Welcome back for our latest in our series of product spotlights. This month we are featuring a low-cost integrated amplifier that will knock your socks off (both of them). This integrated amp has already gotten spectacular reviews in Stereophile and other journals (see excerpt below), but I want to lend my own thoughts to why it's so good and why musicians and music lovers adore this piece.

"This is a positively magnificent little amp. Its tunefulness and timing are beyond reproach, and, among other things, it's probably one of the most transparent amplification products I've ever heard at any price. Forget tubes vs transistors, domestic vs imported, and all the other things we reviewers like to blather about: None of that means a great deal in the face of a product such as this, because the Exposure 2010S is a great amp..." — Stereophile (Art Dudley) / November 2005

Exposure Electronics

Exposure Electronics Ltd is a UK-based company who has been around for 30 years. They are one of the best kept audio secrets in the United States because they were never marketed here until recently, but in the UK they are very well known and highly respected. Their product line comprises amps, preamps, CD players, and integrated amps, like the one highlighted here.

"S" is for Super Power

The Exposure 2010 amp has been a favorite for many years for music lovers who didn't have a fortune to spend on equipment. With the recent upgrade to the S series, the new amps now have a 50% increase in power. The amplifier uses a high-capacity, 200VA custom-made toroidal power transformer and power supply capacitors. The all-aluminum case is simple and elegant and is designed to control resonance and stray EM fields.

Short signal paths, high quality components, and proprietary design, including a Class A buffer stage, give this little beauty the kind of sound usually reserved for products two to four times its price.

Listening

When people first hear Exposure amps, especially experienced audiophiles, they are always surprised at the musicality of the instrument. Exposure amps are more than just excellent quality for the money, they draw you into the music like no other product in their price category.

We have sold a number of Exposure products to professional musicians, including Ron Carter, who are looking for exceptional quality and a musical experience without spending a fortune. Ron Carter owns the 3010S, the big brother to the 2010S featured here. He uses it to drive his Tetra 606 speakers, which is a testament to the quality and power of the Exposure line. The 606 is a $33,000 speaker (and man, you've got to hear it...). People are often surprised that one would couple such speakers with an integrated amp under $3000, but when you hear the combination together, your jaw will drop (and your sox will fall off).

We sell great quality integrated amps from a number of manufacturers, including Chord Electronics, McIntosh, Creek, Pathos, and a number of others. And we sell them all because they are all great at what they do for the price. However, there simply is no peer to the Exposure 2010S for the money. Period.

The 2010S isn't just a competent, solid piece of audio gear, it's spookily engaging. It's the kind of product that makes you want to listen to music. As a result, it's the most popular integrated amp that we sell.

The Perfect Budget System

One thing we love to do at Audio High is couple the Exposure 2010S with the Tetra 120U speaker (featured at AAJ last month). This combination (excluding front end) is only $3200, but it sounds like a $10,000 system. If you have the opportunity to do so, you owe it to yourself to hear these products together. If you love music, the experience is truly beyond words.

Specs

• High capacity, 200VA custom-made toroidal power transformer and power supply capacitors.
• Improved all-aluminum casework and extruded front panel to control resonance and stray electro-magnetic fields.
• High quality capacitors used in the signal path.
• Uniquely tuned short signal and power supply path PCB.
• Cascode circuitry utilized for improved power supply immunity.
• Sanken bipolar output transistors for dynamic and vivid performance.
• Separate pre-amp output with class A buffer stage.
• Bi-wiring compatible.
• 75 watts per channel into 8 ohms.
• Full system remote control.
• Three year guarantee.

Exposure 2010S Integrated Amplifier

Where to Buy

Audio High supplies Exposure products to all of California and many surrounding states. While we have clients across the country, if you live close to another Exposure dealer, you should purchase directly from them. A complete list of Exposure dealers can be found here.