A fully discrete headphone amplifier built around speed, control and transient precision
Austrian Audio Full Score One is a Made in Austria headphone amplifier with True Transient Technology (TTT), fully discrete circuitry and support for loads from 10 to 600 ohms.
Full Score One is Austrian Audio's first headphone amplifier and is designed as a standalone component rather than an accessory for the brand's headphones. The project targets both high-end listening and mixing or mastering, using premium or military-grade components and a signal path with no integrated circuits.
Key features
- True Transient Technology (TTT) for extremely fast transient response.
- Fully discrete circuitry with no integrated circuits in the signal path.
- Recommended loads from 10 to 600 ohms.
- Two XLR inputs and two RCA inputs connected in parallel.
- Two 6.35 mm Jack outputs and one 4-pole XLR output.
- THD + N of 0.0005% at 1 kHz into 10 ohms at 1 W.
- Maximum slew rate of 200 V/µs and power bandwidth up to 2 MHz.
- Made in Austria.
True Transient Technology (TTT)
True Transient Technology (TTT) is central to the design and aims to reproduce rapid level changes immediately, such as the snap of a drum or the pluck of a string. With TTT engaged, rated rise time is 0.25 µs, a figure that underlines the emphasis placed on circuit speed as well as on available output power.
Discrete and symmetrical circuitry
The signal path is fully discrete, with no integrated circuits, and uses a wide-band fully symmetrical voltage-feedback circuit. A triple-emitter-follower output stage biased in Class B works with a high-speed complementary push-pull gain stage and a cascoded parallel differential input stage.
From 10 to 600 ohms
Full Score One is designed to drive both low-impedance headphones down to 10 ohms and high-impedance, low-sensitivity models up to 600 ohms. This load flexibility suits very different dynamic headphones, while the high-end volume control provides precise adjustment of listening level.
Inputs and outputs
The input section provides two XLR and two RCA connectors in parallel, allowing balanced and unbalanced sources to be used without external conversion. Two 6.35 mm Jack outputs and one 4-pole XLR are available for headphones, covering conventional connections as well as balanced operation such as the cable supplied with The Composer.
Distortion, noise and bandwidth
Rated THD + N reaches 0.0005% at 1 kHz into 10 ohms at 1 W, while power bandwidth extends from 5 Hz to 2 MHz. A maximum slew rate of 200 V/µs and low self-noise complete an engineering approach focused on timing accuracy and cleanliness even at demanding output levels.
A natural partner for Austrian Audio headphones
Full Score One can drive headphones from many brands and with very different electrical requirements, but it is a natural partner for The Composer. The three cables supplied with the headphone allow balanced or conventional connections, while the amplifier provides the reserve and speed needed to exploit the 49 mm Hi-X driver's response.
Construction and dimensions
Construction is Made in Austria and uses high-end or military-grade components. Manufacturer dimensions are 220 x 265 x 65 mm and weight is 2.8 kg: the physical dimensions differ from the distributor's abbreviated figure, so the finished-product manufacturer specification is used here.