Carina 150
Integrated Amplifier with DAC
- 150 watts per channel
- Dual-mono ESS 9068 DACs
- Analog input switchable between MM phono or AUX
- Home Theater Bypass
- OLED front panel display
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Customer Reviews
Like a previous reviewer of the, Carina 150, I upgraded from my Nova 150. I'm using the Carina 150 (Phase II, to be exact) in a desktop, near-field setup. This might seem like overkill to some, but when I listen through this arrangement, it is all music to my ears!
When compared to the Nova 150, the first thing that I noticed was what the previous reviewer noted, the sound quality. Since I'm not schooled in audio electronics, I'll guess that a large part of that noticeable sound quality improvement comes from the ESS9068 dual dac chips. Better resolution of details in the music tracks, whether it's the drummers brushes on the snare drum, or the "ting" on a triangle. It's noticeable, and sounds fabulous! Being a near-field setup, I don't have to crank up the volume on the Carina for an all encompassing SPL, -35 to -30 are powerful and sublime. Just a lovely arrangement, streaming music via usb-c, and Roon, or my Bluesound Node over coaxial input. No other external accessories needed. I haven't tried the headphone outputs yet, but I'm glad to have that ability, and also the ability to connect my turntable, if desired.
The Carina's display is also a welcomed addition over the Nova's, austere faceplate. I enjoy knowing what the volume is set at, and what input is selected. The track's PCM kHz number is nice to see, too. Other settings that the display allows you to see and manipulate are amply appreciated.
All in all, the Carina 150 (Phase II) is a really nice advance/upgrade over the Nova 150, and I am really digging the sound output through my speakers, in this case, Wharfedale Diamond 12.1's. It sounds fantastic, has ample power and looks gorgeous. This is an extremely high quality, well made intergrated amp, and I am a captured customer with my third Peachtree product.
My existing set up involved the Peachtree Nova150 feeding the beautiful Kef R3Metas/KC62 combination. I also had a standalone DAC and external EQ that ran through the analog connection. I enjoyed comparing the external DAC with the Peachtree DAC and although very close in sound, I slightly preferred the external DAC due to the screen displaying bitrate and file type.
Enter the Peachtree Audio Carina 150.
Within minutes of listening to the Carina I was done with the external DAC and EQ. The dual ESS Sabre 9068s won me over instantly. People talk about DACs being transparent or warm or analytical. I just know what I hear: Crisp, clean but full and super clear. The bongos in Steely Dans’ iconic “Hey 19” or just the shimmering cymbal in the background are all, dare I say, transparent.
This amp is robust! Although the same 150 wpc as the Nova 150, man, it seems thicker. It’s like the older stronger brother came out to join the fight. Everything feels sturdier. I even had to adjust my KC62 sub downward a bit. It does run a bit warmer than the Nova.
The screen delivers a delightful aqua blue which can be dimmed or even shut off. Showing the bit rate for high-res files is now a must and Carina does this on all digital sources. The remote while feeling clunky at first is perfectly designed and intuitive to use.
Finally, the support team at Peachtree is responsive, energetic, and was happy to engage with me and my endless questions through the sales and support process.
Overview
Back in stock!
Carina
Carina is a name in the Italian language that roughly translates to “pretty" and is derived from the Latin word Carus that means “beloved." We are confident that Carina looks and performs better than anything else in its price range - and many products that cost significantly more - and that Carina will earn a place in your musical heart!
The Carina 150
The Carina 150 is an integrated amplifier that offers the features and flexibility of the Carina 300, but with half the power. Like the 300, the Carina 150 uses the critically acclaimed Hypex N-Core amplifier technology to drive all but the least efficient of today's best speakers. It accepts 5 digital inputs including Bluetooth plus an analog input switchable between MM phono and AUX.
Why we made Carina
Very simply, to establish a new price/performance benchmark for integrated amplifiers. Our ongoing testing of available technologies has identified a combination of DAC, preamplifier and power amplifier technologies that work extremely well together to create an exceptional listening experience at a reasonable price. A Carina is an easy-to-use, highly transparent integrated amplifier that drives a wide range of speakers (and headphones!) with ease.
