Amplifiers

A good stereo amplifier is a lifelong companion and Michael Creek has been designing and manufacturing amplifiers for his whole life.

We love amplifiers to a fault. We are the children in the sweetshop of this marketplace and we behave badly with very little sensible restraint when it comes to putting beautiful and musical things on display on the shelves of Carlton Audio Visual.

The European made Voyage i20 combines an analogue pre-amplifier and digital to analogue converter with a power amplifier, powered by a unique stabilised power supply, housed in a slim and attractive case.

Creek homepage for the Voyage i20 amplifier 

Reviewary on the Voyage i20 amplifier 

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Fantastic deal on all PrimaLuna models. 20% off until the 31st of March.

This amplifier replaces the Dialogue Premium HP, PrimaLuna's highly regarded original flagship integrated. It builds on the superior performance of the HP by tweaking things here and there but retaining what makes PrimaLuna special - superb Tube amplifier performance.

At 70 Watts per channel, the power of this amp may sound modest but don't be fooled this is a very capable machine that can power the hungriest of speakers. 

Upgraded swiss made wiring inside the unit and german made resistors...that haven't spared any expense with the makeup of the circuitry and the design of the amp.

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A beautiful beast of an integrated amplifier. 500 Watts of power that's capable of pulling your heart strings. A rich sound that's not shy. Vocals and solo instruments will sit centre stage and come out towards you.

The Dual Mono design of this and the smaller M6si is very unusual. A completely symetrical circuit design that doesn't share components between the two sides of the amplifier. Meaning you get the benefits of a separate mono blocks within the single chassis of an integrated amp.

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The new reference model pre amplifier from Cyrus has tongues wagging at Carlton Audio Visual. We're massive fans of Cyrus gear and admirers of the expertise and craft that goes into this small boutique English manufacturer.

It's no coincidence that many world renowned HiFi brands like Cyrus have popped up around the University town of Cambridge. Cambridge has forever promoted and celebrated the kind of individual obessed with the pursuit of knowledge, engineering prowess and creativity needed to create amazing HiFi. Brands like Arcam (or Audio & Research Cambridge), Cambridge Audio, Mission Electronics and Quad were all born and produced in this corner of the English countryside.

And like those brands the goal of Cyrus is to produce the best sounding electronics possible. They're able to draw on the rich knowledge and innovation that spews out of a town like Cambridge.

The Cyrus Pre XR is on demonstration now at Carlton Audio Visual.

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The M8-700 has received outstanding reviews and an enthusiastic reception from knowledgeable audiophiles. The combination of high power and cutting edge technical performance has proved a compelling combination. However some customers do not have the space for two large monoblocs and do not necessarily need that much power. For them we have designed the M8-500s. Pairing it with the matching M8 Preamp gives an amplification system fit of the highest levels of reproduction.

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Musical Fidelity describe this Pre-amplifier as one with no limits. 

The inside of this machine looks more like the circuitry on a dual mono integrated amplifier rather than a pre-amplifier. Two big toroidal transformer power supplies sit front and centre. That's unusual for a pre-amplifier and gives it an extraordinary sense of heft and musical importance.

 

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Our Prima preamp forms part of the stylish and compact Choral range and has been designed to complement our Mezzo power amps. Despite its compact dimensions and space-saving footprint, the Prima is every bit a pedigree Chord amplifier.

Precision-machined from solid aircraft-grade aluminium billet, the Prima offers both remote control and front panel operation. Prima’s fascia offers volume and balance controls while its push-button controls atop the unit, offer input selection and tape line selection, the latter enabling its tape outputs to be selected for recording from source components.  Further design features include a top panel display, offering input choice and volume information, plus a clever porthole which enables the internal circuit board to be seen.

The Prima also benefits from our legendary proprietary Ultra-High-Frequency power supply, which is common to all Chord amplifiers. Prima offers fully balanced circuitry throughout and useful flexibility with five inputs, four unbalanced RCA and one balanced XLR, plus a balanced XLR output and a tape output. For added versatility, Prima’s audio circuit offers six independent input gain adjustments for the five inputs and low impedance outputs.

