CIA-1 SE NATURAL ALUMINIUM

Crayon Audio CIA-1 SE Crayon Integrated Amplifier Special Edition

The amplifier for pure, authentic music reproduction.

At Crayon Audio, we believe that true music lovers want to experience their recordings as directly and accurately as possible—without unnecessary changes from the playback devices. That’s why we developed the CIA series, a stereo integrated amplifier that reproduces the music signal as faithfully as physically possible.

Versatility and flexibility

The CIA-1 SE offers four inputs, one of which can be configured as a phono input. It is also possible to switch the amplifier to pure power amplifier mode for even greater flexibility in various hi-fi systems.

Housing – perfection in design and function

The CIA-1 SE’s housing is made of high-quality, CNC-milled aluminium and, thanks to a special anodising process, not only looks attractive but also offers improved grip. The CNC-milled buttons with Teflon guides and the feet with special plastic inserts provide a stable base.

The heat sink is thermally decoupled from the housing to enable more efficient heat dissipation and a higher operating temperature inside the device. The design is based on the clear, functional aesthetics of the Bauhaus style – straightforward and without superfluous embellishments.

Power supply – efficiency and precision

Crayon Audio relies on the advantages of switching power supplies, which not only offer high efficiency but also enable extremely precise voltage regulation. The input and output are carefully decoupled to ensure that the supply voltage for the circuits remains stable and accurate. The special capacitors, which are additionally installed in all assemblies, guarantee even better performance and stability. A special fuse was selected in order to fully utilise the advantages of the Crayon power cables.

Circuitry and design – innovative power in detail

The CIA-1 SE circuit board is a 6-layer design that enables a 3D arrangement of conductor tracks with maximum shielding and linearised energy propagation. This technology minimises sources of interference and optimises signal transmission.

The latest circuit board technologies, such as Dirks‘ decoupling of supply voltages up to 1 GHz, ensure exceptionally high electrical stability and minimal electromagnetic interference coupling.

The power amplifier is designed as a bridge amplifier, which means that each loudspeaker is powered by two power amplifiers. This design allows perfect control of the loudspeaker and delivers precise, powerful performance. For this reason, we have opted for the complex use of four power amplifiers – an investment that is clearly reflected in the sound quality.

The banana connectors are from the WBT Nextgen series and are perfectly matched to our PCB and cable technology, ensuring the best signal transmission quality.

Channel selection is via CMOS switches, a technology used in professional studio applications to ensure excellent blocking attenuation. The selected channels are indicated by LEDs, which also visualise the power-on and power-off sequences. When the phono input is activated, a special [MC] LED indicates whether the input is set to moving coil or moving magnet (LED off = MM).

All inputs on the CIA-1 SE are decoupled with current-compensated chokes, which prevent the transmission of balanced RF signals (from 1 MHz to over 300 MHz) while leaving the input signal undisturbed.

Volume control is provided by an ALPS motorised potentiometer, which allows for precise and user-friendly volume adjustment.

The potentiometer is also decoupled with current-compensated chokes, and both the input and output are separately buffered.

Phono preamplifier – flexibility for every need

The phono preamplifier in the CIA series and in the CFA has a current input that is suitable for both MM (moving magnet) and MC (moving coil). Adjustment of the input resistance for MC and the input capacitance for MM is usually not necessary, but can be done using dip switches if desired.

When ordering, you can choose whether the CIA-1 SE should be equipped with four line inputs or with three line inputs and a phono preamplifier.

All our amplifiers are developed in-house and represent the highest level of precision and sound fidelity.

Colours

The CIA-1SE is available in classic natural aluminium and elegant black – perfect for any hi-fi setup.