Pre/Power Amplifiers

Yes, you could ‘drive’ the Altair G2.2’s playback using third-party apps such as Bubble UPnP or Linn Kazoo – and indeed you’ll have to if you’re an Android user – but Auralic’s Lightning DS app for iOS is the smoothest and most flexible interface. Developed alongside the Lightning OS, now in its tenth generation at the heart of the Altair, it not only does all the setup work for you, but also provides a slick interface for day-to-day use, and lots of features to play with. True, it takes a while to index massive music libraries stored on a home network, but that done it makes music available almost instantly, as well as accessing online streaming services, Internet radio, running firmware updates and much more.

It’s a fine argument for having hardware and software developed in parallel. Also, while the latest iteration of the app brings a range of facilities you may never find yourself using, they’re there if you want them without crowding out the onscreen interface, ensuring the Altair G2.2 – and other Auralic products – remains an intuitive ‘user experience’.