STEMFOORT SF-200

Stemfoort’s new SF-200 is a stereo Class AB ‘passive line power amplifier’ rated at 100-watts per channel. The ‘passive’ refers to the fact that it’s only the power amplifier section that uses active circuitry: all analogue input circuitry is completely passive except for the input section itself, which is via relays, rather than a passive switch, in order to keep passive signal paths as short as possible. ‘ This allows the signal to go straight from your CD player, DAC or streamer through a volume control and direct to the power amplifier,’ says George Neophytou, of Neophonics, which distributes Stemfoort. ‘ The advantages of passive input are maximised by a carefully developed high impedance FET input stage on the power amplifier.’ The volume control is motorised so, in addition to the analogue inputs, can be controlled via the supplied remote control or by using the front panel controls. According to Neophytou, a unique feature of the SF-200 is that it will continue operating even if the 230V mains voltage drops down as low as 160V. ‘ This feature is the result of Sugden developing a very stable and robust power supply and amplifier circuit,’ he told Australian Hi-Fi Magazine. (Although Stemfoort started out in 1985 in Holland, the company was purchased by J. E. Sugden in 1988 and all Stemfoort products are now designed and manufactured entirely in England by Sugden Audio.) Available now, the Stemfoort Audio SF-200 sells for $5,100 (RRP).