Welcome to Mapletree Audio Design

Vacuum Tube Sound for the 21^st Century

Mapletree Audio Design offers a unique range of products designed and hand crafted by Dr. Lloyd Peppard, a retired electronics engineering professor. The goal is to increase your enjoyment of recorded music through the use of vacuum tube amplification and signal processing.

The use of 6BQ5/EL84 output tubes in the Ear+ HD250 was popular with customers who appreciated the wide availability of the type. Like the HD250, the new HD Super II utilizes the EL84 with triode connection in cathode follower mode (as is the 12B4A in the Ear+ HD). The 12AX7/5751 drivers are configured in SRPP topology. The power supply is constructed on a separate chassis to obtain the lowest possible noise floor and to minimize heat buildup in the main amplifier chassis, thus increasing component life expectancy. Both units are a compact 5" wide. Appearance is distinctive with brushed aluminum and chrome trim. Wood side panels are not available as both chassis have ventilation holes along the sides. The two chassis can be stacked, positioned side by side or even located on different shelves. A 1 ft power interconnect cable is supplied; longer cables can be requested. Available with 240 VAC wiring at no extra cost..

Vacuum Tube Sound for the 21^st Century Mapletree Audio Design offers a unique range of products designed and hand crafted by Dr. Lloyd Peppard, a retired electronics engineering professor. The goal is to increase your enjoyment of recorded music through the use of vacuum tube amplification and signal processing.
Click on these tubes for more information!
Quick Find: Headphone Amplifiers \| Preamplifiers \| Other Products (line routers, Dynaco driver boards, power amplifiers, crossovers)
Customer Photo of the Month: Igor Bilot: New Super Stealth SE monoblocs complete a fine system. Preamp - Mapletree Ultra 4A SE, Speakers - Klpisch La Scala, Analog - Decware ZP3 phono stage, Project turntable with a MM Ortofon Black 2M, Digital - Lars Audio DAC1 MKII, 24-bit/192kHz USB DAC. Review of Super Stealth SE by Igor Bilot. May special offer #1: Free shipping for headphone amps and preamps to N. American locations. A $50 discount will apply to international shipments. May special offer #2: Free extra pair of 12SN7 tubes with all Ultra 4B and Line 2B preamps. These are high quality NOS tubes but may not match exactly in appearance. May special offer # 3: This item must go! One only Line 5X multi-channel preamplifier and heavy duty PS 5 power supply. Five channels for less than the price of 2! Plus, the free shipping offer applies! A one-off technology demonstrator featuring five independent channels of amplification with three level controls. Applications include: • Home theater preamp with level controls for front, center, and surround channels, • Bi-amplification preamp for two-driver speaker systems plus a subwoofer, • Two stereo preamps for two separate systems driven from the same source. Signal capacitors throughout are Mundorf M-Caps (15 of them!). There are no electrolytics in the small signal path. The separate power supply is a special high-capacity version of the PS 2 that provides a regulated dc heater voltage and high-voltage plate supply for the five tubes. It uses a hybrid rectification system for soft startup. Finished in dark cobalt blue with black oak panels, the unit comes with five NOS 12SN7GT tubes, power cords, and a standard Mapletree 2-year warranty. Priced at $700 plus shipping.
Ultra 4B and Line 2B replace current "A" models of Mapletree preamps. The Ultra 4B SE (shown) and Line 2B SE differ from the "A" versions only in having a single balance control in place of the two level controls. This makes channel balance easier and more precise and has the advantage that no resistance is in series with the signal at any balance setting. There is no change in price.
Mapletree Audio Design Product Overview
Go to: Preamps • Headphone Amps • Other products (Power amps, Dynaco ST70 driver module, Magic Eye monitors, Line Routers) NOTE: All MAD components, with the exception of the Super Stealth and Stealth Max power amplifiers, are available for 230-240 VAC 50 Hz at no extra cost. Super Stealth and Stealth Max monoblocs for 230-240 VAC are available at a slightly higher price. Chassis colors include RCA red, textured black, Sylvania yellow, eggshell white, cobalt blue, and sage green. Side panels are available in stained oak or ebonized maple (see Ear+ HD photos below for examples).
Preamplifiers
*Line 2B SE Line Preamplifier* Review of Line 2A SE by John Hoffman in Affordable Audio July/07 issue Review of Line 2 by Chris Thompson on Head-Fi • Line 2A SE Preamp wins "Affordable$$Audio 2007 Big Bang, Little Bucks Award". See the January Issue of Affordable$$Audio (www.affordableaudio.org). • Premium passive components include Auricap XO polypropylene film coupling capacitors and Alps volume control. • Optimized circuitry for lowest distortion and noise. • 3 inputs, 2 outputs, volume and balance control. • 2 x 12SN7GT with switch for 6SN7GT tubes. • Separate PS 2 power supply (with 6X5GT tube/fast diode hybrid rectification) included. More Information • Customer Comments Also available—Line 2B HT with Home Theater bypass. The source input switch is modified to select Line1, Line2, or HT. In HT mode, Line2 (front channels) is routed to the output completely isolated from the preamp circuitry (preamp can be powered off).
NEW! L2X Line Preamplifier with PSX Power Supply. For those who appreciate the concept of the "most bang for the buck", I am pleased to introduce the Mapletree L2X preamplifier with PSX power supply. The amplifier circuit of the L2X is identical to that of the highly respected Line 2A SE. In the preamp itself, the differences are in some of the components used (Alpha carbon potentiometer instead of Alps, Nichicon polypropylene film caps instead of Auricaps) and in some simplifications in the physical layout and appearance. There are two inputs with a selector switch located on the rear panel. The compact PSX power supply employs solid state rectification (with high speed diodes) and a dc heater supply. The basic specs for the L2X are identical to those of the Line 2A/B SE. The price for the preamp + power supply is $600 plus shipping.
*Ultra 4B SE Phono/Line Preamplifier* "MAD [Ultra 4] is my vote for best bang for the buck, heck maybe even best product contention at any reasonable price". NEW! *Customer Review of Ultra 4A and Ear+ Purist* *Reviewof Ultra 4A by Pat McDemott on Audio Asylum* *Review of Ultra 4A SE by JR Cody on audioweb.com* *Reviewof Ultra 4A by Scott Faller* (*TNT-Audio) Reviewof the Ultra 4 by Tom Mitchell on AudioCircle* Ultra 4B SE features: • Premium passive components include Auricap XO polypropylene film coupling capacitors and Alps volume control.. • 48 dB phono gain, two 18 dB line inputs, two line outputs. • Volume and Balance controls. • 2 x 12SN7GT (switchable for 6SN7GT) and 2 x 12SC7. • Separate PS 2 power supply included. (Shown in sage green finish) PS 2 Power Supply features: • Outputs of 12 VDC@1A (regulated) and +200 VDC@15 mA. • Power cable and detachable IEC line cord. • High-speed diodes with 6X5GT rectifier tube in hybrid bridge rectifier (Soft startup relieves stress on tubes and filter capacitors). More Information • Customer Comments


