The amplifier is the "Heart of your music equipment". We said so in 1970 and still think that this is the case. The amplifier(s) defines the major part of the sound quality. This also applies for the source where almost always an amplifying circuit is used at the output.

Of course the loudspeaker is important too. But a loudspeaker can't help it if one (or more) amplifier circuit adds or omits something. Let alone the distortion. The quality of the amplifier is conclusive for the sound reproduction. Even very simple loudspeakers (or even better a one-way system without filter!) will show you the inherent quality of the amplifying part.

Now it will be clear that our viewpoint is different from the common opinion. A lot of people think that they might upgrade their sound quality by buying better loudspeakers. In the real world mostly this ends up in disaster. After having done so it appears that the existing amplifier is not able to control the loudspeaker behaviour resulting in a less "tight" sound. (More expensive loudspeakers are mostly a more "complex" load for the amplifier!) It also occurs that the new loudspeaker better exposes the bad behaviour of the amplifier.

What causes these problems with a lot of (or better most) amplifiers? A common problem is the huge amount of electronics. Wether it's a transistor or a tube amp, "much" mostly means "less" music.
A second cause might be the "ease of control" as offered by the manufacturer. The hand held remote control lets you choose the source, control the volume etc. This "ease" being the result of modern times electronics. The electronics inside the equipment, and being in the signal path, deteriorates the sound quality. This could be done in a better way but at a price which is (a lot) higher then what you want to spend.
A third cause of inferior sound quality can be found in the protection circuitry. The manufacturer has the opinion, and he is so right, that the equipment should be protected against malpractice, short circuit of loudspeaker cables, or protect the loudspeaker if something malfunctions inside the equipment. In all those cases the equipment simply switches "off". If everything is "okay" the protection circuit switches "on". Hence the switching contacts of the protecting relais are in the signal path.

All added functions and refinements are too much, or, better still, all electronics is too much. Be it a transistor, an electron tube, a capacitor, a resistor, a switching contact etcetera, they all add up to a more deteriorated sound quality. And socalled "active" or amplifying electronics is a lot worse then the passive components used in a loudspeaker filter.

Characteristic of Hawk equipment is the scarce use of electronics. All amplifiers excel because of the very sober amplifying circuit. In the Hawk P-12 control amplifier there's just one tube and one capacitor in the signal path. That's why this amp distinguishes itself from many other ones. The sound is more "relaxed" and more "detailed" then almost all preamps on the market. A difference though is that a lot has been done on the power supply in order to prevent noises, for instance from the mains supply, to enter the signal path. Another advantage is the use of a "stepped switch" as a volume control, meaning that the levels of both stereo channels are exactly the same at any position. Also this switch offers less distortion then the most expansive rotary control. An extra advantage of this amplifier is the high input impedance which will hardly "load" the source. The low output impedance allows you to use long interlinks to the power amplifier.

Also The Hawk A-18 power amplifier is such an example of the scarce use of electronics. Just four transistors are used as an (voltage) amplifier. At the output we have four power fets in order to fulfil the demand for big currents by complicated loudspeakers. This A-18 also is "unconditionally stable", meaning that all kinds of loudspeakers may be connected. This goes for complex dynamic ones but also for magnetostatic and electrostatic loudspeakers. On the amplifier a small switch lets you choose between Class-A or Class-B. When in Class-A there's a continuous (big) current warming up the output devices. This means that the amplifier functions in the same way for all kinds of signals and you're able to hear the exact nature of an instrument or a human voice.

Top of the bill is our A-60. There you'll find the best of two worlds: tubes and transistors. That's why it's called a "hybrid" amplifier. Amplification is done by tubes and the current is delivered by eight (!) power fets in each channel. This, and the 600 Watt pro channel mains transformer, forms a really "big" amplifier, but one which also lets you listen to the smallest detail.
The A-60 delivers a maximum of 400 Watts into a low impedance. That should be sufficient to let any kind of loudspeaker in any kind of room play at a sufficient level to reproduce the sound of a symphony orchestra or a jazz big band.

New at Hawk is a series of "Class-D" power amplifiers. These offer good audio quality while saving on power consumption. Also these Class-D amplifiers offer a lower output impedance, hence a very good control over the loudspeaker behaviour.

We also offer two new phono pre-amps, one with tubes and a second one with op amps. That second one offers very low input noise so it gives optimal results with low output MC cartridges.