[ardilla]

The amp - Auralic Taurus - is supposed to deliver 3.5 watt in 32 ohm... Available from feb 2012
 
Here's a large pic.
 
 

 
http://www.auralic.com/en/

 

[Larryonfire]

Taurus got a pretty good review over at 6moons, here from the conclusion :
 
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/auralic2/1.html
 

Final words

. AURALiC's Taurus follows the excitement of their ARK MX+ converter. As a high-power headphone amp it drives HifiMan's toughest HE6 to perfection. It'll thus power any commercial headphone on the market. In the general sonic vein of Burson Audio's HA160 with resolution the next level up plus greater top-end brilliance and an overall higher degree of sophistication, the Taurus is a top-flight headfi/preamp whose strategic dry warmth is sourced from high class A transistor bias. It stays clear of valve darkness and moisturization and becomes an iron first in a velvet glove for cans and amplifier input stages alike. Its noise floor is

exceptionally

 low, and its 4.5wpc/32Ω power 

very

 butch for the breed. Once again team AURALiC demonstrates a high level of circuit design know-how. Hats off!

 

[sawindra]

I can't believe how well it drives my HE-6.

 
Just proves that the HE-6 need all that juice it can get. Will post pics of my amp soon!

 

[Ultrainferno]

Quote:

I can't believe how well it drives my HE-6.

 
Just proves that the HE-6 need all that juice it can get. Will post pics of my amp soon!

Can't wait!

 

[sawindra]

coming soon..( flash won't work here )
 
anyways check this shoot out
 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mortenteinum/sets/72157629074864964/with/6778075150/

 

[TIMITS]

Wonderful atmospheric photos.  And you got the Auralic DAC also.

 

[sawindra]

Quote:

Wonderful atmospheric photos.  And you got the Auralic DAC also.

the DAC ..need the $$$, maybe if it shows up 2nd hand

 

[Ultrainferno]

I have the amp coming in the next few weeks for reviewing. Can't wait

 

[alexhl]

Don't know how good the amp is but I've been using the DAC for a good 6 months now and only recently upgraded to a lampizator level 5 for the tube output stage and inbuilt volume. As a standalone dac, not many that i've tested came close.

 

[dcginc]

Is auralic selling in the USA?

 

[Ultrainferno]

 
Quote:

I have the amp coming in the next few weeks for reviewing. Can't wait

 
I'm still waiting...

 

[sawindra]

looks like they also have a new amplifier out
 

 

 

[customNuts]

I would love to know how the Taurus compares to the competition ie, Master 8, Bryston BHA-1, Yulong D18, Schiit Mjolnir.

 

[Vitor Teixeira]

Nice pics sawindra
 
Can you tell us how is the performance SE vs Balanced?

 

[ardilla]

There is an audible difference, with the LCD-3/ HE-500 I found the sound a bit smoother in standard (STD) mode. 
 
The Taurus delivers way more wattage in standard mode than balanced in the lower impedance ranges (where you actually need the power - read orthos...):

TAURUS Specifications
Output Power

.............STD Mode.......BAL Mode
32ohm.......4500mW ........1200mW
120ohm.....1200mW ........4500mW
300ohm......500mW .........2000mW
600ohm.......250mW ........1000mW
 
 
The numbers made me curious. From Auralic (email)

The power in chart are continous RMS.
For your first question, there are four output sections in each Taurus amp. In STD mode, each two of them are in parallel driving one channel. It will well suite low impedance as the output current is plenty but the output power driving high impedance is limited by maximum swing voltage. In BAL mode, two section are in bridged connection(BTL), it will offering 2x maximum swing voltage so the output  power at high impedance is four times higher, but at low impedance, since each section is bear half load which equal to 16ohm, the output is limited by output current.  I hope this will help.