Headphone Amplifiers
"Now I have to listen to all my CDs all over again. I have a decent stereo system but with the Ear+ it sounds like a $20,000 setup". *Review of the Ear+ by Steve Albers on Audio Asylum* *Review of the Ear+ by Nicholas Schell on Head-Fi* *Comments on Audiogon* *Designing the Ear+ by Lloyd Peppard* *User Comments* NEW! Latest review of Ear+ HD on Head-Fi (with Grado PS-1000): Go To forum review Dowload review
Ear+ HD Super II Headphone Amplifier. The use of 6BQ5/EL84 output tubes in the Ear+ HD250 was popular with customers who appreciated the wide availability of the type. Like the HD250, the new HD Super II utilizes the EL84 with triode connection in cathode follower mode (as is the 12B4A in the Ear+ HD). The 12AX7/5751 drivers are configured in SRPP topology. The power supply is constructed on a separate chassis to obtain the lowest possible noise floor and to minimize heat buildup in the main amplifier chassis, thus increasing component life expectancy. Both units are a compact 5" wide. Appearance is distinctive with brushed aluminum and chrome trim. Wood side panels are not available as both chassis have ventilation holes along the sides. The two chassis can be stacked, positioned side by side or even located on different shelves. A 1 ft power interconnect cable is supplied; longer cables can be requested. Available with 240 VAC wiring at no extra cost.. User's Manual with full specifications Passive preamp option provides three inputs and a passive output.
Now Available: Remote volume control module for HD Super II. Bent Audio motorized Alps potentiometer or DACT stepped attenuator options. Provides 4 inputs, source output, and passive preamp output. Please inquire about price and package options.
*Ear+ HD High Definition Headphone Amplifier* NEW! Latest review of Ear+ HD on Head-Fi (with Grado PS-1000): Go To forum review Dowload review • Outstanding headphone performance for a wide range of headphone impedances and drive requirements. • 2 x 12B4A NOS and 1 x 5751/12AX7/ECC83 tubes. • High and low impedance headhone jacks. • Premium passive components include Audio Note Tantalum film plate resistors and Alps volume control. • Ultra high-speed rectifier diodes and Alps volume control are standard. • Passive line output for use as a passive preamp. • Dual inputs for easy patching into system. More Information • Customer Comments
Contact Information
Dr. P spins some 78s on his mini system. Photo by Christian Keresztes For more information or to place an order, please telephone or email Lloyd Peppard at (613) 387-3830 lloydpeppard@yahoo.ca Lloyd Peppard Mapletree Audio Design 158 Seabrooke Rd R.R. 1, Seeley's Bay, Ontario, Canada K0H 2N0 Credit card payments through PayPal are highly recommended. Registered PayPal email address is lloydpeppard@yahoo.ca

Vacuum Tube Sound for the 21st Century

Click on these tubes for more information!

Preamplifiers

Headphone Amplifiers

Vacuum Tube Sound for the 21^st Century