It’s remarkable how much of the technology from the Altair II and Performance series Virgo II preamplifiers is preserved in the Inspiration PREAMP 1.0. The core audio circuits are the same. The power supply retains its triple-transformer design. The dual mono design is there, too. The chassis is built from CNC-machined aluminum slabs, crafted in the same metal shop that builds the enclosures for the Reference and Performance series components.

We like to say the Inspiration PREAMP 1.0 is distilled, not diluted. It embodies the essence of our earlier work while retaining the subjective musicality and objective performance that won so much acclaim for our previous preamps.

The Constellation Audio Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 is the newest member of Constellation Audio’s most affordable Inspiration Series, and joins its preamplifier and amplifier line-mates in delivering the performance that is expected from Constellation Audio at a more affordable price.
Delivering plenty of power, 100 wpc into 8 Ohms (and twice that into 4), a full array of balanced and single-ended inputs and outputs, a home theater bypass, and an included headphone amp, the Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 provides the easiest entrance into the world of Constellation Audio.

The Inspiration MONO 1.0 amplifier easily delivers 400 watts per channel into 8 ohms, doubling to 800 into 4 ohms. This is power enough to produce incredible, concert-hall dynamics with any speaker. Yet it is the size of a standard audio amplifier and weighs just 55 pounds.

Achieving a perfect balance between the two halves of an audio signal is possible only when the incoming signal is itself perfectly balanced. This is why the Inspiration STEREO 1.0 uses the same Line Stage Gain Module circuit found in all Constellation Audio products.
The Line Stage Gain Module’s servo circuits assure that both halves of an incoming signal are perfectly balanced, no matter what the source.But if the source is a Constellation Audio preamp — which of course has its own Line Stage Gain Module — then so much the better. Because you can then use the Constellation Direct balanced input, which bypasses the Inspiration STEREO 1.0’s input stage for the best possible fidelity.

Pictor is an elemental version of our acclaimed Performance Series Virgo III line stage. It uses the same core circuit topology as Virgo III, and a few minor changes aside, the same separate power supply. The main difference is that Pictor has fewer inputs. For simpler systems, Pictor is the perfect choice: simplicity and sound quality distilled into a single product.
As with all of our preamps, Pictor uses our Line Stage Gain Module, a unique design that uses a servo circuit to monitor and maintain the balance between the positive and negative halves of the audio signal. When Pictor is used with a Constellation power amplifier, the Constellation Link may be employed, maximizing sound quality by bypassing the power amplifier’s gain stage.
Pictor mirrors Virgo III’s convenience and refreshingly simple design. A front touchscreen with elegant, easy-to-read fonts accesses all adjustments. Frequently used controls are also available on a machined aluminum remote. A home theater bypass mode is provided for seamless integration with surround-sound systems.

At Andromeda’s core is a phono EQ circuit engineered by John Curl, for decades famed as the world’s best phono preamp designer. We combined this musically refined circuit with a technically refined output stage based on the fully balanced Line Stage Gain Modules found in all of our award-winning line stage preamps. We build these circuits using FETs selected specifically for their outstanding, ultra-low-noise performance.

Andromeda’s power supply is one of the best ever used in a phono preamp. We build it into a completely separate chassis which, like the preamp section, is constructed using thick, machined aluminum panels to minimize interference. Inside the supply are individual R-core audio-grade transformers assigned to the left and right channels, plus an EI-type transformer to power Andromeda’s control circuits.

Increasingly, vinyl enthusiasts are exploring a wider variety of cartridges – and also experimenting by going beyond the cartridge manufacturers recommended settings. For these adventurous audiophiles, Andromeda will be a godsend.

Taurus is something a little different for Constellation. In building their power amplifiers, they tend to focus purely on performance. But after their “dream team” of the world’s top audio engineers created the relatively compact Inspiration Stereo 1.0, they realized they could use some of the same construction techniques to create an exceptionally powerful amplifier in a chassis considerably smaller than that of our Performance Series Centaur III amplifier. And now we have Taurus, an amplifier that stands only 8.5 inches high but delivers 250 watts per channel into 8 ohms, and comfortably doubles that number into 4 ohms.

Taurus is something a little different for Constellation. In building their power amplifiers, they tend to focus purely on performance. But after their “dream team” of the world’s top audio engineers created the relatively compact Inspiration Stereo 1.0, they realized they could use some of the same construction techniques to create an exceptionally powerful amplifier in a chassis considerably smaller than that of our Performance Series Centaur III amplifier. And now we have Taurus, an amplifier that stands only 8.5 inches high but delivers 250 watts per channel into 8 ohms, and comfortably doubles that number into 4 ohms.