Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
All
6AH4 Line
reviews
Manufacturer details
- Inputs: up to 6 inputs
- Outputs: SE (RCA) and BAL (XLR)
- Gain: 6dB (12dB optional)
- Output Impedance: <200 Ohm
- Volume Control: transformer volume control, 24 2dB steps
- Power Supply: internal (single chassis)
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
- VinylSavor specializes in creating fully customized, hand-wired audio amplifiers and preamplifiers, built to order according to individual customer specs.
- The brand is known for its use of directly heated triodes and silver-wound transformers in the signal path, aiming for a capacitor-less design and optimized signal transfer.
- They offer extensive tube rolling options within their designs, often supporting a wide range of tube types and offering a generous warranty on tubes supplied by them.
Select products
300B Integrated Stereo Power Amplifier
- Positioning: The entry-level integrated amplifier offering basic stereo power in a compact design.
- Description: Comes with 5W per channel, headphone and speaker outputs, and multiple inputs, making it ideal for small rooms and those on a budget. Compared with higher models that feature interstage transformer coupling or dual chassis designs, it provides straightforward functionality without additional circuitry complexity.
300B Single Ended Stereo Power Amplifier
- Positioning: A mid-tier stereo amplifier designed to deliver slightly higher power and improved sonic clarity.
- Description: Offers 8W per channel with interstage transformer coupling and a 6SN7 driver tube, making it better suited for users needing more performance than the integrated version. Compared to the entry-level model's simplicity, its design brings enhanced power handling and sound reproduction without resorting to separate mono chassis modules.
300B Single Ended Mono Power Amplifiers (2 chassis)
- Positioning: A pair of mono amplifiers in a dual chassis setup aimed at providing focused, balanced sound.
- Description: Delivers 8W per channel using interstage transformer coupling and the 801A directly heated driver tube. Relative to the stereo units, their dual chassis design offers improved channel separation while keeping costs lower than more complex assemblies.
300B Single Ended Mono Power Amplifiers (4 chassis)
- Positioning: A refined pair of mono amplifiers featuring a four chassis design with external power supplies for enhanced stability.
- Description: Provides 8W per channel with the same high-quality tube and transformer coupling but adds improved thermal management for greater reliability in larger or critical listening settings. When compared with the 2 chassis model, the extra chassis and external supplies deliver better performance consistency.
300B Single Ended Mono Power Amplifiers - Silver
- Positioning: The flagship mono amplifier pair engineered with silver wound transformers for premium performance.
- Description: Uses silver wound transformer technology to reduce distortion and achieve tighter sound control. Compared to all other models in the lineup, its enhanced build quality and precise transformer design set it apart as the top choice.
Our take on the brand
Look inside the brand
Our interview with the brand
What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?
Fully transformer coupled designs. The use of directly heated triodes not only as output tube but also as drive rand preamp tube. 600 Ohm LCR RIAA EQ in phono stages. Custom triodes for the Intrepid series (Thomas Mayer ONE, TWO and THREE). Possibility to customise each product to specific needs.
What's your approach to customer support?
I sell directly to end customers. I used to have very few resellers but due to the steep increase of production and material costs I exclusive do direct sales now to avoid price increases of the products which would otherwise be necessary. My goal is that every customer is happy and I am always available for any questions even years after the sale. When necessary I do repairs or assist in set up at the customer site.
What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
I don’t have any favourite tracks, but use whatever I am in the mood for. Equipment should not be designed to work with specific music. People should use music they like for testing
What other products pair best with yours?
Admire Audio speakers.

Used
VinylSavor
What if you spend more?
Our summary
Product Strengths
- Provides clarity, separation between notes, and individually renders guitar strings with their own attack/sustain/decay
- Brings a more detailed, higher resolution picture
- Plays with more delicacy, consideration, and tenderness
- Offers a slight calmness with more variation in the notes that makes things a little more dimensional and less flat
Product Considerations
- Inverts phase
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Plays with a little more delicacy and consideration, articulating things better than the Placette Active Linestage
- Has more delicacy than Neurochrome Universal Buffer
Takeaway: The 10Y preamp provides better clarity and more realistic sound compared to other preamps. It is neutral and transparent and can compare to modern engineering.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Product Strengths
- Unparalleled cartridge matching capabilities with adjustable gain levels and load options
- Features a multitude of equalization options, including preset EQ options alongside the option to set up custom curves
- Exceptional build quality with a chassis precision-machined from solid aluminum, offering superior electromagnetic shielding and aesthetic elegance
- Intuitive operation is ensured by the clear display and the Single Knob Control (SKC) system, despite the unit's complexity
- Class A circuitry throughout delivers a warmth and naturalness that brings vinyl playback to life, while maintaining exceptional detail and clarity
Product Considerations
- Premium price point makes it a high-end investment
- Complex feature set may require a learning curve for full usage
- Large form factor requires adequate rack space
- The remote control has a mute function that requires two clicks to unmute, which can be slightly annoying
- The Owners' Manual could be improved and is not very informative
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Gold Note PH-10: PH-1000 has more cartridge loading possibilities
