Integrated Amplifiers

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Review: Tim Jarman, Lab: Paul Miller  |  Sep 19, 2023
hfnvintageWith retro styling currently all the rage how will this integrated compare, especially considering it was the most affordable amp in Luxman's mid-'70s lineup? We find out

The L-30 was the cheapest amplifier in Luxman's 1976 range. Not that it looked anything like a budget model – rather, it had an almost intangible feel of quality and superior finish that in terms of showroom appeal put it above all but the very best offerings from the Japanese big names at the time.

Review: Mark Craven, Lab: Paul Miller  |  Sep 11, 2023
hfnoutstandingOver 40 years have passed since the 8000A amp broke cover, but it's still recognisable in the flagship 9000A, despite LCD screen and DAC on board, and joined by a CD transport

While some manufacturers' product lines can become confusing as models tackling various price points and functionality are launched, relaunched and discontinued, Audiolab has, by contrast, a laser-like focus. It caters very much to the wallet-conscious audiophile, across a clearly delineated stable of amps and players/streamers, which kicks off with its 6000 series and progresses through 7000 and 8300 to the newly launched, flagship 9000 series. This currently comprises two models, auditioned here, but will be joined later this year by another.

Review: Mark Craven, Review and Lab: Paul Miller  |  Sep 07, 2023
hfnoutstandingThis latest nuvistor/bipolar hybrid integrated marks a return of Musical Fidelity's traditional 'no-nonsense belter'. Difficult speakers? This amplifier will drive anything!

The conclusion to our review of Musical Fidelity's original Nu-Vista 800 integrated amplifier [HFN Nov '14] announced: '16 years from now, we'll remember it!'. That was the gap between the manufacturer's first Nu-Vista product, the 1998 Nu-Vista Preamplifier, and its then-new integrated descendant. Yet while our reviewer was so enamoured of MF's tube/solid state powerhouse that he imagined it flying the hybrid amp flag for years to come, it turns out the Nu-Vista 800 was not to last quite that long.

Review: Andrew Everard, Lab: Paul Miller  |  Aug 18, 2023
hfncommendedThe high-value Edwards Audio range from Talk Electronics now includes no fewer than four integrated amps, the IA1 also equipped with motorised volume and remote control

While there is a drive to bring (hi-fi) manufacturing back home to Blighty, some brands never left. One such stalwart is Edwards Audio, a sub-brand of the longstanding Talk Electronics range of full-width components. The Edwards Audio IA1 integrated amplifier on these pages is handmade in the UK – yes, designed, engineered and assembled here – and yet costs just £430. Still not convinced? Well, you can have a simpler version of the same amp, shorn of remote control, for £60 less, and you can even buy both versions in red, white or blue – but not all three at once – as part of a range of six acrylic colours in which Edwards Audio offers its full stable of products.

Mark Craven  |  Jul 20, 2023
hfnoutstandingFrom the bottle-focused Italian marque comes an amplifier combining a quartet of power tubes, per side, plus onboard USB DAC, making it more integrated than many...

There's a perception that tube amplifiers are aimed at a specific segment of the hi-fi community, one that favours analogue sources over all others, whether reel-to-reel tape or vinyl. While tube-equipped outboard DACs are not uncommon, DAC-equipped tube amplifiers like the £7999 Synthesis A100 Titan, from the Italian manufacturer's Action series, most certainly are. The Bluetooth-equipped Western Electric Type 91E [HFN Feb '23] is another rare example, although whether either of these 'digitally inclusive' integrateds represents the beginning of a trend is hard to say.

Review: Jamie Biesemans, Lab: Paul Miller  |  Jun 19, 2023
hfnoutstandingDenon has been in existence for 111 years, resolutely supporting CD playback for the last 40. Its latest CD disc spinner handles SACD too, and joins the 1700 series amplifier

The Denon duo in the limelight here are an obvious refresh of the previous generation DCD-1600NE disc player and PMA-1600NE amp, introduced in 2017, rather than entirely new designs. Partly that's because both the £1299 DCD-1700NE and £1699 PMA-1700NE look very similar, if not identical, to their predecessors. The solid construction, metal front fascia that curves to ensure the Denon logo catches the light, the weighty volume knob in the middle of the amp, the old-school tone controls… it's all very par for the course, as is the choice between black or silver colourways.

Review: Tim Jarman, Lab: Paul Miller  |  Jun 09, 2023
hfnvintageOffering all the functionality of full-sized components, this petite five-part '90s system took micro to the max, spawning imitations industry-wide. How does it sound today?

The first time I saw a JVC UX-1 it was pictured on the side of a bus. The image was part of an ad that carried the simple message 'All features, Great, and Small'. And this turned out to be true, for the UX-1 micro system had every function imaginable, sounded like 'proper' hi-fi and was tiny.

Review: Jamie Biesemans  |  May 11, 2023
hfnoutstandingNearly ten years on from its first 'My audiophile integrated Amplifier', or MaiA, Pro-Ject launches its latest compact, but feature-packed, phono/digital integrated amplifier

Mini hi-fi, very much 'a thing' in the 1980s, is still breathing today thanks to Heinz Lichtenegger's Pro-Ject brand. 'Small is better', according to Pro-Ject's head honcho, stating that modern music lovers want great sound without bulky hi-fi gear. Surprisingly, the MaiA DS3 integrated amplifier tested here is one of the larger of Pro-Ject's 'Boxes', being part of its DS line which, together with the RS line, trades some compactness for improved electronics. The company's budget E and more accomplished S series are the home of truly diminutive devices.

