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.
Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150)
Integrated amplifier
Relative price
typical
Among the 59 integrated amplifiers in the catalogue, this one is 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
Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE — David Shaw's mid-tier KT150 single-ended integrated. 100% pure Class A SE topology (rare for >25W output). 2× KT150 output valves + 3× 6SN7 (CV181) drivers in cascode mode + choke-regulated PSU + custom hand-wound output transformers + optional Triode/UL mode switch. Hand-wired point-to-point.
Hi-Fi News (Adam Smith): "Transparent to a tee, yet with never a hint of hardness or trace of an exaggerated sibilant, the presentation up top ensured that this is one single-ended amplifier that stands out from the crowd."
Built-in switchable gain control (200mV/500mV input) + integrated volume control allows direct-from-source operation OR preamp use. "Easy bias" meter on chassis for quick KT150 bias verification.
CRITICAL ELECTRICAL FIT: 28W SE Class A + DF~5 mandates ≥90dB sensitivity speakers with stable impedance. Excellent partner for Audio Note AN-E, AN-J, Living Voice, Klipsch Heritage, Tannoy Prestige, Devore O-baby, single-driver/horn loudspeakers. NOT recommended for sub-90dB modern speakers.
Spec_completeness=full — Icon publishes complete numerical specs for Stereo 30 SE (better than Audio Note philosophy on this point).
Competition record
Assessed against 18 rivals across the sixty systems: 3 head-to-heads won, 54 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 Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150) is the stronger integrated amplifier — but it loses here on fit: the way it sits with the rest of this system under the Twin Arms weighting.
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.
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 Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150) 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 Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150) 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.
With the Harbeth P3ESR XD2, the pairing gives up most on timing and drive.
On its own merits the Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150) is the stronger integrated amplifier — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Harbeth P3ESR XD2 gives up timing and drive under the BBC Sound weighting.
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 Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150) takes the slot clearly.
On its own merits the Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150) is the stronger integrated amplifier for that brief.
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 Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150) takes the slot clearly.
With the Cyrus Classic PHONO, the pairing gains most on tonal body.
On its own merits the Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150) 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.
bloomlike roundnessStereophile (Schryer) 2023
Creek 4040A
0 lost· 1 won · BBC Sound
Against the BBC Sound brief, the Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150) 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 Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150) is the stronger integrated amplifier for that brief.
Systems it is part of
- Tier H · Vocals-First as Amplification
- Tier L · Vocals-First as Amplification
- Tier M · Vocals-First as Amplification
What the reviewers said
KT150 SE valve integrated, more power than 25 MkII Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE KT150 positioning· Harmonic texture
almost see-through clarity Hi-Fi News 2020· Spatial resolution
refreshing timbral accuracy Hi-Fi World (Myles) 2016· Harmonic texture
fast and punchy Hi-Fi World (Myles) 2016· Transient attack
How it scores
Clarity
- Electrical noise floor 84 from specification
- Spatial resolution 82 from listening evidence
Voice
- Harmonic texture 77 from listening evidence
Rhythm
- Transient attack 76 from listening evidence
Bass
- Bass control 64 from listening evidence
- Physical impact 59 from specification
- Bass extension 59 from specification
LowerVolume
- Low-level noise floor 84 from specification
- Micro-dynamic resolution 76 from specification
- Tonal consistency 76 from specification
Specifications
| power 8ohm w | 28.0 |
|---|---|
| power 4ohm w | 28.0 |
| power class | A |
| damping factor | 5.0 |
| line inputs | 3 |
| xlr inputs | 0 |
| line input sensitivity mv | 200.0 |
| 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 |
| snr db | 98.0 |
| thd pct | 0.5 |
| dimensions mm | 380/240/300 |
| power consumption w | 160 |
| integrated dac | False |
| digital inputs | 0 |
| notes |