L'Esoteric F-02 is a stereo integrated amplifier of the F series which brings into a single chassis technologies born for separate components Grandioso: the pre section derives from the preamplifier Great C1X, while the power amplifier follows the circuit layout of the Grandioso M1X monoblock. It delivers 120 W per channel into 8 ohms and 240 W into 4 ohms, with an architecture dual balanced mono and a 32,4-pound frame designed to keep vibrations under control.
The heart of the preamp is the Ultra Fidelity Attenuator System featuring the proprietary UFA-1792 module : a switched resistor attenuator with 1.120 0,1 dB steps, more than ten times the steps of a typical preamp, powered by a high voltage for improved headroom and signal-to-noise ratio. The preamp has a dedicated transformer winding and rectifier board, with custom Grandioso capacitors in parallel, and separate logic and audio power supplies. Input switching uses FET switches instead of mechanical relays, and the control logic is isolated with optocouplers and shuts down when not needed. The three-band balanced tone control (63 Hz, 630 Hz, and 14 kHz, ±12 dB in 0,5 dB steps) is memorized for each input and can be bypassed.
The final stage is a Push-pull three-pair parallel bipolar transistor per channel, with compensation of fase single-pole, coil-free output, and minimal feedback. It is powered by a transformer. EI 940 VA assembled without casing, with straightening dual mono and four custom 10.000 µF capacitors per channel. 105 µm copper tracks, eight 1 mm OFC rods, screwed wiring and MOSFET switches on the speaker outputs lower the internal impedance: the damping factor is 500, useful for controlling large diameter woofers.
Can you connect a turntable or headphones directly to the F-02? Yes: there is one MM/MC phono stage dual mono with separate power supplies for the two channels (47 kohm in MM, 100 ohm in MC) and a balanced headphone amplifier dual mono with 4-pole XLR output and 6,3 mm jack, which delivers 600 mW per channel into 32 ohms in balanced and has adjustable gain from 0 to +18 dB in 3 dB steps.
The integrated amplifier grows with your system. The three XLR inputs are switchable to ES-Link Analog , Esoteric's mains connection, for K and N series sources; the XLR and ES-Link Analog pre-outputs allow you to add a class A power amplifier from the S-05 series for multi-amplification. The external PS-01F power supply boosts the pre-amp section, and the optional slot accepts the OP-DAC1 DAC card or the OP-ESLA1 ES-Link Analog card. The equipment is completed by the fixed-volume AV through output, RS-232C, trigger, and the RC-1339 aluminum remote control, which also controls Esoteric SACD and network players.
