#Unison reasearch plus#

At the back, all is conventional: gold-plated inputs for four sources plus tape, outputs for tape and two power amps and an IEC mains socket. The lower aperture houses the controls, the on/off rotary at the extreme left with the trio grouped at the right consisting of the source selector, the tape monitor/source selector and the volume control.

Peering through the upper slot allows you to see the glow of the three double triodes (two ECC82s and one ECC83) and the EZ81 double diode rectifier which form the heart of this Class-A line level pre-amp. While a collection of four knobs suggests that you're looking at some kind of hi-fi equipment, the effect is still more in keeping with a modernist's idea of a rustic cigar humidor or jewellery case. The curve of the end-cheeks lends them carrying handle status and a forward crouch. Carlo Chiarello has created an organic look consisting of a sculpted, solid cherry frame, with a chunky front panel slotted for both ventilation of the valves and egress of the rotaries. I was pleased to find that it fit perfectly in the Hi-Fi Newsstand, but I suspect that its iconoclastic appearance might cause problems for those hoping to slot it into a space which previously held a metallic, cubist device. It measures a large 490x430x160mm (WDH, including knobs and earthing post), so an ample shelf is needed. Like every other product to emanate from the Unison Research factory, Mystery One is styled like nothing else on the market. Unison Research has cornered the market for sexy woodwork in amplification, in the way the Sonus Faber has the same for speakers, and there are probably enough customers out there who'd covet the Mystery One for its looks alone. But those of you who recall the swoopy wood, the long, slender rotary controls and the chic charcoal cover will be pleased to hear that it looks just the same as before: drop-dead gorgeous. The rather large, garish metal name-plate on the top has been replaced by one you needn't measure by with surveyor's tools, and the top-plate is now held by four quick-release screws. Whatever the wizards in Italy did to that early Mystery One, as seen at the 1995 Hi-Fi Show and still serving as the demo sample 'on the road', it wasn't a simple retrofit. Explore amplifier pairing options in our Amplifier Review section.Read more stereo preamplifier reviews by the staff at.But it was worth waiting for a pre-amp to match the Unison Research Smart 845. All I know is that nearly a year has passed since I first took delivery of the prototype, and enough detail changes occurred between 'pre-production' and 'shop-ready' to require the loan of a fresh sample. It probably took a bit longer to grow the wood which forms the Mystery One's case.

Unison reasearch