Carina 300
Integrated Amplifier with DAC
• 300 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
I upgraded from the Nova 220se to the Carina 300 and I couldn’t be happier. The clarity of sound and all the nuances of sound that I can hear now are amazing. Listening to vinyl with this amplifier that easily powers my Martin Logan Speakers is an experience. Happy with the purchase. Thank you
I am pleased to share my impressions of this remarkable piece of hi-fi engineering and craftsmanship. This is my third integrated amplifier from Peachtree Audio, each more satisfying than the last. I had a Nova 125SE for many years before what I suspect was an insect somehow shorted out the motherboard.
While my amp was no longer under warranty, the lovely folks at Peachtree still made a generous trade-in offer and I picked up the 1st Gen. Carina. I was immediately enthralled with the sound, especially the dual mono DACs and MQA decoding (as an avid Tidal Hi-Fi plus listener). Everything was clearer and better defined with a wider soundstage than the 125SE. However, I am also a vinyl guy and the lack of a phono or analog input was frustrating. I had managed a workaround that worked, but I felt it was somehow lacking and was listening to vinyl less and less.
When the new Carina 300 was released featuring a phono input, I was intrigued. Again, Peachtree's generous upgrade offer made it one I couldn't refuse. The result is I am now listening to more vinyl than ever before and streaming just as much. I would give this product more stars if I could. I don't think you can find a more versatile, gorgeous, and incredible-sounding integrated amplifier anywhere. Bravo, Peachtree!
Overview
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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 300
The Carina 300 is a 300 watts-per-channel integrated amplifier utilizing the critically acclaimed Hypex N-Core amplifier technology to drive nearly any speaker available today. 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 300 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
- 300 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 300 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 300 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 300 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 300 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 300, 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 300 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 300 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 300 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 300 utilizes a 300 watts-per-channel stereo Hypex NCore power amplifier that provides power to drive virtually any speaker with ease and authority while maintaining low noise and terrific dynamics. The speaker outputs are high-quality CMC 5-way binding posts. The Carina 300 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 300 Specifications
Reviews
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."