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Already in 1934 Harold Joseph Leak, who called himself a "Sound Engineer - Technician", founded the company H.J. Leak & Co. After the "sandwich" loudspeaker was introduced in 1961, the first integrated solid state amplifier Stereo 30 became another milestone in the company's history in 1963. Latter also served as a model for the new Stereo 130 integrated amplifier, which, together with the CD-Transport CDT as the first digital device under the Leak Label, is now to herald a new era of the traditional brand.
57 years after the Stereo 30, Leak is introducing the Stereo 130, an integrated amplifier that will continue the timeless design of its predecessor while offering additional features that audiophile music lovers expect in 2020. In addition to a JFET-based phono-MM input, the Leak Stereo 130 offers streaming via Bluetooth and four digital audio inputs (1 x coaxial; 2 x optical; 1x USB). The ESS Sabre32 Reference ES9018K2M D/A converter chip supports PCM resolutions of up to 384 kHz and DSD 256 via USB, while the optionally available walnut housing still reminds of the classic 1960s model.
At the heart of the Leak Stereo 130 is an analogue Class A/B amplifier, with an RMS output of 2x65 watts into 4 ohms. The headphone amplifier is built in current feedback technology and is supposed to offer all the sonic advantages of high-quality standalone headphone amplifiers.
According to the manufacturer, the Leak Stereo 130 is designed to deliver lively, detailed and accurate sound reproduction, and every analogue and digital source should be transmitted with the musical integrity and sonic warmth for which Leak devices have been highly regarded in the past.
The CDT is the first fully digital device to bear the Leak name. Its retro optic perfectly matches the Stereo 130 integrated amplifier. The CD drive is housed in its own electromagnetically decoupled case. In addition, the drive and digital audio electronics are each powered by their own power supplies to minimize mutual interference.
The developers have also equipped the Leak CDT with a permanently temperature-compensated, high-precision quartz, which is intended to ensure minimal jitter at the digital outputs. In addition, the Leak CDT is equipped with a USB interface for playing music from external storage devices.
The new Leak HiFi components are available in silver from specialist dealers with immediate effect*, while the walnut wood version can be pre-ordered and is expected to be available from August*. The recommended retail price for the Leak Stereo 130 is around 779 Euro*, the version with walnut wood cabinet will cost around 876 Euro. The Leak CDT costs around 535 Euro* or 633 Euro* with walnut wood cabinet.
*Availability and prices for Germany
