The New Stack FAQ with Andrew Clark - President of Peachtree Audio
Q: What was the thinking behind the new stack?
It came down to two things.
First, the Carina platform was designed to last and scale over time. In fact, the original Carina design was a preamp|DAC, but since integrateds are our core business, those launched first.
At the same time, we were auditioning some new power amps that really surprised us—they combined the best traits of solid-state and tube designs without the usual trade-offs. Those amps became part of the Carina integrateds and the X2 Power Amplifier.
To make sure the preamp|DAC would stand the test of time, we set a goal: complete neutrality and transparency. In other words, you shouldn’t hear it in the signal path at all. To achieve this, we kept the analog path extremely short, simple, and high-quality. Starting with the DAC, we wanted maximum headroom and ultra-low noise—something measuring more than 120 dB on its own. That narrowed the field to about 20 candidates. In the end, we chose two 32-bit DACs in a dual-mono balanced design and carried the balanced architecture all the way through to the analog outputs.
We also loved that these DACs offered user-selectable filters. Different filter types can shift the sound slightly—similar to the differences you hear between chip DACs, R2R DACs, or FPGA designs. Personally, I prefer a more R2R-like sound, so I usually run one of the SLOW filters when given the option. Others may prefer the more accurate, better-measuring FAST filters. The point is, you’re not locked into a single filter signature—you can audition and decide what sounds best to you.
From there, the audio signal needs attenuation or volume control, which is where most preamps, integrateds, and AVRs start to lose transparency. We solved this with a hybrid volume control that combines a stepped resistor ladder with digital attenuation. It’s highly accurate and transparent, though you will hear faint clicks from the relays that switch the resistor banks. For those who prefer complete silence, we also built in a 32-bit digital volume control—just as transparent, totally quiet, and exceptionally accurate. You can switch between them in the menu. I’ve used both extensively and can’t hear a significant difference, but some people swear by one or the other.
And then there’s the phono stage. We invested a year of design work into it, and we’re proud of how it turned out: dead quiet, completely transparent, and a perfect match to the rest of the platform. Honestly, we could package it as a standalone product for several hundred dollars, but that’s not in the plan right now. The same goes for the DAC section—it’s that good. But with limited resources, we’re staying focused on our core lineup.
The second part of the thinking was replacing our older pre-DAC, which was based on the nova 2.0 platform, but aiming higher this time. In the past, our separates were essentially split versions of our integrateds, and the nova 2.0 platform was primarily an analog design with a DAC added in. That had its benefits, but we wanted the new Carina separates to go further. So we flipped the approach: design Carina as a DAC first, and then build the preamp around it. And since the DAC was already pushing the limits of human hearing, we needed a power amp to match—lots of power across all kinds of speaker loads, but still remarkably transparent. Not an easy task, since power amps are typically the weakest link in the chain, assuming you already have a transparent volume control and quality DAC ahead of them.
In the end, two designs stood out: Digi-GaN and Hypex NCore X. Both sounded fantastic, but we went with Hypex NCore X because it paired well with every speaker we tried and allowed us to keep the full stack under $5,000 US. We did add an SPDIF output to the Carina pre|DAC, so a Digi-GaN option is possible down the line—though it would cost significantly more due to its regulated power supply requirements. If demand is there, we’ll likely greenlight it next year.
Q: How does the new stack compare to the pre|DAC + GaN 400 stack and the current Carina integrated amps?
In short, everything in Carina was redesigned and improved from the ground up. There isn’t a single audible or performance metric that wasn’t upgraded.
Since the nova 2.0 platform launched over a decade ago, class-D technology has leapt forward. Designers like Bruno Putzeys and Skip Taylor fixed the shortcomings that were holding class-D back, and suddenly these amps started outperforming some of the world’s best solid-state designs. It happened faster than we expected—so fast, in fact, that we sold off many of the amplifiers we had been using as benchmarks. Now, other amps come in and are compared to ours as the benchmarks. That’s how much the game has changed.
Skip’s approach to class-D uses GaN-FETs with minimal feedback, while Bruno and Hypex push high-feedback silicon designs as far as possible. Different paths, similar results—and the competition has pushed the whole category forward. It’s great for listeners: reference-level sound no longer requires a five-figure power amp. We put our ~$1,500 Stereo X up against amps costing far more, and it routinely holds its own or beats them. The X2 takes that to an even higher level, especially with difficult-to-drive speakers.
So, compared to our earlier products, the Carina platform clearly outperforms the old pre-DAC in sound quality. The DAC and analog sections are significantly improved. The GaN 400 lands somewhere between the Carina GaN/X and the Carina 300/150 (which use the original Hypex NCore amps). Around here, if we’re grabbing something to listen with, it’s the Carina GaN or Carina X—and soon it’ll be the Carina pre|DAC with the X2. It might be “overkill” for some setups, but it delivers state-of-the-art transparency and dynamics every time.
We still listen to the GaN 400 and many of our older products for perspective, but moving forward, the Carina pre|DAC and X2 stack will be the benchmark.
Q: Why doesn’t the new stack have built-in streaming or HDMI eARC?
Streaming is evolving so quickly that we chose to leave it out. The trend is moving toward “open” streaming, where you use your service’s app (Spotify, Qobuz, etc.) and cast it to your device. That model seems more sustainable than the “walled gardens” of Sonos, Bluesound, or Apple. To us, it makes more sense for consumers to upgrade their streamer every few years than to replace their entire preamp. Eventually, streaming may just become a standard input like analog or digital audio, but until then, we’d rather let the streaming specialists innovate.
HDMI is a different challenge. I’ve worked with it at other companies, and it’s extremely costly for a small company to implement properly. For now, it remains a mass-market feature that smaller audio companies can’t easily support. That’s one reason we like the Bluesound NODE: it includes HDMI, and its frequent software updates keep it current.
Q: Can we talk about the meters?
Of course! We wanted to add something special to the X2. The front panel is fairly large and minimal, so we thought meters would be a great way to give it more character. VU meters have been getting a lot of positive reactions lately, so we explored the options and landed on a design that really fit the look.
They don’t just look good—they make the X2 feel more complete. We even added a front-panel button that lets you dim the meter backlights or turn them off entirely. And just to be clear: these are true analog meters, not simulated graphics on a screen. They’re driven directly by the amplifier’s output, so what you see is exactly what’s being delivered to your speakers—not just the input signal.
We thought that was pretty cool, and for anyone who misses the old tube windows, well, now you’ve got meters!
Q: What’s next for Peachtree Audio?
With the new stack, we’ve completed our original Carina vision. From here, our focus will expand to:
1. Listening to feedback on the stack and Carina as a whole—how people use them, what they’d like improved, and what problems we can solve next.
2. Looking ahead to the next generation of listeners—and maybe anticipating things they haven’t imagined yet. People thought we had lost our minds when we put a USB input on an integrated amplifier nearly 20 years ago, and now it's a standard feature pretty much everywhere audio is played.
The audio world is a fascinating mix of traditions, opinions, science, and technology. Twenty years ago, I wouldn’t have believed vinyl and tubes would still be this popular—or that streaming services would be delivering CD-quality or better sound straight to everyone’s phones, homes, and cars. Yet here we are.
No one can say for sure what’s coming next, but one thing won’t change: there will always be a place for products that make listening more enjoyable without breaking the bank. The path forward may not always be straight or predictable, but for those who love music, the journey is the reward—and our goal is to remain a meaningful part of it.