Exposure 1 (1978–1981)

Name: Exposure 1
Brand: Exposure

The Exposure 1 was the first product from Exposure Electronics. John Farlowe designed it and it launched in 1978. Farlowe had been tinkering with amplifier circuits since 1974, when he built a preamp for a friend, and the Exposure 1 was the commercial result. It was a deliberately minimalist integrated amplifier - no tone controls, just a handful of inputs (2x DIN, 2x phono, 1x aux, 1x tape) and a simple discrete transistor circuit with a short signal path. Studio Sound (June 1977, p.24) featured Exposure Electronics in its professional audio section. The chassis was plain folded steel with external heat sinks on the rear. The philosophy was "straight wire with gain," and at £129 in the UK it sat squarely in budget-audiophile territory.

The sound was the point. The Exposure 1 earned a reputation as a "giant killer" - fast, lively and rhythmic, with a raw energy that more expensive, more refined amplifiers often lacked. It wasn't subtle, though. Reviewers and owners alike noted it could sound gritty on some material, the controls were coarse, and the casework felt thin next to competitors. A cult following accepted the trade-off and prized timing and drive over polish.

Mechanically, the Exposure 1 has the usual vintage problems. Dried-out electrolytic capacitors in the power supply cause hum or reduced output, the front-panel toggle switches go intermittent, and the transformer can develop a buzz. Recapping is the standard fix, and a properly restored unit is considered reliable. Spare parts, especially the original toggles and knobs, are getting hard to find. Used prices in good working condition typically run £200-£400. The Exposure 2 replaced it in 1981.

Known specs:

- Power output: 37W per channel into 8 ohms (30W per TNT Audio)

- Frequency response: 10 Hz - 30 kHz

- Total harmonic distortion: 0.05%

- Signal-to-noise ratio: 80 dB

- Inputs: 2x DIN, 2x phono, 1x aux, 1x tape

- No tone controls