Raphael Pasche doesn’t mess around when it comes to designing high-fidelity audiophile components. He’s got laser-beam intensity when you ask him about the products he helps design at Swiss high-end audio manufacturer CH Precision, and you can see/hear that translating into the I1 Universal integrated amplifier that made it’s North American debut at AXPONA in Chicago. Pasche called the I1 “a synopsis of our brand portfolio of electronics,” and said that customers should not be deceived by it’s simplistic exterior, for underneath the hood it houses an advanced versatility that should not be underestimated. He added that vinyl aficionados would do well to take into account the unit’s phono stage which can handle three cartridges – making it a serious contender for those with multiple turntables, or with ‘tables capable of accommodating multiple arms. The unit has the iconic CH Precision machined aluminum-alloy enclosure, and modular internal component design (including separate internal circuit-mounting boards for each input/output mount to eliminate crosstalk) that is helping to set the company apart from it’s Swiss brethren. Built into the sleek casework the 100-watt/channel (into eight Ohms) I1 packs considerable firepower. Consider that engineers have managed to include key circuit-design aspects of the A1 Two-Channel Power Amplifier, C1 [...]![]()