Carina 150 highlights
Digital- Two ESS 9068 DAC chips, dual mono (one for the left channel, one for the right channel)
- Accepts HD audio input up to 768k PCM and 512k DSD
- Selectable digital filter settings including oversampling on/off
- Moving magnet phono input switchable to AUX
- Fully balanced analog circuitry from the DACs to the power and headphone amplifiers
- High-performance, hybrid volume control (combination analog resistor ladder/digital attenuation)
- User selectable all-digital volume control option
- Home Theater Bypass
- Bluetooth 5.0 input with HD audio decoding
- Preamp output for connecting to a powered subwoofer or external power amplifier
- 150 watts-per-channel Hypex NCore power amplifier driving the speaker outputs
- Fully-balanced headphone amplifier with a 4.4mm T/R/R/R/S output (1/4" unbalanced output also provided)
- Timeless Peachtree Audio industrial design crafted out of aluminum, wrapped in real wood, and finished in gloss ebony mocha or piano black
- High-quality OLED front panel display with an intuitive dual knob user interface
- Trigger input and output for power on/off control to or from another device
- Hand-held remote control with integrated commands for Bluesound devices (NODE, VAULT, etc.)
How does Carina sound?
Carina amplifiers are our best sounding integrated amplifiers ever. Even better than the highly regarded nova series, the Grand Integrated, and the original classic nova and decco amplifiers that have come before. And to celebrate this achievement we have broken with tradition and given it a unique name - Carina.
How does Carina compare to the nova150/300/500?
Simply stated, model for model Carina is better. It has a superior DAC, preamplifier, power amplifier and headphone amplifier. Each of these functions has been upgraded to take advantage of recent technology advancements and integrated in a design with several small but significant enhancements to achieve remarkable sound quality. Features in Carina that are not available in the nova series:
Design
Dual DAC and Balanced Analog Design
The Carina 150 utilizes two ESS Technology 9068 DAC chips in dual-mono mode with one chip dedicated to the left channel and the other to the right channel. ESS is a leader in audiophile DAC design and manufacturing and their 9068 is the successor to the 9038 which, in turn, is the successor to the venerable 9018. The 9068 achieves excellent THD+N (120dB) and DNR (128dBA) and is also the world's first audio DAC with a built-in MQA hardware renderer. The 9068 DAC chip performs exceptionally well on its own, but when two are used in dual-mono mode, the measured performance and sonic transparency is elevated to an even higher level. Peachtree Audio was the first premium audio brand to implement ESS DACs in its products beginning with the original nova in 2009 and has continued to use their DACs ever since.
To help ensure that the high quality analog signal from the DACs is preserved, the current to voltage converter stage features ultra low distortion op-amps, along with a balanced, class-A, discrete output stage to drive the volume control with a low source impedance. The volume control in the Carina 150 is designed to preserve the integrity of the sound even further by utilizing a high-performance resistor ladder (with .1% tolerance resistors) and digital attenuation hybrid design. This type of sophisticated volume control circuit is rare in a product in this price range, but provides ultra-precise control of the output level while maintaining exceptional channel balance throughout the volume range. With such a high quality DAC and preamplifier design in front of them, the power and headphone amplifiers are able to perform while providing greater transparency, less background noise and. ultimately, remarkable sonic clarity.
New Digital Features
The Carina 150 utilizes precision femtosecond crystal oscillators (digital clocks) to minimize phase noise and jitter. A custom designed FPGA with clock management and an additional phase lock loop reduces jitter even further, providing a level of control typically reserved for stand alone DACs. The DACs in the Carina are capable of supporting PCM up to 768kHz and DSD up to 512kHz via the USB-C input. These are the highest input sampling rates we have ever supported in our products and are available for users that want to experiment with sample rates. The Carina 150 also includes a digital filter setting for fine-tuning the sound of the DACs with 3 settings; L-FAST, H-FAST and M-SLOW. Each filter has an objective (measurable) and subjective (audible to most) effect on the sound. We encourage people to audition all three settings to determine the one that sounds the best to them. Most people will hear the differences in the high-frequency reproduction where they are most readily heard. There is also a no oversampling (NOS) setting in the Carina 150, which sends the original digital signal straight to the modulator without any oversampling. This mode is useful for users to experiment with software-based oversampling features in products such as Roon.
