I recently reviewed Innersound's i 330 power amplifier and was so impressed, I asked for a review copy of the accompanying i Control preamplifier. Gary Leeds, Innersound's head, was gracious enough to send me a unit -- knowing I already had the i 330 power amplifier in my system, he was very much interested in my evaluation.

It's not often that I have the opportunity to review a company's electronics as a complete system. Usually an individual piece arrives and is placed in my reference system and evaluated. Now, with both preamplifier and power amplifier as the system I can get a more complete understanding of Innersound's philosophy. Were these units meant for each other? How did the i Control match up with my reference Kora Crescendo, tube preamplifier? Onward.

The i Control is a rather diminutive unit of less than two inches in height, slightly less than ten inches deep and seventeen inches wide, and weighs in at a mere six pounds. The unit is finished in a matte anodized light gray aluminum, matching the i 330 amplifier. The front panel contains seven polished input selector buttons, including one for mono, which are all gain adjustable. Just to their right, a display window with digital readout of volume in 1dB increments. Adjacent to the display window is a traditional volume knob that also doubles as a balance control with all functions accessible via the remote. More on the remote later.

The rear panel is furnished with high quality balanced and single ended input and output jacks (including tape monitor and processor connections) along with an IEC power cord outlet. The i Control has no on/off switch. Once powered up, the unit is always on. When asked, Leeds said that the preamplifier should always be left on for best performance (something I usually do anyway) and its power consumption was only 10 watts. All this being true, I'd still prefer to have the switch option rather than having to remove the power cord for long periods of non-listening. As long as I'm still at the rear panel, another issue I have relates to the unit's size. All the RCA input and output jacks are so tightly packed that connecting today's audiophile interconnects is cumbersome. The resultant ergonomics, caused by the minimal size of the unit, would be better served by enlarging the case permitting easier access for cable hook-up, larger lettering above the jacks (needed magnifying lenses to read them) and better spacing of the jacks. Sometimes, the truism, 'less is more', is correct, but in this case, less is less.

So how does this baby sound?

I replaced my tubed line stage, the Kora Crescendo, with the Innersound solid state line stage and hooked it up in the same configuration using the balanced inputs and outputs with both Acoustic Zen's Absolute interconnects to the Innersound i 330 amplifier and Wasatch's ULTAMA interconnects from my new reference, Classe's CDP-100 CD player. Power cords were AZ's Gargantua and Absolute models, preferring the Gargantua with the preamplifier. I also used the single ended power outputs of the linestage for my Sunfire EQ subwoofer, as I had done with the Kora. Little did I know, at the time, what difficulties were to transpire from doing this and nowhere in the manual did it warn you against doing this. Stay with me.

After a burn in period of about a hundred hours, I was set for some serious listening. I immediately noticed that the image had moved to the extreme left. I used the balance control and tried to make adjustments with minor success. I was in a quandary. After many cable changes, with no avail, the problem continued. Either the preamplifier was malfunctioning or the CD player was. Or possibly both. I then tried single ended operation and the problem disappeared. What gives? Leeds and Dave Nauber at Classe were dumbfounded at this turn of events. They both sent me new units and assured me they were working fine. They also tested both returned units and they tested equally fine. The mystery continues. Isn't high-end fun? Meanwhile, I was not a happy camper. When I hooked up the newly arrived units, same problem, ARRGHHHH! This was causing great consternation at Chez Appel. In an effort to recheck my system I reinserted the Kora (as before in balanced mode) and the problem disappeared. Once again I replaced the Kora with the Innersound and tried it -- it worked. As I sat and listened, I realized my subwoofer wasn't on and I had neglected to reattach the subwoofer with the single ended interconnects to the Innersound i control unit. As soon as I did this, the problem returned. I had discovered the cause of the problem. What worked for the Kora didn't work for the Innersound: when the Classe CD player was connected in balanced mode you could not also use the single ended outputs of the Innersound for a subwoofer. I immediately called Leeds and Nauber to let them know what the cause of the problem was. Leeds assumed that this was covered in the preamp's manual and I told him it was not. He assured me that all manuals would be corrected to include this information and was deeply apologetic and thankful that I had discovered this during the review process.

Finally, it was time to spin some discs. I chose to listen in balanced mode sans subwoofer. I also listened for many hours in single ended mode with the subwoofer in. My first impression was this couldn't be solid state. I was hearing a smoothness, clarity and musicality that belied what we all would have recognized as that defined, etched, solid state sound. Before I further amplify that statement (pun intended), I want to point out that the main function of the preamplifier, along with acting as a system controller, is to take those minute electrical signals that it receives from source components and amplify them to a level where the power amplifier can turn them into a useable signal for the speakers: the proverbial straight wire with gain. After all, we are dealing with really minute signals and if the preamplifier adds any distortion at this level then the entire audio chain will suffer. To my ears, the Innersound presented as neutral a sound as I've ever experienced in my system and without any accompanying sterility we associate with solid state. It excelled at alleviating any coloration to the music. When compared to my Kora -- which added a subtle, but perceptible, 'tan' coloration, resulting in a slightly darker and thicker presentation to the music -- the Innersound was more articulate and faster sounding with greater resolution and transparency without loss of body or impact.

