Enleum AMP-54R

While speakers can be true design sculptures, the amplifiers that go with them have looked largely the same for decades. Against this background, the high-end Enleum AMP-54R audio amplifier was designed with the intention of creating a device that appeals to the eyes even before its sound reaches the ears. Based on a deep understanding of the underlying technology, the AMP-54R was conceived to combine high performance with the slimmest possible form factor. Technical advances have allowed the amplifier’s dimensions to be reduced to less than half the volume of its predecessor. Moreover, with the AMP-54R, internal components surprisingly become design elements: for example, the machined cut-outs in the bottom of the case serve a dual purpose, effectively dissipating heat from the transistors while at the same time serving as openings for the capacitors, which protrude visibly from the bottom. The result of this design approach is an uncompromising high-end audio amplifier with an unconventional look. The AMP-54R achieves high output power while hiding its actual size behind sleek proportions. The innovative construction creates the appearance of a slim, floating housing, with larger and heavier components disappearing underneath the bottom panel and being used as a stabilising footer. Minimalist, intuitive control knobs hidden underneath the textured front plate lend the device a purist front view. The precision-machined wave profile of the heat sinks on the sides, in turn, creates visual tension. The jury summarised: “The AMP-54R is marked by a design perfection that also embraces the back and bottom of the unit. Functional technical elements such as the capacitors on the bottom are integrated into the otherwise purist design in a way that creates a unique and highly distinctive product aesthetic. Also impressive are the precise construction and excellent workmanship visible in every detail. By means of design, this amplifier unmistakably expresses its technical quality.”