The Atoll IN 50 Signature full-range amplifier is the next step up from its big brother, the IN 80SE, in the lineup of the French company Atoll Electronique.
The model has a metal cabinet with an aluminium front. The developers managed to combine a minimalist design concept with a pleasant appearance. The company logo is located on the left side of the front panel, which visually balances the right side loaded with controls. The central place is occupied by the volume knob, which is attached to the Alps RK-27 potentiometer. On the right side there is a mini-jack for headphones, a power button with a corresponding indicator, as well as an input selector consisting of two vertically placed keys. Relays are used to switch between sources, and the LEDs located in a semicircle indicate which input is currently used.
The Atoll IN 50 Signature amplifier has a classic circuit design without any additional circuits, such as tone control circuits, which contributes to a short signal path. The element base consists of specially selected components, which also include audiophile MKP polypropylene capacitors. The output section contains MOSFET transistors. The model delivers 50 W at 8 ohms and 70 W at 4 ohms. The power supply is provided by a toroidal transformer located on the left side of the case. The total capacitance of the PSU capacitors is 17,874 µF.
Inputs: five RCA (including a recording monitoring jack) and BY-PASS, which allows you to feed the signal directly to the power amplifier stages. Outputs: RCA for recording, two pairs of preamp jacks. As an option, a phono preamp board can be built into the IN 50 Signature. In this case, one of the line inputs will be used. The following modules are available for installation: P50 (for MM cartridges) or P100 (for MM/MC cartridges). Two pairs of screw terminals are used to connect speakers.
Atoll IN 50 Signature has excellent musical talents. The bass is quite articulate, the midrange is well-drawn, and the high frequencies are open and clear. The model is able to create a correct three-dimensional scene. The ideal option for pairing with IN 50 Signature is a shelf speaker of its class. For more fundamental low frequencies, the amplifier can be paired with a small floorstanding speaker.
