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Leak Stereo 130

Integrated amplifier

Relative price

below typical

Among the 59 integrated amplifiers in the catalogue, this one is below 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

Leak Stereo 130 — modern integrated with vintage Leak aesthetic. ES9018K2M DAC.

Class AB MOSFET output stage; designed by IAG (same group as Audiolab + Mission + Quad). 480mV input sensitivity matches "modern Class AB" convention.

Competition record

Assessed against 19 rivals across the sixty systems: it takes the slot in none of its 60 head-to-heads.

Where it gives ground

The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.

  • low-level clarity ×6
  • tonal body ×6
  • bass control ×1

Who it comes up against

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.

NVA S80 Stereo

8 lost · Artisan, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Silent Path

Against the Characterful brief, the NVA S80 Stereo keeps the slot decisively.

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 Leak Stereo 130 is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the integrated amplifier position.

Leak vintage-styled integrated, ESS DACLeak Stereo 130 reissue + What HiFi

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 clearly.

With the Tom Evans Groove+ SRX MkII, the pairing gives up most on tonal body.

On its own merits the Leak Stereo 130 is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the integrated amplifier position.

Leak vintage-styled integrated, ESS DACLeak Stereo 130 reissue + What HiFi

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 decisively.

With the Rega Aura Reference MC, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

With the Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badge, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

On its own merits the Leak Stereo 130 is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.

Leak vintage-styled integrated, ESS DACLeak Stereo 130 reissue + What HiFi

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.

Exposure 3510

1 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Exposure 3510 keeps the slot decisively.

On its own merits the Leak Stereo 130 is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the integrated amplifier position.

Sugden A21 Signature

1 lost · BBC Sound

Against the BBC Sound brief, the Sugden A21 Signature keeps the slot decisively.

With the Naim NVC TT MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on tonal body.

With the Harbeth P3ESR XD2, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

On its own merits the Leak Stereo 130 is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.

Leak vintage-styled integrated, ESS DACLeak Stereo 130 reissue + What HiFi

Rega io

1 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Rega io keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Leak Stereo 130 is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.

Leak Stereo 230

1 lost · Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Leak Stereo 230 keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Leak Stereo 130 is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.

Creek 4040A

1 lost · BBC Sound

Against the BBC Sound brief, the Creek 4040A keeps the slot clearly.

With the Falcon Q7 Complete@Home, the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Leak Stereo 130 is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.

Quad Artera Stereo

1 lost · Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Quad Artera Stereo keeps the slot decisively.

What the reviewers said

Leak vintage-styled integrated, ESS DAC Leak Stereo 130 reissue + What HiFi· Tonal body

How it scores

Clarity

  • Electrical noise floor 89 from specification
  • Spatial resolution 64 from listening evidence

Voice

  • Tonal body 72 from listening evidence
  • Presence & articulation 64 from listening evidence

Bass

  • Bass control 66 from specification
  • Physical impact 61 from specification
  • Bass extension 61 from specification

LowerVolume

  • Low-level noise floor 89 from specification
  • Micro-dynamic resolution 72 from specification
  • Tonal consistency 72 from specification

Specifications

power 8ohm w45.0
power 4ohm w65.0
power classAB
damping factor100.0
line inputs2
line input sensitivity mv480.0
line input impedance kohm10.0
has phonoTrue
phono mmTrue
phono mcFalse
phono mm load47kΩ + 100pF
pre outTrue
pre out level v2.3
pre power separablepre_out_parallel
internal bass managementnone
headphone outTrue
frequency response hz20/20000
snr db108.0
thd pct0.005
integrated dacTrue
notes