Modern quality stereo amplifier (premium level) costs fabulous money. At these prices for Hi-End equipment, it's easier (and cheaper) to look at top devices from the past. Even from the Soviet past. They are able to provide no less high-quality sound for a price several times lower. An excellent device from the times of the USSR is the Corvette 100U-068S amplifier. This device is capable of a lot. We will look at its main technical characteristics and key features. But first, a little history.
General information about the amplifier
"Corvette 100U-068S" is a Soviet-made full amplifier. It was created on the basis of the legendary "Brig", but with some modifications. The result was a unique (for that time) device with a high power density and a good appearance. However, he was pleasing to the eye only in the newcondition. A year later, his appearance became, to put it mildly, unpresentable. Currently, it is impossible to find an unworn Corvette at a flea market. At one time, this amplifier belonged to the category of the highest complexity. This means that in theory it should have provided unrealistically high-quality sound. Many vintage lovers still believe this. However, the Corvette 100U-068S amplifier cannot be compared with the same Brig. Though made in his image and likeness. But enough of the lyrics. It's time to move on to the dry and boring language of numbers. But first, let's look at the design and appearance of the top Soviet amplifier.
Look & Design
The design of this amplifier differs markedly from other Soviet devices of this class. Those sparkled with aluminum and bright colors of illumination. And here all this is not. The front panel is completely made of plastic. And it is painted in some incomprehensible color. The worst thing is that the paint is of poor quality. After a year of active use, it simply wiped itself in certain places and the amplifier looked like a shabby state employee. The control panel contains buttons for switching the sound source, turning on loudness and other necessary options. There are also many "knobs" for adjusting tone, timbre, treble and bass, volume and balance. There are also toggle switches for switching between different operating modes. The rear panel contains the necessary connectors and eight terminals for connectingacoustic systems. There is also a connector for connecting the power cable. In general, the appearance of the Corvette 100U-68S sound amplifier is interesting and a little unsuccessful. Now let's move on to the main technical characteristics of the device.
Main specifications of the amplifier
"Amplifier Corvette 100U-068S", the characteristics of which we will now analyze, refers to devices of a high degree of complexity. And this means that his characteristics are advanced. And indeed it is. The reproducible frequency range starts at around 10 hertz and ends at 70,000. This is the first sign of a Hi-End class device. Now about power. The rated continuous power of the device with a speaker impedance of 6 ohms is 125 watts. This is a lot. Enough for a small concert hall. Rated short-term (peak) power with the same resistance is 150 watts. Excellent results. Especially when you consider that these are "honest watts", and not modern Chinese ones. Power consumption is 275 watts. And this is at the maximum load of the amplifier. In idle mode, it consumes only 30 watts. This miracle weighs almost 10 kilograms. Its dimensions are also not distinguished by modesty. But this is normal for devices that provide high-quality sound. And now let's look at other features of the Corvette 100U-068S amplifier.
Sound quality
The most interesting thing is the sound quality of this device. This amplifieraccording to the passport should provide excellent sound quality. But is it really so? Let's start with the fact that the sound of this device is slightly worse than that of the same "Brig". Although the scheme used is almost the same. It's all about improvements and upgrades to an already good scheme. What problems does the Corvette 100U-068S amplifier have? The electrical circuit is clumsily soldered. Hence the main problem. A simple wire winding is also used, which also degrades the sound. The power transformer is not well-made, which leads to the appearance of background noise. That is why this amplifier sounds noticeably worse than the "Brig". But after appropriate refinement, it should sound as it should. But not everyone has the experience to carry out such manipulations. And what kind of Hi-End device is this, which, after purchase, you need to pick with a soldering iron in your hands? But even without refinement, the sound is very high quality (if you do not compare it with the "Brig"). Therefore, you should not dwell on this moment especially.
Choosing acoustics for this amplifier
Not every speaker system is suitable for the Corvette 100U-068S amplifier. We need such speakers so that the amplifier can swing them. It works well with loudspeakers such as Radiotekhnika S-90. They have suitable resistance and not particularly high power. What you need for this amplifier. Amfiton 50AC will also show itself well. They can produce clear and balanced sound. What the sophisticated needlistener. It makes no sense to consider older columns, since very few have reached our time in a decent form. Also, do not take into account the speaker systems released in Russia after perestroika. At that time, they somehow forgot how to make high-quality acoustics. And now consider the reviews of the happy owners of this amplifier.
Positive feedback from owners
So, what can those who managed to purchase a live Corvette 100U-068S say? The vast majority of owners are satisfied with their purchase. Even despite the fact that the amplifier circuit "Corvette 100U-068S" worked rather clumsily. With gentle home use, this amplifier produces a very high-quality sound and indescribably pleases the owners. Some music lovers note that the best results are obtained when using it with Amfiton 50AC speakers, an external computer sound card (or a high-quality CD player) and music in some lossless format (FLAC, APE, WV, ALAC, and so on). Well, it's quite possible. The happy owners of this device claim that there is no need to modify anything in the amplifier, as this will "kill the soulful analog sound." Let's take these enthusiasts at their word.
Negative owner reviews
Those who leave negative reviews about this amplifier will not agree with the previous comrades. These citizens claim that the weakest point of the device is resistors and capacitors. They say they burn so that you can only manage themchange. True, they immediately declare that they used acoustics with a power of 200 watts together with the Corvette 100U-068S amplifier. The instruction manual, of course, has long been lost, but we can safely say that this amplifier cannot physically pull such a powerful speaker system. That's why it burns. The design of the device also received negative reviews. And it's hard to argue here. Indeed, all used Corvettes look worse than Chinese consumer goods. But, alas, nothing can be done about it.
Conclusion
So, we have considered the top sound amplifier "Corvette 100U-068S" from the USSR. Despite its venerable age, this device is still able to produce a very high-quality sound. And if you work a little with a soldering iron, then you can achieve Hi-End sound at all. But this is not at all necessary. He can do a lot without modifications. Even though it looks ugly.
