What’s Inside

Built-in DAC with USB, Optical, AES, and CO-AX inputs

MM and MC phono preamplifier

XLR and RCA analog inputs

Switchable amp / preamp / integrated operation

Upsampling on all inputs (user-configurable via menu)

Adjustable phono gain (via menu)

The last preamplifier this configurable that I lived with was the Mark Levinson Reference 32. Enough of the hype — how does it sound?

The Sound

Sweet. My first word. Sweet like airy, enveloping, attention-grabbing. The kind of sweet that makes you smile and slump into the listening position. You close your eyes and let the music take over. This is an amplifier that will try to make bad recordings acceptable. It is not a doctor’s scalpel dissecting music into little cubicles. It makes music.

It has plenty of bass. All this from 150W? Here is the rub: the manufacturer lied. It measures far over 220W. When last did a VW Polo 1.4 reach 270km/h? It is a very strong integrated amplifier, and most speakers submit to it. Those that make it lose composure — the Revel Salon Ultima II and Tannoy Kingdom 18 — are monster speakers that prefer 350–500W of Class A. An unfair test.

The Watt Puppy 5, Kef Reference 203, Sonus Faber Amati, Tannoy D900, and Revel Studios all played magnificently. The midrange comes forward toward you — stretching the soundstage more than most solid state amplifiers, beginning to compete with good valve amplifiers. The bass is strong and tuneful, with the texture and differentiation we expect from very good solid state. The treble is extended, clear, and a touch sweet.

It is a high-end amplifier at a very reasonable price. Its competition is more expensive. Its competition doesn’t sound better. I would dare to say this is an audiophile bargain.