- Vs Gold Note PSU-1250 & TUBE-1012: PH-1000 lacks a warm tube sound, but if you add the PSU-1250 & TUBE-1012, details are brought out with added sharpness and the music becomes more cohesive—reaching a new level of harmonic wholeness
Takeaway: The Gold Note PH-1000 is a sophisticated phono preamplifier with a wide range of features and exceptional sound quality, perfect for vinyl enthusiasts seeking to get the best out of their collections. Its flexibility and upgradeability make it a worthwhile investment for those serious about analog audio.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Product Strengths
- Separate chassis for the power supply and signal circuitry minimizes noise, improving low-level detail retrieval
- Front panel controls for gain, resistive loading, and capacitive loading, provide flexibility for cartridge matching
- Two RCA inputs accommodate two turntables or tonearms, simplifying analog setups
- Superb detail, clarity, and a clean sound, leads to a musically involving experience
- A high-pass filter reduces low-frequency noise, helpful for systems with subwoofers
Product Considerations
- The two-chassis design may be problematic for audiophiles with limited space, as the power supply is ideally placed separate from the main unit
- No remote control is included, requiring manual adjustments at the unit itself
- Settings are not automatically remembered when switching between tonearm inputs, requiring manual readjustment
- Some reviewers would have liked to see larger LED indicators and labels for easier visibility
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The XP-27 offers a host of useful features and operates with a great deal of attention paid to lower distortion, even RIAA performance is accomplished at much lower distortion levels than previous versions in the same price class
- Vs Pass Labs XP-25, the XP-27 offers incremental improvements including lower noise and better bass performance due to dual transformers—vs single in the XP-25—lower noise resistors, upgraded rectifiers and improved power filtering and regulation
- Vs Pass Labs XP-17, the XP-27 offers superior dynamics, clarity, imaging and musicality
- Vs Pass Labs XP-22, the XP-27 is the star of the two-component show: XP-22-line preamplifier and XP-27 phono preamplifier
Takeaway: The Pass Labs XP-27 is a versatile and high-performing phono preamplifier that extracts remarkable detail and clarity from vinyl recordings. Its flexible loading options and dual inputs make it a great choice for vinyl enthusiasts seeking exceptional sound quality.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our summary
Product Strengths
- Delivers a natural, spacious, and clean sound
- Attenuator is located in a special aluminum box (10 mm thick walls) which provides perfect shielding and absorbs the vibrations
- Is a Class-A preamplifier and was designed to avoid ANY global feedback
- Analogue part is separated from the power part by a solid aluminium wall (10 mm thick) which contributes to the elimination of interference
Product Considerations
- The tubes require a lengthy break-in period of several hundred hours
- The system remote control could be bigger
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The Hyperion and Virtus combo's sovereignty brings the acoustic events to 'life' more convincingly
Takeaway: The Hyperion P1 is made to provide high signal quality sound. It has excellent workmanship to ensure amazing sound quality.
Video review
Our take on the brand
What competes at this price?
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Offers a wide range of features rarely seen in a component of this type, including a high-performance DAC, analog preamplifier, BluOS streaming, Dirac Live room correction, and a high-quality phono stage
- Includes Dirac Live Bass Control for up to four independent subwoofers, allowing for optimized bass performance and integration, and Dirac Live improves clarity and bass definition
- Uses ESS Sabre DAC chips, known for wide dynamic range and low noise/distortion
- Features a modular design that lets one expand its capabilities, helping to ensure product longevity and up-to-date functionality
- Offers versatile connectivity with a comprehensive array of inputs and outputs, including balanced XLR, AES/XLR, and HDMI eARC
Product Considerations
- BluOS is limited to a maximum resolution of 24-bit/192kHz
- Does not offer home-theater bypass, though it could be implemented in a future upgrade
- Dirac Live iPhone app not always successful at recognizing microphone
- Touchscreen does not behave in the same way as an EverSolo or a FiiO, because one cannot browse music libraries with it, it is really just for input and settings and just the kind of nitty-gritty of daily use, but not music playback
- Some found the styling a bit overdone, while others appreciated the display
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Is considered better overall than the Anthem STR due to a more sophisticated room correction system and a fully featured multiroom streaming platform with wireless capability
- Sounds more lit up top to bottom with greater avidity than PS Audio, and it better exposes surface textures, and layer separation is more easily seen
- The MC input quite clearly resolves more finer detail and it better inks tonal colors compared to the MC phono stage built into the Cambridge Audio Alva TT 2 turntable
Takeaway: The NAD M66 is a sophisticated and feature-rich streaming preamplifier, offering a versatile set of tools for audiophiles seeking precise sound reproduction and optimized bass performance. With its modular design and future-proofing capabilities, the M66 is a great choice for anyone building a high-end hifi system.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Incredibly saturated sound packed with information, resulting in a deep and detailed presentation
- Separate gain paths for MM and MC cartridges, optimizing performance for each
- Extremely silent and powerful signal transmission capabilities
- Offers a wide range of settings to optimize performance for any cartridge, including extensive gain and loading options, and dozens of equalization curves
- Parameters can be adjusted on the fly using a custom Mola Mola app
- Design allows it to get out of the way of the music, allowing the music to swell and breathe majestically