Review: Jamie Biesemans, Lab: Paul Miller  |  May 08, 2023
hfncommendedIt may look like the 3030 from 1976, but beneath the faux-retro exterior of NAD's celebratory, limited edition C 3050 integrated beats the heart of a 21st century amp

Since its founding in 1972 NAD has grown into one of the mainstays of the hi-fi industry, and to celebrate its first half-century of existence, the brand has launched the C 3050 LE streaming amplifier. Taking cues from forerunners such as the C 700 [HFN Feb '22] and the C 389, it's a just-add-speakers package, including HDMI connectivity and an MM-only phono input.

Review: Mark Craven, Lab: Paul Miller  |  Apr 18, 2023
hfnoutstandingBoulder by name and industrial design, the 866 integrated is no mere rolling stone. With optional streaming and huge power under the bonnet, it's an unstoppable force

The Boulder story begins in 1984, with the release of the 500 Power Amplifier. A professional audio company back then, Boulder's stereo model was destined for music studios and broadcast suites, but founder Jeff Nelson soon realised the hardware had domestic potential too, resulting in the 500AE 'audiophile edition'. Today, nearly 40 years and an expanded product portfolio later, the Colorado-based manufacturer remains a darling of the high-end hi-fi scene, albeit one whose designs still have a 'pro audio' air about them.

Review and Lab: Paul Miller, Review: Ken Kessler  |  Mar 02, 2023
hfnoutstandingIf you're a fan of the legendary 300B triode, who better to produce an application for that valve? Western Electric's 91E integrated amplifier may be your dream come true

Pedigree? You want pedigree? How about the inventor of the 300B triode? Western Electric's provenance beats all comers, the company dating back to 1869, which kinda trumps any other manufacturer's claims for longevity. Here it is 154 years on with the Type 91E integrated amplifier to dazzle those wedded to single-ended triodes (SETs), yet with enough modern details, both sonic and functional, to ensure it is regarded as a 21st century tube amplifier.

Review: Mark Craven, Lab: Paul Miller  |  Feb 23, 2023
hfnoutstandingTraditional, all-analogue amplifiers have an advantage over their digitally-packed contemporaries as there's simply less to go 'out of date'! That's the theory...

These days, the letter 'i' included in a product name will have some people assuming there are networking features onboard – blame BBC iPlayer or Apple iTunes, I suppose. It's therefore worth stressing that Simaudio's £1900 MOON 250i is an all-analogue integrated amplifier (that's what the 'i' stands for here, of course), lacking digital connectivity and DAC, or any networking talents whatsoever. If this counts as an old-school approach, then there's at least one good reason for it – the 250i has now been in the Canadian company's stable for a decade.

Review: Ken Kessler, Lab: Paul Miller  |  Feb 16, 2023
hfnoutstandingDesigner David Shaw has stripped the best-selling Stereo 40 tube amp back to its basics and replaced its KT88s with 6L6/KT66s for a less 'power hungry' musical experience

Who'd have believed that the world would be awash with affordable valve amps in the 2020s? Certainly not those who recall the desperation of trying to source fresh tubes during the era when solid-state ruled and valves were yet to make a comeback. But now the choice is so vast that you can look beyond nursing vintage Leaks or Quads, with the risks that entails. Arguably the doyen of affordable valve amps is Icon Audio, its latest the absurdly cost-effective integrated Stereo (ST) 40 MkIV 6L6, starting at £2200.

Review: Andrew Everard, Lab: Paul Miller  |  Feb 09, 2023
hfnoutstandingCombining the network streaming capability of the RS150 flagship with the GAN-FET Class D amplification of the RS180, the RS520 aims to be the 'all-in-one' for everyone

Another smart move from the Korean tech specialist? That certainly seems to be the case with the latest arrival from Seoul-based HiFi Rose, which has rapidly established itself as a major player in the network audio/video market with a string of excellent streaming players. Having taken what looked like an abrupt turn with the launch of its bonkers-styled – but great-sounding – RA180 integrated amplifier [HFN Jul '22], it's now delivering on the promises made by the company's Sean Kim, interviewed for that review. We're yet to see the simpler, more affordable RA280 integrated amp, but here's the company's all-in-one streaming amp, the RS520.

Review: Jamie Biesemans, Lab: Paul Miller  |  Jan 24, 2023
hfnoutstandingAVM's flagship all-in-one network/CD music system combines cool-running power with huge flexibility while the top 'Black Edition' features a custom finish and selected tubes

Nowadays there's a wealth of all-in-one units available but AVM was one of the brands to spot the trend early on. That partly explains why, even in an industry that loves extensive model ranges, the company has an impressively large product offering – including five streaming receiver solutions. And there's little concession to price in this range, so the top-of-the-line £14,950 Ovation CS 8.3 model boasts ample power reserves, a full range of streaming capabilities and a slot-loading CD player.

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