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Yes, it has now come to pass - Carlton Audio Visual now serves McIntosh!

This is a 'little' unit in the range but it quickly makes its presence felt. It is so shiny that some customers have have to shield their eyes from the sun reflecting off it as they walk into the shop!

A 100W Hybrid tube integrated amplifier with presence and personality. Like Lady Gaga walking the Met Gala red carpet.

I can't help but compare the McIntosh to the Naim gear we now sell too. Both are brands that Carlton Audio traditionally hasn't done. Both are brands that are still made in their country of origin - USA and England respectively. 

But that's where the comparisons stop. McIntosh demands attention when you walk in a room even when the gear isn't on with Knobs and Gadgets and Lights whilst Naim is just a series of well made black boxes that can fade into a background. They often only have an on switch on their front panel.

McIntosh have power and lots of it and Naim doesn't have the same power but what power it delivers, it delivers cleanly, precisely and accurately.

Both are brilliant. Some will gravitate towards one over the other...and that's why we have both!

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A killer all-in-one unit including amplifier, streamer and CD player. And this isn't just a thrown together assembly of various componentry. Each of its parts are in their own right, exceptional value and performance.

Naim products bought from us, a genuine approved Naim dealer, include the full 2 year warranty. 

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A classic integrated amplifier that takes it cues from its celebrated 30 year heritage. The best Nait amplifier to date.

Naim put the money into their componentry where it counts and where there is auditive sound benefit, not where corporate bosses enforce an obscure cost/benefit analysis. That's why Naim has such a cult following in the HiFi industry. And their reputation is again reinforced with this super amplifier. On sheer tactility and product feel you know thios is going to be a really special amplifier before you even switch it on. Think a good modern Bentley ...

Naim products bought from us, a genuine approved Naim dealer, include the full 2 year warranty.

Here's Kevin from Upscale Audio talking about the Supernait 3...and SPIVs and commissions in the HiFi business (Carlton Audio Visual agrees with Kevin in this respect)

Naim SUPERNAIT 3 Official site.

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This little brother carries the charisma and quality of the X5 dinosaur killer in a sleeker 30Kg package and that is desperately affordable ... relatively ...

The new S2, second generation of the integrated amplifier has a new DAC. That's the only difference with the new version. The word on the ground is that that's due to the AKM factory fire and continuing supply shortages of those chips. They've swapped the chips out for ESS Sabre DACs of very good quality.

 

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The Altair G2.1 is the unit in Auralic's range that does it all. A Preamplifier, DAC and Streamer with options to put in a 2TB hard drive and even a CD ripper. 

The Preamplifier is also a full blown analogue preamplifier. Not only does it have the analogue line and Moving Magnet phono inputs, it also doesn't simply convert these into digital signals within the chassis. Rather they are kept completely separate from the digital circuitry. Also the volume control is an analogue design based on resistive ladder construction. A less noisy, cleaner choice than other designs out there. Such all-in-one units have tended to use cheaper less fullfilling preamplifier modules that I normally recommend customers to bypass. That's not the case here.

Also a superior power supply and thick copper shielded chassis with isolating feet mean that noise and vibrations are kept to an absolute minimum. Couple that with a pair of super accurate clocks reducing jitter and this is a unit that stands above others in its category.

Clean, effortless sound and a unit that ticks all the boxes.

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Available in store for Audition

• Audiophile valve integrated amplifier
• High-end sound performance and exceptional build quality
• 80W output from push-pull Class AB amplifier with tube power stage

This is a lovely piece of engineering art with excellent fit and finish that differentiates it immediately from so many of the Chinese made rebadge products that are on the market.This high performance amplifiers brings out the best of other components in the system. Created by those obsessed with great sound and for those who love great music. The result is 80 watts of pure pentode output per channel built around a double triode 12AX7 on input and a 12BH7 tube as phase splitter and a pair of Gold Lion Russian Made KT88/6550 power tubes in push-pull configuration for a detailed, delicate and dynamic sound.

