Empirical Audio Monolith
Automatic Lithium-Ion Battery Power Supply
The Monolith provides +12VDC power to any of the Empirical Audio devices that need +12VDC. It is both an AC adapter and a battery supply. You can run continuous output from either AC or battery.
The Monolith provides a means to improve the sound quality of several Empirical Audio devices. The improvement is primarily due to the low output impedance of the LI batteries, but benefits can also be realized because it is floating (disconnected from earth ground) when the batteries are enabled.
The AC adapter that is included powers the output as well as charging the internal LI batteries. When the batteries are fully charged, battery output can be transparently enabled, disengaging the AC adapter from the output. When battery output is enabled, the output supply is floating, so the ground connection to the AC service is broken.
When the batteries are discharged to the point where they may start to affect sound quality, the Monolith automatically and transparently switches the AC adapter back to the output, disconnects the LI batteries and begins charging them. The batteries must be fully charged in order to again enable battery output. This ensures that the batteries will operate to their full potential and have a long life.
The Monolith is not a remote or portable supply. It needs the AC adapter to be attached in order to function. It’s primary purpose is to improve audio quality.
“Adding Monolith battery power then pushes the Overdrive’s sound into elite component territory. I went from thinking I had really great sound to experiencing the you-are-there of the actual performance”
Ed Momkus, Dagogo, Mar. 2011
Audio Quality
The primary improvements that you will hear with the Monolith are:
- Improved Dynamics
- Improved imaging
- More Analog-like
- More “Organic”
Specifications
Download User Manual
- Output voltage +12VDC
- Connector – 18" umbilical with 2.5mm center positive connector
- Output power ~30W from the AC adapter while charging, up to 200W from the LI batteries
- Charging time approximately 3 hours
- Usage time – 10 hours with Off-Ramp/2 Ultraclocks or Pace-Car/2 Ultraclocks, 7-8 hours for Overdrive DAC
Compatibility
The Monolith can be used with any device that will operate from 12.5VDC to 11VDC.
Included
- 18" Umbilical
- 70W AC adapter