So each valve is measured and then the individual bias can be set. To adjust the bias each power valve has its own adjuster. The meter has a centre line denoting the correct result. To measure a power valve you press a button that shows the reading on the meter. To do this there are two meters, one for each set of three E元4s. The S6 goes a step further and has an auto-circuit to get the bias close to the right value and the user adjusts/tweaks the bias to get the exact value. Oh, what fun! Fortunately, more recent valve amplifiers bring the measuring and adjustment out of the deep innards of the amplifiers and onto the outside of the case. At the same time, you have to avoid touching the very hot valves or even worse anything at a high voltage (in some cases potentially lethal voltage). In some amplifiers, this meant putting meter probes into the amplifier when it was turned on, whilst using a plastic screwdriver to adjust the bias. One of the real bugbears with valve amplifiers is the user has to bias the valves. Even the remote control (volume only) has a solid wood back that allows the remote to stand on its end. When my other half saw it she said ‘that looks great, really retro’. The whole amplifier is very Italian and really well designed and although it is fairly simple it is a real looker. Unlike a lot of protective cages, the S6 cages have been cleverly designed and do not look like add-on kludges. When operating this backbone gets rather hot although not as hot as the protective cage around the valves (required by EU law). The valves are on each side of the backbone of the amplifier with the backbone housing the output and mains transformers. The S6 is heavy at 55lbs and that shows a lot of thought has gone into the design of the transformers, vital for a valve amplifier. A single ECC83 (12AX7) drives each channel. The E元4s are wired as triodes and as there are three they put out 35 watts/channel, which for a triode amplifier is a fair amount of power. The S6 is a Class A, single-ended triode amplifier that uses 6圎元4 valves to drive the speakers. Not too surprising as it is made in Treviso, Italy. This amplifier is unusual and very Italian. I was sufficiently intrigued to go out and get a Unison Research S6 amplifier and try it in my system. It was not the most expensive and was not the best ‘hifi’ but it really played music and featured the Unison Research S6 amplifier. One of the systems had a really great musical sound. I like these local shows as the dealers get a better sound quality than trying to squeeze good sound from a less than ideal hotel room.
In February I visited the Oxford Audio Unison Research event. The UK’s Bristol Show came and went and although there were some valve amplifiers of interest, none excited me enough to ask for a home demonstration. So I kept an eye out for any valve amplifiers that may be of interest. Unison reduced headcount by roughly 50% in April 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.A few months ago I realised that for the first time in decades I had no valve power amplifiers in my system. Unison also makes money from service fees related the investment. Unison makes money by investing alongside an owner and generating revenue from appreciation in the home sale value. Unison also charges any transaction-related fees and settlement costs it incurs on any closed transaction. It then will collect additional fees equal to its equity in the home at the end of the 30-year term, when the home is sold, or when the owner refinances. How much does Unison cost?Īccording to most sources, Unison charges a service fee around ~3% of the investment size. The owner can then accept and use the funds for the requested purposes. Unison will then schedule an appraisal and prepare a final investment offer. How does Unison work?Īn owner will request an estimate based on their home, and Unison will provide an initial quote. Unison is a fractional home ownership service that helps owners access the equity in their home through an investment rather than a loan.
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