Description
There are things that need no explanation. Simply Italy is one of them. The compact tube integrated amplifier from Unison Research is not just electronics, it is a manifesto: sound can be alive, bodily and infinitely human.
Simply Italy grew out of the Simply Two, one of the most successful integrated tube amplifiers in the world, with over 10,000 units sold. Designed by Professor Gianni Sacchetti, who builds all Unison Research amplifiers from budget to the legendary £30,000 Absolute 845, to the same quality standards. There is no “lightweight” version of this approach in Simply Italy. Just the basics.
The output stage is built on a pair of EL34 tubes in a single-ended ultra-linear configuration. Thanks to Unison Research’s own proprietary output transformers, the EL34 pentodes operate almost like triodes – with all their warmth and naturalness. The preamplifier and drive stage are powered by dual ECC82 triodes – with excellent linearity and minimal harmonic distortion.
The input stage uses an ion displacement system - without general and local feedback, without parasitic phase shift. The signal passes through the amplifier as the author of the recording intended.
Output power - about 12 watts per channel in pure class A. This sounds modest only on paper. Even with excessive load, the Simply Italy does not break into harshness or aggression - instead, there is a soft compression of the dynamics. The amplifier behaves nobly even when it is difficult. Listen to Miles Davis's Kind of Blue - and you will feel how it conveys the natural, dynamic, full-bodied atmosphere of this recording. The output impedance is 6 ohms, which makes the amplifier compatible with both 4-ohm and 8-ohm speaker systems.
Wooden elements on a metal chassis are not only aesthetics, but also protection: they dampen body vibrations, protecting sensitive internal components. The control knobs are machined from non-magnetic stainless steel — heavy, precise, pleasant to the touch. Four gold-plated terminals of the acoustic outputs guarantee reliable contact with any cable.
Simply Italy was born for acoustics with a sensitivity of 88–90 dB and above — there it reveals itself completely. Jazz, chamber classics, vocals, blues — genres where nuance, air and emotion are important. It is not for a stadium rock concert in the living room. It is for those moments when you want to hear not volume, but the truth.
