Cabinet FLIGHT PRE is a single cabinet unit but the internal volume is strategically divided to suppress interference. An horizontal partition is placed at half height. In the lower section are placed the three toroidal transformers and the main supply board, whereas in the upper section is placed the main audio board. Since the FLIGHT PRE is microprocessor controlled, the control board is placed behind the front panel and it is closed in its proper volume in a metallic shell. A massive sheet of damping material is stuck to the divider and another one is under the upper cover plate. The cabinet is completely made of aluminum and has been made exclusively by means of Numerical Control (NC) and laser machines; the front panel is realized starting from an aluminum ingot 25 mm – thick. The internal finish is realized with conductive chromium-plating, whereas the external finish is a black anodization. The front panel, the buttons, the knob and the standing feet, after the chromium-plating, are covered with a particular "texturized" paint (containing glass micro-spheres) giving to the appliance elegant looking and, at the same time, warrants a unique resistance and endurance. The front labels, logo included, are cut by NC micro miller with a subsequent paint filling; the rear labels are not made with serigraphic techniques but with laser cutting. Supply stage The main supply stage of FLIGHT PRE is placed in the lower part of the cabinet. Here, there are three toroidal transformers (one for each channel plus one to feed the control logic). All transformer are explicitly made for audio applications, designed to have the least stray flux but, at the same time, with a great driving ability. The FLIGHT PRE is endowed of a whole 18 stabilization circuits just for the audio stages supply, each designed as a discrete stage. The high-current supply stages for the audio sections exploit "Ultra Fast Recovery" diodes with bypass capacitance to eliminate possible commutation noises. Eight filtering capacitors ROE – EYS series (26.400µF total) with high discharge velocity and discrete stages stabilizer, for a stable 50 + 50 V output. The third supply stage, the one for the control logic, uses EMI filters and an integrated stabilizer. Moreover, on the amplification board are inserted four more dual discrete stages stabilized supply units per channel, that provide the alimentation of the various section of the amplification board, drastically reducing interference among different stages in the preamplifier. Input selector The input selector allows to choose four unbalanced inputs and two balanced ones by means of sealed relays in inert atmosphere and with golden terminations. An analogous system is used in the selection of the recorder rail, which is independent from the source and with a buffer output. Attenuation control (Volume) AUDIA developed a constant impedance attenuator, realized with discrete components (low-noise metallic film resistors and relays), which provides a gain range as high as 127 dB, with constant steps of 0.5 dB. This solves the problem of variable impedance as a function of the attenuation value (case of potentiometers), and the one of frequency response and of the absolute velocity response (case of potentiometers, dedicated volume control I.C.'s and D/A converters). For this reason, The result obtained probably overcome the wall of standard performance, since FLIGHT PRE grants an extremely extended frequency response (3Hz / 1MHz –3 dB ) and the high value of slew rate > 250V/µs in all the gain range (-90 / +10 dB). Gain stage The gain stage of the preamplifier is realized using AUDIA technique, that is using a current-feedback circuitry, entirely A – class biased and realized with discrete components.The high-current low-noise class A output stage, is not closed in a feedback ring. Control logic The hearth of this section is based on the use of an 8 bit micro-controller endowed with a 4 Kbyte ROM. The control of peripherals is given to two PIO devices, to get the control of the 40 characters fluorescent alphanumeric display, of the infrared receiver, of the HP optical encoder, the buttons and the relays. The control logic allows the following operations: ON / STAND-BY, VOLUME, BALANCE, INPUT SELECTION, SELECTION OF THE RECORDING RAIL, LUMINOSITY REGULATION, MUTE, PERSONALIZATIONOF THE LABEL OF THE INPUT Remote control The remote control too, as the front panel, is realized starting from an aluminum ingot later milled. The surface is firstly completely brushed, then anodized with an "avio" color. The command label are cut with laser technology. Realization details Every resistor is of the "metal sheet" kind with a 1% tolerance, the polystyrene capacitors are from Philips, polypropylene, electrolytic and tantalium ones are by Roedenstein; all transistors are by Motorola. All printed boards are made with 70 µm – width copper with an additional 30 µm of metal layer for an overall of 100 µm. The balanced input connectors are by Neutrik. Selling package FLIGHT PRE is delivered with a detailed instruction manual, screened alimentation cable 220 Vac with high current delivery, a remote control with battery and tool for their substitution. The crate is made of multi-sheeted ply-wood and the unit is contained in a tissue envelope and a second insulated envelope containing silica-gel.

Technical Data :
Input : 2 balanced XLR / 4 unbalanced RCA
Gain range : -90 dB / +10 dB
Gain resolution : 0.5 dB
Frequency response (1W rms -3dB) : 3 Hz ÷ 1 MHz
Slew-Rate (on 8 ohm) : > 200 V/µS
THD : < 0,05 %
S/N Ratio : 95 dB
Input impedance 680pF Unbalanced : 51 Kohm
Balanced : 30 Kohm
Output impedance Unbalanced : 12 ohm
Balanced : 50 ohm
Main voltage AC (50-60Hz) : 100, 110-115, 220-230,240 V
Power consumption: 60 W
Dimensions and weigth : 420x113x380mm (wxhxd) - 12 Kg
Shipping dimensions and weigth : 570x270x540mm (wxhxd) - 15 Kg