Classic look and contemporary sound — now with more power.
The British company LEAK Audio recently made a splash with their return to the audiophile world with the LEAK Stereo 130. The LEAK 230 builds on that debut by adding more power and an HDMI connection. Of course, the vintage good looks are still there, from the Art Deco-inspired logo to the chunky volume and source knobs. That attractive exterior houses carefully designed, modern hi-fi circuitry that makes your analog and digital sources sound great.
The Stereo 230 delivers 75 watts of clean power per channel for driving a pair of speakers — it pairs particularly well with LEAK's sibling brand Wharfedale.
Connections for your components
The Stereo 230 has a superb ESS Technology 32-bit Reference DAC inside that makes digital sources sound their best. There's an HDMI ARC port to connect your TV, enabling you to use smart TV apps to stream music. One coaxial and one optical digital input let you connect a CD player or similar sources, and a USB Type-B input lets you connect a computer. Built-in Bluetooth with high-quality streaming gives you convenient playback from your phone, tablet, or computer.
Analog music fans have plenty to work with, too. There are two sets of auxiliary RCA inputs, and a dedicated phono stage for connecting a turntable with a moving magnet cartridge. A single set of RCA preamp outputs let you upgrade to a more powerful amp while still using the Stereo 230's preamp and DAC. And if you like to listen privately while working, there's a 1/4" headphone jack on the front panel.
Product highlights:
75 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms
115 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms
powerful, efficient Class AB amplification
total harmonic distortion: 0.003% (30 watts, into 8 ohms)
signal-to-noise ratio: 109dB
built-in Bluetooth® with aptX and aptX LL audio coding for a better-sounding connection to compatible devices
built-in phono stage for turntables with moving magnet cartridges
premium ESS Sabre32 Reference ES9038Q2M DAC supports high-res digital files up to 32-bit/768kHz
Connections:
HDMI ARC port for connecting a TV
digital inputs: 1 Toslink optical, 1 coaxial (handle signals up to 192kHz)
digital outputs: 1 Toslink optical, 1 coaxial
USB Type-B input for connecting a computer (PCM files up to 768kHz, DSD up to 22.4MHz)
2 sets of stereo RCA aux inputs
phono input for connecting a turntable with a moving magnet cartridge
1 set of stereo RCA preamp outputs
1/4" headphone jack on front panel
one pair of binding post speaker terminals
USB Type-A input for software updates
12-volt trigger input and output
detachable power cord
Dimensions and warranty:
12-15/16"W x 5-3/4"H x 17-3/8"D
weight: 28 lbs.
warranty: 3 years
