This Preamp Costs More Than a Fancy Sports Car
Goldmund has released the Mimesis Statement, a high-end analog preamplifier that uses a three-chassis design to isolate audio signals. The device is marketed as an ultra-premium product for audiophiles, emphasizing extreme precision and build quality.
Why it matters
It highlights the extreme end of the luxury audio market where engineering complexity is used to justify exorbitant pricing.
I was recently invited to Goldmund's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, to experience the new Mimesis Statement, the company’s flagship analog preamplifier. Goldmund's HQ, incidentally, features the sort of high ceilings, generous use of concrete and glass, and fanatical tidiness that puts me in mind of a Bond villain who's decided to devote their time to audio gratification rather than global tyranny.
In a traditional stereo chain, a preamplifier takes the low-level signals from your source gear, handles volume and input selection, and feeds that clean signal to a power amp to drive your speakers. Most people use an integrated amplifier, one that combines pre-amplification and power amplification in the same box.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in