Product Considerations
- The new review sample took some 300 hours to stabilize
- A slight faltering of absolute pitch definition and texture below about 40-45 Hz
- Some may find the sound too neutral and challenging—preferring a more lush sound
- With so many parameters to adjust, people may use the unit's abilities as a tone control and stray away from the intended EQ curve
- There are so many options, that it may be changed too far
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Versus GrandiNote Celio mk IV phono preamplifier, Lupe reminded the reviewer more of their Class A GrandiNote Celio mk IV phono preamplifier than the other of my references—ESE Lab Nibiru MC
- Versus ESE Lab Nibiru MC, each of those features could be pointed out as Lupe's advantages, although they were not as prominent as with Nibiru MC
Takeaway: The Mola Mola Lupe is a versatile and high-performing phono stage that delivers a sophisticated and musical sound. Its extensive features and convenient app control make it a great choice for vinyl enthusiasts who want to optimize their listening experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Combines a network streamer, DAC, and preamplifier with digital and analog inputs, offering versatility
- Features Leedh Processing lossless volume control, which minimizes distortion and loss of resolution, maintaining sound quality even at high attenuation levels
- High-quality build with an aluminum chassis and a well-designed internal layout, including dual toroidal transformers and a Femto Clock System
- Has three HDMI inputs with 4k passthrough and ARC (Audio Return Channel), making it work as part of a multimedia system
Product Considerations
- Analog input signals are digitized because the P1's volume control operates in the digital domain
- The Lumin app is not as graphically compelling as Roon, nor is it as easy to navigate and manage a music library
- When the volume is set at '100' or the output level is set to 'fixed,' both Leedh and the conventional volume controls are bypassed
- It appears to have no discernible colorations of its own and delivers extremely high resolution, probably more than most systems will be able to realize
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Compared to the AURALiC Aries G1.1, the P1 delivers a considerably more realistic, musical, and engaging sound
- Compared to the Copland CSA 100 amplifier, the P1 is a more musical and competent sounding player with greater resolution, extension, dynamics, and ease
Takeaway: The Lumin P1 is a versatile network player, DAC, and preamplifier offering high-quality sound and a wide range of features. It delivers a powerful and immersive listening experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Allows the music to play as intended, with transparency being a key attribute
- Offers excellent control, grip, and dynamic headroom
- Fully balanced design from input to output, maximizing performance with balanced sources
- Provides a very quiet background, improving separation and detail
- Very low noise floor, revealing a lot of detail without sounding analytical
Product Considerations
- The volume control lacks a digital readout
- Minimalist design with a basic remote that some may find lacking
- There are only two XLR inputs
- The simple lines may not appeal to those seeking a visually flashy product
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Compared to the Hegel H390, the P30A/H30A surpasses it, making the H390 sound inferior
- Compared to the Luxman M900U, the Hegel H30A exhibits greater soundstage depth
- Compared to the Constellation Revelation Series, the P30A/H30A revealed plenty of sonic information but didn't sound stilted or forced, though Constellation had "peer into the recording" transparency that the Hegel combo probably can't match
- Compared to older Hegel models, the newer models sound more extended and focused in the upper frequencies and are slightly warmer than neutral compared to the older versions' more apparent tilt toward warmth
Takeaway: The Hegel P30A is an excellent preamplifier that prioritizes transparency and control, letting the music shine through with exceptional detail and soundstage depth, and minimal coloration of its own. It ensures a clean, powerful, and natural presentation.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Exemplary build quality with a solid aluminum chassis and striking design, making it visually distinctive
- Offers a very neutral sound signature that allows the connected components and music to shine through without adding its own coloration
- Delivers excellent timing, detail retrieval, and dynamics, contributing to a lively and engaging listening experience
- Provides a smooth and open sound while retaining detail and dynamics
- Offers input flexibility with balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA inputs, as well as a USB charging port for devices like DACs or smartphones
Product Considerations
- Has a lower output level compared to some other preamplifiers, requiring higher volume settings to achieve the same listening levels
- The source selection method via the volume knob can be a little over-engineered and less user-friendly than dedicated buttons or a rotary dial
- The balance control lacks a tactile center notch, which some users might find inconvenient
- The AV bypass mode can be easily engaged, potentially causing damage to speakers if the connected AV amp has a high volume setting
- A phono stage and headphone output are lacking
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Naim NAC 82: Ultima Pre 3 offers additional warmth and a marginally smoother presentation, but is less incisive
- Vs The Bespoke Audio Company Passive Preamplifier: The Ultima Pre 3 extracts more clarity from the power amplifier and pushes dynamics more exceptionally—but with a small loss of treble resolution
- Vs NAD M23: The Ultima Pre 3 (paired with the Ultima 6) brings out the scale, dynamics, and energy of the music to a higher degree
Takeaway: The Chord Electronics Ultima Pre 3 is a well-built and visually striking preamplifier that allows the music to shine through. It's a great fit for a hifi system if a neutral sound, a lively and dynamic sound, and flexibility for different listening experiences are desired.
Video review
Our take on the brand
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