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Unison Research introduced the Italian-made Unico V2 series, featuring hybrid tube/solid-state Unico Pre V2 preamplifier and Unico DM V2 power amplifier with dual-mono architecture.
Unico Pre V2 flagship preamplifier debuts a new Unico design language, 15 mm aluminum front panel, Midnight Black or Velvet Gold finishes, and wood accents referencing brand heritage.
The Pre V2 uses a three-stage zero-gain hybrid topology with ECC83/12AX7 Gold Lion tubes, precision IC-based volume control, and extensive RCA, XLR, digital, and phono connectivity.
Unison Research’s latest Unico pairing reads less like a cosmetic refresh and more like a tightening of long‑held engineering positions. The zero‑gain philosophy in the preamp is particularly telling: by avoiding voltage amplification and focusing on current drive and impedance management, the design leans on the tube front end for harmonic shaping while delegating stability to the solid‑state stages. The choice of an IC‑based volume controller with precision resistor ladders, rather than relays, suggests a priority on repeatability and channel symmetry over romanticized mechanical solutions—an approach that aligns with the brand’s push toward measurable consistency without abandoning tube voicing. Interestingly, the DAC and phono sections are not treated as bolt‑ons; their balanced architectures and passive equalization are clearly tuned to sit comfortably downstream of the valve stage, minimizing tonal discontinuities when switching sources.
The power amplifier extends this pragmatism. Fully separated power supplies and potted transformers are not just about channel separation on paper, but about controlling electromagnetic behavior under dynamic load—something that becomes critical when the output stage is asked to deliver high current swings into complex loudspeaker impedances. The new ASHA topology can be read as Unison’s answer to the perennial Class A versus AB debate: instead of chasing bias extremes, it aims for distortion behavior that remains predictable as output increases. From an engineering standpoint, maintaining a consistent distortion profile into real‑world loads is often more audible than chasing vanishingly low figures at one operating point, and this is where the hybrid input stage plays a stabilizing role before the MOSFET array takes over.
Taken together, the Pre V2 and DM V2 feel voiced as a system for listeners who value control and tonal density over overt warmth. The bridgeable configuration of the power amp hints at scalability rather than excess, allowing the architecture to adapt as systems grow more ambitious. Compared to earlier Unico generations, the emphasis has shifted from “tube character with power” to a more disciplined hybrid ethos—one that treats tubes as precision devices rather than seasoning. For an Italian manufacturer long associated with expressive sound, this quieter, more technical confidence may be the most significant evolution of all.
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