Introducing the new Continental V5 portable tube amp

[raypin]

mmmm........whoah........in that case, is the May release tentative tentative or tentative with a realistic chance of being released this May?

 

[Vinnie R.]

  mmmm........whoah........in that case, is the May release tentative tentative or tentative with a realistic chance of being released this May?

 
It is very realistic, but let's wait for Ken to chime in here regarding the date and pre-ordering. 

 

[WCDchee]

mmmm........whoah........in that case, is the May release tentative tentative or tentative with a realistic chance of being released this May?

Don't take my word for it, but from what I hear from Ken, it's a realistic target

 

[Whitigir]

Oh...Wow! Very very interesting. I assume that this unit still have TRRS input and output , correct ?

 

[KB]

   
It is very realistic, but let's wait for Ken to chime in here regarding the date and pre-ordering. 

 
Sorry, just catching up from the coming back from the SoCal show, which was awesome, thank you Ethan for making this one also a great success and wonderful event. 
 
Guys, we think a May ship date is realistic but at this time I can not guarantee it 100%. Please stand by however for updates. Also we will launch a pre order well ahead of time so people can not only take advantage of a little $$ savings but also lock down and secure their Cv5. I say this because we only decided to make a smallish run of them this first round. 
 
In addition I am working on some tube rolling upgrades for the Cv5
 
Please stand by for more info. 
 
Thank you so much for eveyones interest in the Cv5, I honestly feel its dollar for dollar, size and form factor, sonics the finest portable amp ALO has ever made. 
 
Ken

 

[Vinnie R.]

Oh...Wow! Very very interesting. I assume that this unit still have TRRS input and output , correct ?

 
- CV5 has 1 single-ended TRS line input, and 1 single-ended TRS headphone output.
 
- Hi/low gain switch
 
- Volume control (power switch build into volume control, like CDM and Rx)
 
- USB charger input (just like Rx), can be charged via computer or included USB power adapter
 
- Low battery warning LED, and charge status LED on back panel (just like Rx)
 
- (1) 6111 dual triode tube, user replaceable
 
- User replaceable battery that delivers 8+ hours of play time on a full charge
 
- Less than 1-ohm output impedance
 
- Seriously wide bandwidth...  Frequency response: 10Hz - 300kHz +/- 0.1dB 
 
- 20 second mute circuit for tube warm up (blue LED ON during warm up)
 
- No pops during power on/off
 
- Low output noise and microphonics
 
 
And I'll copy / paste this from Ken's first post on this thread:
 
Tentative Release Date: May 2016
MSRP $695
 
Specifications:
 
Frequency response: 10Hz - 300kHz +/- 0.1dB  (very impressive)
Input impedance: 110k (low gain) / 10k (high gain)
Output impedance: < 0.5 ohm
Gain (low): -10dB
Gain (high): +10dB
Output power (into 32 ohms): 325mW per channel, RMS
 
Features:
 
- Premium low ESR audio-grade power supply capacitors
- USB charger input (same as Rx)
- High / Low gain switch (great for IEMs and full-size headphones)
- One 6111 dual triode tube, user changeable (tube rolling)
- 16V power supply (+/- 8V)
- 20 second mute circuit for tube warm up (blue LED ON during warm up)
- Low output noise and microphonics
- 8-9 hour play time
- Low voltage warning (blinking red LED)
- Charging LED (Red = charging, Green = charged, Orange = ON)
 
Thank you
 
 

 

[Whitigir]

Thank you Vinnie, so all in all, this is the little sibling of the CDM

 

[Vinnie R.]

Thank you Vinnie, so all in all, this is the little sibling of the CDM

 
Yes, the "big," little sibling of the CDM 

 
See:  http://www.head-fi.org/t/802291/introducing-the-new-continental-v5-portable-tube-amp/15#post_12438245

 

[KB]

Well done Ken! How similar is the amp topology to the CDM? Seems to be SE vs. balanced and I would guess it has to use double triode tubes? Cheers

 
Hey Mscott58,
 
Yes SE only and double triode yes... one for each channel. The CDM only used one of the 2 triodes in each tube. The Cv5 is again I think our finest effort, with value and a very broad stroke of use ability and sonics. I really wanted to make a SMALL single tube hybrid amp that rocked IEMs and full size headphones and we think the Cv5 nailed it. We know DAPs headphone output stages are getting very very good so we really wanted to put some sonic distance between the best DAPs headphone out and stand alone headphone amps, the Cv5 does this nicely. When you compare headphone out of any DAP to line out of the DAP to Cv5 there is no question about the improvements.
 
We forgot to mention the rear LED will pulse when the battery is running low.
 
Thanks for your post.
 
Ken

 

[boblauer]

Glad to see an official confirmation of the rumor floating around during Canjam. I think I may have found the replacement for my Rx Mk1 I still use daily on the go and in fact it sounds like I could just set this on a good DAC for a small form factor desktop system. Again ALO does a fantastic job. 

 

[hemtmaker]

Hi Ken, does it have hiss when used with sensitive IEM like the K10? Thanks

 

[Stillhart]

I had a chance to demo this a bit off a Lotoo PAW and super secret headphone.  It sounded very good!  I'm looking forward to hearing more of it in the future.

 

[ejong7]

  I had a chance to demo this a bit off a Lotoo PAW and super secret headphone.  It sounded very good!  I'm looking forward to hearing more of it in the future.

SUPER SECRET headphone.

 

[XERO1]

Got to hear the v5 at CanJam with Ken's 'coming soon' beryllium-coated-driver over-ear headphones.
 
They both sounded amazing. 
 
I thought the headphones were a little hot in the 6-8kHz range, and Ken agreed and said it would be smoothed out for their final voicing.
 
I think Ken is going to do very well with both of them.

 

[goldendarko]

Yes, I am using it to drive my HE1000s and its gets plenty loud. 

Thank you

Ken

Woah just saw this today, this can drive the HE1000?! SOLD. I've been using your guys studio six with the HE1000 and it is unbelievably amazing pairing.