LEAK Stereo 230 Integrated Amplifier 

British HiFi brand LEAK returned in 2020 with its first new products since the 1970s, the LEAK Stereo 130 integrated amplifier and LEAK CDT CD transport. Now they launch the new LEAK Stereo 230 Integrated Amplifier.

Designed as a step-up model from the 2020 launched LEAK Stereo 130, the LEAK Stereo 230 Integrated Amplifier features upgraded circuitry, delivers more power, and features an enhanced DAC stage for digital source components, whilst sporting the same vintage aesthetic that has proven so attractive to modern audiophiles.

BRITISH HIFI

Founded in 1934, LEAK is one of the most important names from the early years of the British HiFi scene, responsible for classic HiFi such as the Point One series of valve amplifiers introduced in 1945,  LEAK Sandwich speaker, and the 1955 Trough-Line FM tuner.

Although thoroughly modernised internally, the current LEAK Stereo 130’s wood-clad external design is based on another LEAK classic the Stereo 30 integrated amplifier, which was the first commercially available all-transistor amplifier upon its arrival in 1963. This amp was famously owned by Jimi Hendrix, among other ’60s luminaries.

LEAK STEREO 230 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

From the front, the new LEAK Stereo 230 integrated amp looks almost identical to the Stereo 130 with the same aluminium front panel and tactile controls, and the same optional walnut wood enclosure adorning its aluminium chassis to complete the classic LEAK look. Its width and height are also the same, but the new amp is 14cm deeper, reflecting its enhanced circuitry and greater power output.
DAC

Like the Stereo 130, the new amp’s built-in DAC circuitry caters for digital sources such as PCs and Macs, smartphones and tablets, network streamers and CD players including, of course, LEAK’s own CDT transport. It also offers the convenience of Bluetooth reception, supporting the Bluetooth 5 standard for superior speed and range, and multiple codecs including aptX and AAC.

The Stereo 230 upgrades the ES9018K2M DAC chip used in the Stereo 130’s DAC stage to a newer, top-spec chipset from the 32-bit Sabre family, the ES9038Q2M. This is accompanied by proprietary circuitry to make the most of ESS Technology’s HyperStream II architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator. LEAK’s design team has paid attention to the post-DAC active filter, using op-amps selected for their synergy with the Sabre DAC.
LEAK STEREO 230 INPUTS

Digital inputs stretch to asynchronous USB Type B and two S/PDIF inputs (one coaxial and one optical), plus HDMI ARC. The latter option, which is an addition to the Stereo 130’s specification, extends the Stereo 230’s versatility for use with TVs to make a stereo AV system.

On the analogue side are two line-level stereo RCA inputs, plus an MM phono input. There is also a built-in phono stage with a high-quality, low-noise, JFET-based circuit.

STREAMING

Hi-res digital audio support handles PCM up to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD to 22.58MHz (DSD512). MQA is also supported, with full decoding enabling the complete ‘three unfold’ decoding process to be performed internally. The Stereo 230 is officially ‘Roon Tested’ too.

AMPLIFICATION

At its core is a Class AB power stage arranged in a dual-parallel configuration, drawing on many decades of amplifier design experience to deliver 75W per channel into eight ohms, and 115W per channel into four ohms. A substantial low-noise 270VA toroidal transformer is followed by 2x15000uF reservoir capacity.

Bass and treble tone controls, a feature passed down from the original Stereo 30 to the Stereo 130, and now the Stereo 230 enable sound to be tailored to suit the varying characteristics of different analogue and digital sources. If preferred, these tone controls may be bypassed to deliver the shortest possible signal path to the analogue volume stage, which is controlled by a motorised ALPS potentiometer.

The LEAK Stereo 230 also has a dedicated headphone amp with a current-feedback design and high slew rate.

The physical layout of the Stereo 230’s circuitry, is designed to protect the sensitive preamp section from noise interference, there are also independent low-noise power supplies for all critical stages.

LEAK STEREO 230 SPECIFICATIONS

Digital audio Inputs 1x USB-B; 1x HDMI ARC; 1x optical; 1x coaxial; Bluetooth 5

Analogue audio Inputs 2x RCA line-level; 1x MM phono

Digital audio outputs 1x optical; 1x coaxial

Analogue audio outputs 1x RCA pre-out; 1x headphone out; speaker binding posts

Other inputs/outputs 1x USB-A firmware update port; 12V trigger in/out

Hi-res support – USB input PCM 768kHz; DSD512; full MQA decoding

Hi-res support – S/PDIF inputs PCM 192kHz; full MQA decoding

Power output 2x 75W RMS (8Ω); 2x 115W RMS (4Ω)

Dimensions with wood enclosure (WxHxD) 328x147x414mm

Dimensions without wood enclosure (WxHxD) 300x115x414mm