Ahead of the curve Trilogy has opted to fittingly make the first Special Products Division a component where nuance and tangibility is etched in fine detail - the electrostatic headphone energiser. A fitting first statement product for Trilogy Audio Systems SPD range, built with meticulous sonic craftsmanship.

After trialling variations of the Stax circuit used by many other manufacturers Nic Poulson realised that accepted wisdom and circuitry failed to advance the product to Trilogy design goals, to only ever evolve and improve.

The SPD H1 circuit is unique in terms of a solution. The design consists of two toroidal transformers, one for heating the triodes, the other for the rest of the H1. The vacuum tube circuit utilises high transconductance type military specification tubes. One pair of 6C3 input tubes and one pair of 6H6 output tubes, having a service life of approximately 5000 hours and can simply be returned to Trilogy for replacement.

The H1 is a pure Class A fully balanced circuit with both wide bandwidth and zero feedback giving a pure communication between the listener and the music. Naturally on this no compromise design wiring is teflon coated point to point silver plated copper. The Stax sockets are PTFE/Teflon with gold plated contact surfaces.

The H1 provides palpable bass and a forthright and authoritative midrange, in addition to the quality airiness that electrostatic headphones are so renowned for. The ephemeral yet conversely frustrating qualities of the traditional experience of electrostatic headphone presentation have been addressed. It has taken time to reverse conventional thinking, but the result was worth it. Experience the openness and pure escapism the H1 provides.

To the rear the SPD H1 features 4 inputs/ 2 x RCA 2 x XLR, and one pair of Stax sockets elegantly recessed into the front fascia.

We make a direct mode model (DMV) which allows the user to select inputs remotely and a more fully functioned remote that includes additional operations as volume/balance and mute. The direct mode model (DMV) may be upgraded to the full featured remote version by simply returning to Trilogy for chip and firmware updates.

As with any Stax compatible energiser Performance is dependent on the quality of the source i.e. CD players analogue output stage, and quality of other manufacturers digital volume controls, but the buyer of the H1 rest assured that Trilogy once again, has redefined the standard by which Stax compatible energisers must be judged by and must be experienced to be believed.