Margules Audio U280sc Amplifier
Archived listing from the original vintage-amplifier.com. Prices, seller details and purchase links have been removed; this page is a reference record, and nothing here is for sale. About this archive.
Home Audio Equipment Review by Mike Masztal, August 1999
One of the more pleasant surprises I had at CES ’98 happened in the Margules Audio room, which I entered on the urging of my friend Jim Kean. Never one for too many words, Jim thought he’d let the gear speak for itself. “Margules, huh? Never heard of them” was my reply. He went on to tell me about the killer sound from the Mexico City company, so off I went to the Margules room.
Margules Audio – Tel Rad S.A. is a family-owned company that researches, designs, and manufactures preamplifiers, power amplifiers, and loudspeakers. The origins date back to 1926 when Jacobo Margules founded Emporio Electrico, which later became Casa Margules specializing in electrical components for radio broadcasters, radio amateurs and service technicians. That company then became Radio Surtidora S.A., the oldest company in Mexico. Margules currently specializes in electronic measurement equipment and industrial electronic components. Tel Rad was founded in 1954 as the manufacturing branch for audio components, and for the past 14 years has developed its own technology.
After careful listening to both modes, I found I preferred triode for most types of music. The air and dimensionality the amps produced made long-term listening totally effortless and non-fatiguing, and the bass was better than you might think. I also tried using the volume controls provided on the U280sc and got very good results with proper harmonic texture and decent soundstaging, but using a preamp does produce a tad more refined sound.
Build quality is first rate, and I think other manufacturers can learn a lot about functionality from Margules. The sound of the U280sc that initially drew my attention at the CES didn’t disappoint me after having spent several weeks with the amp, proving that the U280sc is worth considering for the long haul. Read the complete review at www.soundstage.com
About this model
Unlike the rest of the archive, this page is not a listing but an excerpt of a 1999 SoundStage! review of the Margules U280sc amplifier by Mike Masztal. It is useful mainly for its history of the company: Jacobo Margules founded Emporio Electrico in 1926, which became Casa Margules and later Radio Surtidora; Tel Rad, the audio manufacturing branch, was founded in 1954 in Mexico City.
The review describes switchable triode and pentode modes, built-in volume controls and first-rate build quality. We have not found an independent source for the company history beyond the review itself.
Switching between triode and pentode is the same choice discussed in the guide to ultra-linear output stages, a connection that sits between the two.
| Maker | Margules Audio / Tel Rad S.A., Mexico City |
|---|---|
| Model | U280sc |
| Type | Tube amplifier with triode and pentode modes (review) |
| Company origins | 1926, Emporio Electrico (review) |
| Review | SoundStage!, August 1999 |
Questions collectors ask
Where are Margules amplifiers made?
In Mexico City, by Margules Audio, part of Tel Rad S.A., according to the 1999 SoundStage! review.
Does the Margules U280sc run in triode mode?
Yes. The 1999 review describes switchable triode and pentode modes; the reviewer preferred triode for most music.
Sources: SoundStage!.
