition of the terms Volt and AirVolt is the unit for electrical voltage and Air stands for the unlimited space the music can breathe in.

VOLTAiR symbolizes the perceived limitless dynamics resulting from high audio voltage.

What exactly is that?

And what does it do?

Good questions need good answers.

And that’s what the 120V technology (VOLTAiR) video gives you.

Most audio devices work with an internal operating voltage of +/-15 volts and can thus process a maximum input level of +21.5 dBu. If a DAC, for example, has an output level of +22 dBu at 0 dBFS, level peaks of the music material would already cause overloads in the input stage of the device. All components in the audio device often operate at their limits. The result is an unsteady sound that causes stress and faster ear fatigue.

SPL devices with VOLTAiR technology can handle input levels of +32.5 dBu thanks to the higher internal operating voltage of +/- 60 volts – thus offering 12 dB more headroom. All components consequently operate continuously in the optimum operating range. The result is a very pleasant, natural and relaxed sound experience. So you can enjoy your music in every detail.

VOLTAiR is that good

In the lab, we pitted Phonitor xe against the best audio measurement system and found that Audio Precision could not measure VOLTAiR technology.

Home is where the heart is

That’s why we manufacture all devices in our own production facility in Niederkrüchten on the Lower Rhine, Germany.