Phono Input
The Carina 150 provides the vinyl lover a purpose-designed built-in moving magnet phono input. A high-end AKM analog-to-digital converter maintains the lowest noise floor possible for the delicate phono signal. No vinyl? Just switch the input to AUX.
Streaming
We recommend using a Bluesound NODE or similar in conjunction with the Carina and streaming high-resolution audio from services such as Qobuz, Apple Music and amazon music HD. In our experience, the sound quality of all of these streaming services is impressive. The libraries are huge and the convenience is unmatched!
Bluetooth
The Carina 150 has a built-in Bluetooth 5.0 receiver with HD audio decoding. It provides a convenient way to stream wirelessly from any Bluetooth enabled device. The Carina 150 also has a setting that only turns on the internal Bluetooth receiver when the Bluetooth input is selected. This minimizes the amount of RF inside the amplifier when using any of the wired inputs.
Amplification
The Carina 150 utilizes a 150 watts-per-channel stereo Hypex NCore power amplifier that provides power to drive a wide range of speakers with ease and authority while maintaining low noise and terrific dynamics. The speaker outputs are high-quality CMC 5-way binding posts. The Carina 150 also provides a high-performance balanced headphone amplifier with a 4.4mm T/R/R/R/S output, plus a 1/4” unbalanced output for regular headphones. The power and clarity of the headphone amplifier is remarkable for an integrated amplifier and the balanced output is typically only found on dedicated headphone amplifiers!
Timeless Design
Peachtree Audio prides itself on making products that not only sound great, but look great and are easy to use. All of our products are meticulously crafted out of metal and wood and integrate with a wide range of interior designs from traditional to contemporary to post-modern. Carina introduces a high-quality OLED front panel display with large characters and a dual-knob user interface that retains the ease of use our products have always been known for along with the visual feedback many have requested. This display provides more information than our previous amplifiers and can be easily viewed from most listening positions.
Integration Features
- Hand-held wireless IR remote control with integrated commands for Bluesound devices like the NODE, VAULT, etc.
- Stereo preamp output for connecting a powered subwoofer or an external power amplifier like the GaN 400
- Trigger input and output (1/8”) for power on/off control to or from another device
Specifications
Carina 150 Specifications
Reviews
“A WORTHY & ROBUST UPGRADE”
My existing set up involved the Peachtree Nova150 feeding the beautiful Kef R3Metas/KC62 combination. I also had a standalone DAC and external EQ that ran through the analog connection. I enjoyed comparing the external DAC with the Peachtree DAC and although very close in sound, I slightly preferred the external DAC due to the screen displaying bitrate and file type.
Enter the Peachtree Audio Carina 150. Within minutes of listening to the Carina I was done with the external DAC and EQ. The dual ESS Sabre 9068s won me over instantly. People talk about DACs being transparent or warm or analytical. I just know what I hear: Crisp, clean but full and super clear. The bongos in Steely Dans’ iconic “Hey 19” or just the shimmering cymbal in the background are all, dare I say, transparent.
This amp is robust! Although the same 150 wpc as the Nova 150, man, it seems thicker. It’s like the older stronger brother came out to join the fight. Everything feels sturdier. I even had to adjust my KC62 sub downward a bit. It does run a bit warmer than the Nova. The screen delivers a delightful aqua blue which can be dimmed or even shut off. Showing the bit rate for high-res files is now a must and Carina does this on all digital sources. The remote while feeling clunky at first is perfectly designed and intuitive to use.
Finally, the support team at Peachtree is responsive, energetic, and was happy to engage with me and my endless questions through the sales and support process.
-Gerald J. Backenstoe (jbackenstoe@icloud.com)
Audio Pursuit reviews the original Carina
"While $2499 is no small amount of change, the Carina is an absolute bargain."
"I cannot rave enough about the DAC section."
"Simply put, the Peachtree Carina integrated amplifier is insanely terrific."