Nytech Amplifiers

The CA252 was the first Nytech Integrated amplifier.

It featured three inputs, Disc (turntable), Aux and Tape. Like the CTA all inputs except disc used DIN connectors. The CA252 also had a preamp out / poweramp in socket and so needed the DIN “link” plug to work!

The CA252 retained the replaceable MM/MC input board from the CTA/CTP and Mk1 versions are interchangeable with CTA input boards.

Speaker outputs were 4mm sockets and there was also a switched power out (AC mains) that could be used to power a power amplifier (like the CPA602) or the CXA252 crossover / amplifier.

Variations

There were several variations to the CA252.

External changes to the rear panel included the addition of a headphone socket and a pair of extra “switched” speaker sockets.

Internally the original CA252 (Mk1) had a large number of PCBs (some from the CTA including the phono input board) and a lot of wires going everywhere.

The later Mk2 version looked the same externally as the earlier version considerably simplified the internal PCB layout with new phono stage, power supply and preamp boards.

To easily identify which version you have you have to open up the CA.

If the slider controls have wiring directly soldered to them and there is a circuit board mounted in the lid then you have a Mk1.

If the slider controls are mounted on a PCB and there are no boards in the lid then you have a Mk2.

Much later the CA252 was revived with the “S” version which was essentially a Mk2 CA252 with a semi stabilised power supply.

Given it was released several years after the original CA252 had given way to the musically superior 6 button CA302 and 202. We wonder “why?” and suspect that the answer may be to use up remaining Mk2 parts.

The CA202 was created as a lower cost alternative to the CA252.

From the front the CA202 looked identical to the CA252 but the rear panel had no preamp out / poweramp in “link” socket.

There was also no MC option with the CA202 as part of the cost saving was to combine the power supply and phono stage PCBs into a single PCB with no MC option.

The little CA102 “Obelisk” was Nytech’s attempt to make a really cheap British amplifier and sadly the penny pinching went too far.

Very simple in design (and therefore cheaper to build) it sounded fantastic!

Sadly the penny pinching resulted in appalling heat management and many CA102s went up in smoke ruining Nytech’s reliability image. It wasn’t until the CA102 became the Ion Obelisk 1 that these issues were addressed properly and the amp became a sonic stunner!

The good news is that we can correct all the penny pinching on the CA102 and make it the amp it should have been in the first place.

The six button CA302 and CA202 were the last amplifiers with the Nytech name before Nytech became Ion Systems.

The main external change was extra “Aux/CD” and “Tuner” inputs and the change from three rectangular buttons to six square ones to accommodate the extra inputs and an extra “mute” function.

The rear panel was also different with the Phono and Aux/CD inputs using phono (RCA jack) sockets and “Tuner” and “Tape”

The 302 and 202 had the same differences as the 252/202 with the 202 having no “link” socket or MC option.

These amps evolved into the Ion Obelisk 2 and 3 details of which can be found on the vintage Ion pages.