It was my good fortune to hear several live performances of symphonic and opera music during the review period. Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 (fifth row center orchestra) at Manhattan School of Music and Puccini's Tosca, performed by the New York Opera Company at Lincoln Center (center, second ring, front row). First, let me say there is nothing like live music and having these performances as reference was invaluable. Also, having different seat positions greatly changed the perception of what the listening experience was. The opera sound, with a heightened and more distant seating position was much fuller and developed as compared to the closeness of the seating position for the symphony orchestra, which gave a more immediate, detailed and seemingly speedier presentation. I use this to illustrate how the live experience is dependent on so many variables: seating position, hall size, and type of venue, just to name a few. With CDs/LPs, etc, we are at the mercy of recording engineers, producers, studios, and an array of equipment, far removing one from the 'live' experience.

Spinning discs and records tells us how a system reproduces the recorded experience. Hearing live performances and how close we get to that experience in our listening environments is still our Holy Grail. One can argue the validity of each experience in the reproduction of music till the cows come home. But for me, nothing rivals the live musical experience and that is what I'm striving to achieve in my listening room. With that in mind, the Innersound i Control Preamplifier brings my system closer to achieving that goal. I could, depending on the recording, sometimes, convince myself that the performer was standing in my living room performing for me. Well… almost. This was most clear on Keith Ganz's, Music For People, where his solo guitar playing was ever so present in the room. Dave Brubeck's beautiful Telarc CD, Private Brubeck Remembers has him playing interpretations of W.W.II standards from his youth. To quote a friend who dropped by for a listening session, 'the piano never sounded so live as it does now'. A pithy summation from a listener I respect.

A recording that will really show the strengths and weaknesses of your system is a Reference Recording, Respighi: Queen of Sheba by Oue and the Minnesota Orchestra. The first cut, Solomon's Dream, ranges from the quietest musical delicacies to some explosive dynamics. With the i Control in place, the dynamic orchestral swings were experienced effortlessly, accompanied by a breathtaking three-dimensional soundstage capturing the space of the recording venue. The air seemed vibrant with excitement. Back to that 'live' thing again.

Instrumental timbres were accurately portrayed with commensurate body and weight. The bass drum was deep and reverberant without being muddy or smearing allowing one not only to hear the initial impact of mallet on skin, but also not obscuring the other instruments. The ability to separate instruments in the orchestral presentation was maintained throughout. Transparency and speed of attack were all there. When instruments are played, we hear that initial attack, followed by their body's resonance, and the sound "blooms" and finally their decay in space. The i Control captured this event more fully than I've experienced in the past.

I could go on and on about this CD or that one but the bottom line is the Innersound i Control brings the best out of your music collection. It's honest to the source in portraying what's being played: neutral and transparent, without being clinical, and is as smooth as silk. Partnered with the i 330 Power Amplifier (see my review), the combo celebrates high-end sound. Bravo, Mr. Leeds.

Now for some nits to pick. The remote control for one. It works well, but for $5k US, one should get an Innersound remote not an off the shelf Marantz universal remote that looks like a throw in -- something specifically designed for Innersound products with an aesthetic commensurate with the high level of product. Maybe the Classe remote has spoiled me. I would have also liked to have seen a front panel headphone jack. I have noticed that the headphone jacks have been disappearing from many of the high-end preamplifiers and I would like to see them make a comeback.

I think the i Control preamplifier would earn an Audiophilia Star award for its sonic performance competing with some of the best high end has to offer. But products, especially at this level, should take into account all factors including ease of installation. Audiophiles typically are experimenting with cables and switching in and out new equipment all the time and the need for clearance is important. My only wish, Mr. Leeds is that you provide a larger case to provide more space for greater ease of connectivity. Perhaps an i Control-II ? Also, I'd like to put in a good word about the responsiveness of Innersound and Classe. Both companies responded with excellent service and cooperation when problems arose. The situation was handled with class and immediacy, which speaks volumes about their commitment to their products and customer relations.

Keep Listening.

Associated Components

Digital Front End -- Meitner's Melior Musatex CD-D Transport, Sony DVP7000 (modified) as transport, Birdland Audio Silver Ag dac w/clock update
Preamplifier-- KORA Eclipse
Amplification -- InnerSound ESL Mark II, The Sunfire Signature 600-II
Loudspeakers -- TMS ADIABAT 8.5 speakers (modified) discontinued Sunfire True Subwoofer EQ
Cabling -- Acoustic Zen Cables: Silver Reference II interconnects (rca), Matrix Reference Interconnects II(rca), Hologram II Speaker cables, Gargantua, I and II power cords, MC2= ZEN digital cable
Accessories -- Black Diamond Racing Cones, Vibrapods, Monster HTS 2000 power strip and Acme Audio Labs wall outlets iPower 330 Stereo Power Amplifier

i Control Preamplifier

Manufactured by Innersound

2400 Central Ave, Suite L Boulder CO 80301
Phone: 720-210-1925 Fax: 303-413-1088
web: http://www.innersound.net
email: info@innersound.net
Price: US$2995.00
Source of review sample: Manufacturer Loan