The New Stack. Should I Upgrade?

We’ve been getting a lot of questions about the new stack—mainly: Is it worth it for me?

 

Our goal is to give the most open, straightforward answer based on our listening and feedback from customers who’ve already made the move.

 

Carina Integrated Owners

If you already own a Carina integrated amplifier, there’s usually no strong reason to upgrade to the Carina stack unless one or more of the following apply:

1. Not enough power.
   If your volume is often in the single digits (-0 to -9 dB), your speakers may need more power. This can be an issue with the Carina 150 and sometimes the Carina GaN, but rarely with the original Carina or Carina 300.
2. Turntable + Home Theater integration.
   The new stack lets you merge stereo listening and home theater front channels. Carina integrateds can handle one or the other, but not both. The original Carina can’t do either.
3. EQ or external tone controls.
   Supported with the stack, but not with Carina integrateds.
4. Pursuing ultimate transparency.
   Carina X and Carina GaN are already extremely transparent. Upgrading from a Carina 300, 150, or original Carina may bring only modest improvement—often, better ROI comes from investing in fuller-range speakers.

 

Bottom line: Most Carina owners don’t need to upgrade. The Carina preamp|DAC is identical to the one in the integrateds—the main difference is in the power amps.

 

nova2.0 Owners (nova500, nova300, nova150, pre|DAC, GaN400, amp500)

For these products, we do recommend upgrading (with the exception of the GaN400). The Carina stack delivers major improvements in DAC, preamp, and power amp design.

• Carina was built around a reference-level DAC and a digital-first design, offering measurable and audible gains over the analog-first nova2.0 platform.
• The shift did eliminate features like home theater bypass and LOOP, but the sonic improvements are substantial.
• The GaN400 is the exception. If paired with the original pre|DAC, consider upgrading to the Carina pre|DAC for better clarity, while reviewing your analog I/O needs. The X2 amp and GaN400 both remain exceptional in transparency and power.

 

All Other Products

Aside from the sonaDAC, we strongly recommend considering the new stack. The improvements across the board are compelling.

• The sonaDAC is still an excellent preamp/DAC—compact, clean, and competitive even today. Its only real limitations are the lack of analog inputs.
• The sonaAMP, while a good visual match for the sonaDAC, doesn’t measure up to the current standard of the X2 or even the Stereo X. For sonaAMP owners, those are the clear upgrade paths.

 

Final Word on Trade-Ups

Always compare the new gear to your current system. We measure and test daily across a wide range of speakers, but your ears and setup matter most. Take advantage of our liberal trade-up and return policies—we’re only satisfied when you are. And we don’t just accept in-home auditions—we strongly encourage them!