Perreaux Audient A80i
New Zealand stereo integrated amplifier combining a Class AB power stage, built-in ESS Sabre DAC and MM phono input, to centralise digital sources and a turntable.
Comparison with the observed price of the same product new; this is not a reduction on a previous price.
Description
The Perreaux Audient A80i is a stereo integrated amplifier from the New Zealand manufacturer Perreaux. It brings together in a single chassis a Class AB power section, a digital-to-analogue converter and a phono input, with the aim of serving as the central point of a hi-fi system combining digital and analogue sources.
The unit delivers 80 W per channel into 8 Ω, and up to 130 W per channel into 4 Ω, allowing it to adapt to speakers with varying current demands. This power output relies on a high-current power supply paired with a toroidal transformer, designed to provide a stable energy reserve even during dynamic passages in a track. On the digital side, the ESS Sabre ES9006 DAC, supporting 24-bit / 96 kHz, handles conversion of sources connected via USB, optical or coaxial.
The connectivity covers both analogue and digital: three line inputs in RCA format, a USB input, two optical inputs and a coaxial input. A Moving Magnet (MM) phono input is also built in, removing the need for an external preamplifier to connect a turntable fitted with an MM cartridge.
This connectivity profile makes it an amplifier suited to those wishing to bring several sources together around a single unit: a network player or computer via USB, a turntable via the MM phono input, and home cinema sources or CD players via the optical and coaxial inputs. It suits a stereo system conceived as the hub of a setup rather than a purely analogue configuration.
Technical specifications
| Type | Stereo integrated amplifier |
| Power | 2 × 80 W (8 Ω) / 2 × 130 W (4 Ω) |
| Class | AB |
| Converter (DAC) | ESS Sabre ES9006 (24 bits / 96 kHz) |
| Digital inputs | USB, 2 optical, 1 coaxial |
| Analogue inputs | 3 RCA line + MM phono |
| Power supply | Toroidal transformer, high-current supply |
What to check before buying used
The motorised potentiometer and protection relays are worth testing from cold, as an amplifier left inactive for a long time may exhibit crackling or a channel imbalance on start-up. Also check that the MM phono input functions correctly, as it is used less often than the line inputs, along with recognition of the USB input by the ES9006 DAC. The capacitors in the high-current power supply, stressed by the toroidal transformer, are a standard check point on this type of electronics after several years of use.
Looking for a specific product?
Tell us what you are looking for: our merchants are notified, and one of them may have it in stock.