Audia Flight Strumento no.1 evo PreAmplifier

The Strumento No.1 EVO is Audia Flight’s most advanced preamplifier to date. It's the culmination of years of research and refinement into how signal should move from source to amplifier. While its job may seem simple, getting out of the way and preserving the soul of the music is anything but easy. And yet, that’s exactly what the No.1 EVO achieves. With more natural tone, a more expansive and immersive soundstage, and greater dynamic authority than any of its predecessors, this is the reference standard that makes everything downstream better.

Audia Flight’s design philosophy is rooted in precision. But the process is human. Every resistor, capacitor, and circuit refinement is tested by ear as well as by instrument. Every mechanical detail is touched by craftspeople who understand that how something sounds is affected by how it’s built. The No.1 EVO wasn’t engineered on paper, it was tuned like an instrument.

From its four toroidal transformers to its silent, constant-impedance volume control, this preamp exists to transfer a perfect signal. No masking. No restraint. Just clarity, power, and scale.

Key Features

• Class A current-feedback gain stage for dynamic headroom and tonal accuracy
• Completely balanced dual-mono architecture with isolated circuitry
• Constant impedance volume control using discrete resistors and low-noise relays
• Four toroidal transformers, each shielded and resin-encapsulated
• Ultra-wide frequency response extending beyond 1 MHz
• Extremely fast slew rate greater than 200 V/μs across the full gain range
• Rear-panel input options, with removable covers for future optional input cards
• Chassis milled from custom aluminum cast, mirror polished and hand-anodized
• Remote control and front-panel display, with an intuitive interface
• Made entirely in Italy, with no off-the-shelf boards or compromise parts

Engineering That Listens

From the moment signal enters the Strumento No.1 EVO, it encounters an ecosystem built for purity. After input selection and buffering, the signal is routed through Audia Flight’s proprietary attenuator, a constant impedance volume control that avoids the impedance shifts and frequency smearing common in traditional potentiometer designs. Built from low-noise metallic film resistors and controlled by silent relays, this attenuator allows for an exceptionally wide gain range (-90 to +10 dB) with micro-precise 0.5 dB steps. No clicks, no dropouts, no coloration. Just consistent response and lightning-fast signal transfer.

The preamplifier’s gain stage is fully discrete and operates in Class A. It’s fed by eight dedicated power supply stages, four per channel, and is encased in a precision-machined aluminum enclosure filled with epoxy resin to guarantee temperature stability and eliminate interference. What results is a signal path that preserves microdetail, attack, and low-level ambiance even during large-scale musical peaks.

Driving this architecture are four toroidal transformers: two 75VA units for the main audio circuits, a 25VA transformer for the control boards, and a 15VA transformer for logic. All are shielded and potted in epoxy, then housed in ferromagnetic enclosures to prevent electrical and mechanical noise. The filtering stage includes 40 ultra-fast 680μF capacitors with vibration damping and EMI shielding. The result is a black background, even at high gain levels, with exceptional control over output impedance and noise rejection.

Mechanical Elegance, Inside and Out

Like every product in the Strumento series, the No.1 EVO’s housing starts life as a bespoke aluminum casting. It is then CNC-machined, hand-polished to a mirror finish, and shot-peened before receiving its final anodized coating. The process isn’t just for looks. Mechanical damping, thermal consistency, and electromagnetic isolation are all improved as a result.

All critical circuit sections are physically separated. Input and output boards are fully isolated. Power supplies are housed in their own compartments. Custom copper bus bars are used for power and ground distribution. Even the electrolytic capacitors are acoustically damped. Every detail, down to how the control board is grounded, reflects a refusal to compromise.

Expansion and System Integration

The No.1 EVO's rear panel includes removable covers for future optional input cards. Inputs are available in both RCA and XLR format, and output options include dual balanced XLR plus one unbalanced RCA. Input naming and gain presets are adjusted via the front panel or remote.

This is a preamplifier that can adapt to virtually any system while remaining absolutely consistent in how it passes signal.

The Listening Room Difference

The Strumento series is available through only a select number of authorized dealers in the United States. The Listening Room is proud to be among them.

The Listening Room is a third-generation, family-owned hi-fi store built on trust, knowledge, and personal connection. We’re based in Chestertown, Maryland, where we run a real showroom with real inventory. Not a warehouse. Not a middleman. Just a dedicated team that lives and breathes this gear.

When you invest in a component of this caliber, the experience should match the performance. That’s why owner Mike Hoatson personally hand-delivers and installs every Strumento No.1 EVO sold. You’ll get white-glove service, in-room setup, and expert system integration from someone who knows how to get the most out of high-end audio, because he’s been doing it for decades.

Every system we help build is treated like our own. We’re here for advice, setup, and long-term support. This isn’t just about selling gear. It’s about making sure it performs exactly the way it should in your space.

Specifications