Constellation Centaur II 500 Power Amplifier Modular Magic

Modular Magic
All Constellation power amplifiers share a common, and very successful circuit 'concept' – a 125W/8ohm power module employing N-type MOSFETs (rather than complementary NPN and PNP pairs) in a single-ended configuration. Inside the Centaur 500 II there are four pairs of 125W modules in a balanced/bridged configuration, delivering the rated 2x500W/8ohm. In this respect the new Centaur II 500 takes its design cues from the 250W Centaur II Stereo, albeit with a much-improved transformer and PSU.

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The novel power amplifier circuit is sufficiently stable into any likely speaker load that no Zobel, or other filter network, is fitted to the output. Moreover, the balanced/bridged modules are not connected to the 4mm output terminals by wire, but via a sequence of plated copper bus bars bolted together and to the rear of the terminals [see inset picture]! We saw the same in the original 500W Centaur Mono [HFN Jul '13] even though the new stereo Centaur II 500 – like other stereo Constellations – is 'limited' into very low impedances with a reduced current delivery of 29.7A (vs. 54.8A). While the 500 II is hardly bashful, the more affordable Inspiration Monos [HFN Oct '19] are more load-tolerant, sustaining 690W, 1277W, 2.2kW and a full 2.9kW into 8, 4, 2 and 1ohm loads under dynamic conditions (a current reserve of 53.4A). PM

COMPANY INFO
Constellation Audio
Newbury Park, CA, USA
Supplied by: Absolute Sounds Ltd
0208 971 3909
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