Longdog Audio P6100M Biamp 2x2 (4 units)
13 lost · Anchored, Artisan, Characterful, PRaT, Reference, Romantic
Against the Anchored brief, the Longdog Audio P6100M Biamp 2x2 (4 units) keeps the slot decisively.
Audio Note Cobra
Integrated amplifier
Relative price
above typical
Among the 59 integrated amplifiers in the catalogue, this one is above typical.
A band places a component against its peers and carries no price. It is deliberately the only price indicator on this page: a second one, measured against a different set, would narrow the two together far enough to give the figure away.
What it is
Audio Note (UK) Cobra — current "latest" integrated valve amp; Class A push-pull EL34 producing 28W per channel. Custom double C-core output transformers manufactured in-house at Hove, East Sussex. Onboard TDA1543 NOS DAC for digital sources.
"Level 1" in Audio Note hierarchy: Pure Class A Push-Pull Pentode + Materials/component quality criteria met. Higher levels (Level 2 = OTO SE/M2/P2; Level 3 = Conqueror/Paladin/Vindicator; Level 4-5 = Meishu/Jinro/Ongaku) add zero feedback, single-ended topology, directly-heated triodes, and progressively superior parts.
Hi-Fi Review (Hong Kong) "Best Buy of the Year" award. Inner Magazines: pairs especially well with Audio Note speakers (AN-E, AN-K) due to shared design philosophy. With third-party speakers pairing requires careful sensitivity matching (≥88dB recommended given 28W).
CRITICAL ELECTRICAL FIT: 28W into 8Ω. Speaker matching: ≥88dB sensitivity preferred (Living Voice IBX 94dB, Devore O-baby 90dB, Quad ESL 86dB borderline). 100kΩ line input + onboard DAC + digital inputs make Cobra a one-box solution for vinyl-secondary digital-primary systems — but must pair with external phono for vinyl playback.
Spec_completeness=partial — Audio Note philosophy publishes minimal numerical specs by design. Most fields inferred from convention.
Competition record
Assessed against 19 rivals across the sixty systems: 3 head-to-heads won, 57 lost.
Where it gives ground
The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.
- timing and drive ×3
- bass control ×1
Who it comes up against
NVA S80 Stereo
8 lost · Artisan, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Silent Path
No completion of this shape fits that slot's budget.
Audiolab 9000P
5 lost · Anchored, Characterful, PRaT, Romantic, Silent Path
Against the Characterful brief, the Audiolab 9000P keeps the slot decisively.
Sugden ANV 50
4 lost · BBC Sound, Twin Arms
Against the Twin Arms brief, the Sugden ANV 50 keeps the slot decisively.
On its own merits the Audio Note Cobra is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.
nothing thudding, loose or boomyTwittering Machines 2021
Leema Hydra II
4 lost · Cavity-Native, Characterful, Romantic
Against the Cavity-Native brief, the Leema Hydra II keeps the slot decisively.
NVA S300 Stereo (Artisan)
4 lost · Artisan, Cavity-Native, Intimate, Reference
Against the Intimate brief, the NVA S300 Stereo (Artisan) keeps the slot decisively.
Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150)
3 lost · Vocals-First
Against the Vocals-First brief, the Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150) keeps the slot by a whisker.
On its own merits the Audio Note Cobra is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.
Audio Note P1 SE
3 lost · Intimate, Silent Path
Against the Silent Path brief, the Audio Note P1 SE keeps the slot decisively.
EAR Yoshino V12
3 lost · BBC Sound, Vocals-First
Against the BBC Sound brief, the EAR Yoshino V12 keeps the slot by a whisker.
With the Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badge, the pairing gives up most on timing and drive.
On its own merits the Audio Note Cobra is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.
Exposure XM9 Biamp 2x2 (4 units)
3 lost · Artisan, PRaT, Reference
Against the Artisan brief, the Exposure XM9 Biamp 2x2 (4 units) keeps the slot decisively.
EAR Yoshino 890
2 lost · Intimate
Against the Intimate brief, the EAR Yoshino 890 keeps the slot decisively.
Chord ULTIMA 6
1 lost · Cavity-Native
Against the Cavity-Native brief, the Chord ULTIMA 6 keeps the slot decisively.
Longdog Audio P6100M (pair)
1 lost · Anchored
Against the Anchored brief, the Longdog Audio P6100M (pair) keeps the slot decisively.
Exposure 3510
1 lost · Twin Arms
Against the Twin Arms brief, the Exposure 3510 keeps the slot clearly.
On its own merits the Audio Note Cobra is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.
Sugden A21 Signature
1 lost · BBC Sound
Against the BBC Sound brief, the Sugden A21 Signature keeps the slot by a whisker.
On its own merits the Audio Note Cobra is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.
With the Harbeth P3ESR XD2, the pairing gives up most on timing and drive.
Quad Artera Stereo
1 lost · Silent Path
Against the Silent Path brief, the Quad Artera Stereo keeps the slot decisively.
Rega io
0 lost· 1 won · Twin Arms
Against the Twin Arms brief, the Audio Note Cobra takes the slot clearly.
On its own merits the Audio Note Cobra is the weaker integrated amplifier — yet it wins here on fit: the way it sits with the rest of this system under the Twin Arms weighting.
It sits well above the share of the budget this brief aims at the integrated amplifier position.
Leak Stereo 230
0 lost· 1 won · Vocals-First
Against the Vocals-First brief, the Audio Note Cobra takes the slot clearly.
With the Cyrus Classic PHONO, the pairing gains most on tonal body.
On its own merits the Audio Note Cobra is the weaker integrated amplifier — yet it wins here on fit: the pairing with the Cyrus Classic PHONO gains tonal body under the Vocals-First weighting.
It sits well above the share of the budget this brief aims at the integrated amplifier position.
rich and colorful renditionTwittering Machines 2021
Creek 4040A
0 lost· 1 won · BBC Sound
Against the BBC Sound brief, the Audio Note Cobra takes the slot decisively.
With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gains most on low-level clarity.
With the Falcon Q7 Complete@Home, the pairing gains most on low-level clarity.
On its own merits the Audio Note Cobra is the weaker integrated amplifier — yet it wins here on fit: the pairing with the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC gains low-level clarity under the BBC Sound weighting.
What the reviewers said
Audio Note Cobra mid-tier valve integrated Audio Note Cobra positioning· Harmonic texture
nothing thudding, loose or boomy Twittering Machines 2021· Bass control
rich and colorful rendition Twittering Machines 2021· Tonal body
rich and fully formed Twittering Machines 2021· Harmonic texture
fluid and languid flow Twittering Machines 2021· Micro-dynamic resolution
How it scores
Voice
- Tonal body 76 from listening evidence
- Harmonic texture 77 from listening evidence
Bass
- Bass control 76 from listening evidence
- Physical impact 59 from specification
- Bass extension 59 from specification
LowerVolume
- Low-level noise floor 76 from specification
- Micro-dynamic resolution 76 from listening evidence
- Tonal consistency 76 from specification
Specifications
| power 8ohm w | 28.0 |
|---|---|
| power 4ohm w | 28.0 |
| power class | A |
| damping factor | 10.0 |
| line inputs | 3 |
| xlr inputs | 0 |
| line input sensitivity mv | 300.0 |
| line input impedance kohm | 100.0 |
| has phono | False |
| phono mm | False |
| phono mc | False |
| pre out | False |
| pre power separable | none |
| internal bass management | none |
| headphone out | False |
| frequency response hz | 20/20000 |
| weight kg | 13.6 |
| integrated dac | True |
| digital inputs | 3 |
| notes |