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.
Leak Stereo 230
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 230 — step-up integrated with more power.
Stereophile Class B Recommended Component. ES9038Q2M DAC + HDMI ARC + higher power (75W) than 130 (45W). 12.7kg solid build.
Power amp gain +32dB; sensitivity 550mV vs 130's 480mV — minor difference. Same input impedance 10kΩ as 130.
Competition record
Assessed against 18 rivals across the sixty systems: 2 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.
- low-level clarity ×6
- tonal body ×6
Who it comes up against
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 230 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.
It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the integrated amplifier position.
bloomlike roundnessStereophile (Schryer) 2023
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 230 is the stronger integrated amplifier — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Tom Evans Groove+ SRX MkII gives up tonal body under the Vocals-First weighting.
It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the integrated amplifier position.
bloomlike roundnessStereophile (Schryer) 2023
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 230 is the stronger integrated amplifier — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Rega Aura Reference MC gives up low-level clarity under the BBC Sound weighting.
bloomlike roundnessStereophile (Schryer) 2023
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 Leak Stereo 230 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.
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 230 is the stronger integrated amplifier — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Naim NVC TT MM/MC gives up tonal body under the BBC Sound weighting.
bloomlike roundnessStereophile (Schryer) 2023
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 Leak Stereo 230 takes the slot clearly.
On its own merits the Leak Stereo 230 is the stronger integrated amplifier for that brief.
Creek 4040A
0 lost· 1 won · BBC Sound
Against the BBC Sound brief, the Leak Stereo 230 takes the slot by a whisker.
On its own merits the Leak Stereo 230 is the stronger integrated amplifier for that brief.
With the Falcon Q7 Complete@Home, the pairing gains most on bass control.
well-proportioned and heartyStereophile (Schryer) 2023
Systems it is part of
- Tier Lo · Vocals-First as Amplification
What the reviewers said
Stereo 230 75W/8Ω with vintage styling Leak Stereo 230 + What HiFi· Physical impact
architecturally molded soundfield Stereophile (Schryer) 2023· Spatial resolution
bloomlike roundness Stereophile (Schryer) 2023· Tonal body
well-proportioned and hearty Stereophile (Schryer) 2023· Bass control
utterly cohesive Stereophile (Schryer) 2023· Tonal consistency
How it scores
Clarity
- Electrical noise floor 92 from specification
- Spatial resolution 82 from listening evidence
Voice
- Tonal body 76 from listening evidence
Bass
- Bass control 76 from listening evidence
- Physical impact 73 from listening evidence
- Bass extension 63 from specification
LowerVolume
- Low-level noise floor 92 from specification
- Micro-dynamic resolution 72 from specification
- Tonal consistency 76 from listening evidence
Specifications
| power 8ohm w | 75.0 |
|---|---|
| power 4ohm w | 115.0 |
| power class | AB |
| damping factor | 100.0 |
| line inputs | 2 |
| xlr inputs | 0 |
| line input sensitivity mv | 550.0 |
| line input impedance kohm | 10.0 |
| has phono | True |
| phono mm | True |
| phono mc | False |
| phono mm gain db | 41 |
| phono mm load | 47kΩ + 100pF |
| pre out | True |
| pre out level v | 2.3 |
| pre out impedance ohm | 100.0 |
| pre power separable | pre_out_parallel |
| internal bass management | none |
| headphone out | True |
| frequency response hz | 20/20000 |
| snr db | 115.0 |
| thd pct | 0.003 |
| weight kg | 12.7 |
| integrated dac | True |
| notes |