The critical transformers and other components are made in house by Synthesis under the aegis of Mr Lorenzo. We have found this product range to be exceptionally reliable in peoples homes.

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The new Audio Research i50 integrated amplifier is the new entry level offering from US tube manufacturer, Audio Research. 

Audio Research is the sort of brand that hardened audiophiles lust after, drool over and buckle at the knees for...myself included. The sort of effortless, unadultered, rich sound that keeps us back late at night playing tracks that we've heard thousands of times before because they suddenly sound so real with Audio Research. 

Aesthetically, Audio research has a timeless elegance to it not only because of the valves but also the brushed aluminium finish. There's no plastic add ons with this brand or ostentatious flashing, multi-coloured lights...

Like a German piano from the early 20th century, you lust after them because they're beautiful pieces of furniture but also because their sound is rich & warm yet clearer and more natural than others.

For many people, like myself, Audio Research is an aspirational brand, something we hope, with a bit of luck will grace our living rooms one day. But with the new offering of the i50, we hope that day will come sooner for us all. 

Audio Research has spent years perfecting this design so as not to compromise on their stingent standards of quality and tone but to nevertheless offer something at a more modest price level. You can opt out of a built-in phono stage or DAC module depending on your needs as well. Learn More

The Hegel H390 arrived only a short time ago and it has already managed to impress some hardend and cynical ears at Carlton Audio Visual. In fact, at the moment we have it on main rotation in the Lygon st demo room because it's sounds so good on such a range of speakers.

This demo space is used not only to entertain staff while they're beavering away doing the office work but also to run in speakers. With all the choice we have in store, I found myself going back to this amp when I had a choice on which one to pair with the Acoustic Energy Coriniums that are now being run in.

The thing of these Hegel amps is the damping factor. That is the ability of the amplifier to overcome the reactive load and spring effect of the loudspeaker drive units and render absolute control over the micro motions of the transducer cones.

It gives you such grip and control and it's warm fast and dynamic whilst being super easy to listen to, Plus all that on board streaming means I can sit in the office typing away and change the song via Roon or Tidal. This is a serious amplifier with serious streaming capabilities built-in.

Come and listen today, you'll be impressed too.

Hegel H390 official site. 

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At Carlton Audio Visual we're not normally ones to jump up and down at a $10500 amplifier and streamer all-in-one unit. But this one by Naim Audio is different, much different.

A sublime combination of musicality and clarity. Music jumps alive in the hands of this unit. It's fast, clear and precise but it doesn't compromise that with any sort of harshness to the sound.

A brilliant performer if you're after a compelling reproduction in an 'all-in-one' box.

Naim products bought from us, a genuine approved Naim dealer, include the full 2 year warranty.

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A small yet powerful and very resolving sound, this power amplifier is a classy option in that $10K price point.

The perfect unit to pair with Chord Electronics Prima Preamplifier.

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The Michi M8 Monoblock Amplifier no-compromise Class AB amplifier delivers 1,080 watts into 8 ohms and an astounding 1,800 watts into 4 ohm loads. The design architecture ensures a smooth, accurate and relaxed delivery of the audio to even the most demanding loudspeakers while maintaining critical energy, rhythm and timing.

The stunning control and authoritative power of the Michi M8 Monoblock Amplifier is the result of a perfect balance of science meets art delivering 1,080 watts of Class AB power into 8 ohms and an astounding 1,800 watts to the most demanding 4 ohm loudspeakers. The M8 is powered by a pair of custom engineered, low noise, in-house manufactured toroidal transformers supported by 4 British patented slit foil, high efficiency, low ESR bulk storage capacitors for impactful bass with exceptional control under extreme loading conditions.

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Looking for the iron hand in velvet glove in an amplifier? Then this new top of the range Prima Luna integrated may be the one.

An excellent Ken Kessler review here:

https://www.hifinews.com/content/primaluna-evo-300-hybrid-integrated-amplifier

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