Note: for the full suite of measurements from the SoundStage! Audio-Electronics Lab, click here.

“Beloved” is not a word to be used lightly. It’s an older term you don’t often hear today, and conveys a feeling of deep love and adoration. A softer variation is the Italian name Carina. Derived from the Latin word for “beloved,” it’s also the name of the current integrated amplifier lineup from Peachtree Audio. Such a name hints at some promising qualities for these components.

Based in North Carolina, USA, Peachtree Audio has been making audio products since 2007. Their first product was the Decco integrated amplifier, which was a trendsetting design. According to Peachtree, it was the first production integrated amplifier to incorporate a USB DAC. The fact that the Decco was apparently ahead of its time had much to do with the vision of audio-industry veterans Jim Spainhour and David Solomon, who founded Peachtree Audio and obviously saw the consumer desire for simple digital-music solutions.

The original Carina amplifier was introduced in 2022, then replaced in 2023 with a spread of new models: the Carina 150 ($1499, all prices in USD); the Carina 300 ($1999), which Dennis Burger reviewed last August over at SoundStage! Access; and the Carina GaN ($2999), the subject of this review. Recently, Peachtree added a fourth Carina amplifier—the Carina X ($2499). Rated at 300Wpc, the Carina X employs Hypex’s new NCOREx class-D amplifier modules.

The Carina GaN is Peachtree Audio’s flagship integrated amplifier. True to its name, it has a GaN-FET (gallium nitride field-effect transistor) output stage. It’s rated at 200Wpc into 8-ohm and 4-ohm loads. Despite having much in common with the other Carina models, the Carina GaN incorporates some unique technology that allows it to deliver a higher level of performance than its siblings. Before delving into this technology, let’s have a look at the common features of the Carina series.

Common elements

All Carina integrated amplifiers combine a quartet of audio components in a single chassis: preamplifier, DAC, power amplifier, and headphone amplifier. All models feature Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connectivity. Digital inputs comprise one USB-C input, two coaxial (RCA) S/PDIF inputs, and one optical (TosLink) S/PDIF input. On the analog side, all Carina integrated amplifiers provide a single set of RCA inputs that can be configured for phono or line-level operation via a rear switch; there’s also a ground post for use with a turntable. A set of variable stereo analog outputs (RCA) allows connection of a powered subwoofer or external power amplifier. 12V input and output trigger jacks are also provided. An IEC AC input power inlet, master power toggle switch, and five-way speaker binding posts round out the connections.

All Carina integrated amplifiers incorporate a 32-bit DAC that is compatible with all main formats. Maximum resolution is 32-bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512 via USB and 24/192 PCM via S/PDIF. Two separate ESS9068 DAC chips are implemented in a dual-mono configuration that dedicates one chip to each channel. The DAC is customizable through a settings menu accessible by a three-second press of the front-left control knob. DAC customizations include:

1. PCM Filters: linear-phase fast (L-FAST), hybrid fast (H-FAST), and minimum-phase slow (M-SLOW). Peachtree describes the L-FAST as the most common type of digital filter, the most accurate, and the most neutral; the M-SLOW as having a smoother overall sound; and the H-FAST as a hybrid fast-rolloff filter that aims for lifelike musical-instrument rendition. Note that these filters are only applied when using the headphone and preamp outputs. (My listening experience with these filters is reported under “Headphone listening” below.)
   
   
2. NOS Mode: a non-oversampling (NOS) mode that bypasses the DAC’s 8× oversampling function. This allows the user to experiment with external software-based oversampling—for example, from Roon. Setting NOS Mode to Off engages the DAC’s 8× oversampling capability. With my Rega Apollo CD player as a source, connected via coaxial S/PDIF, and listening through headphones and speakers, I found that the NOS Off setting provided a crisper and cleaner presentation, most noticeable in treble definition and emphasis; conversely, using the NOS On setting, the sound was more relaxed and slightly less incisive, with a softer treble and overall smoother presentation. I preferred NOS Off.

Other notable customizations of Carina integrated amplifiers available through the settings menu include Bluetooth (BT) Power, for leaving the connection on regardless of input mode (in the default setting, the BT radio is always off except when the BT input is selected), and Digital versus Hybrid volume attenuation, the latter of which employs an analog resistor ladder in combination with a digital audio attenuator that mechanically clicks at every 3dB step and is said to provide enhanced sound when using headphones or the pre-outs. Display brightness and on/off functions, 12V trigger selections, input volume, and input name are also adjustable via the settings menu.

All Carina amplifiers come with a modest-sized, light, aluminum-faced IR remote control that provides volume, mute, power on/off, display-brightness, and input-selection functions, as well as the ability to control a Bluesound Node streamer.

The Carinas’ front panels have a simple standard layout that comprises the power button, left (input/setting) knob, right (selection/volume) knob, OLED front-panel display, and fully balanced headphone amplifier with 4.4mm balanced and standard 1/4″ unbalanced output jacks.

Internally, the analog architecture of Carina integrated amplifiers is fully balanced to ensure the purity and protection of audio signals from external noise and interference.

The Carina integrated amplifiers all have the same chassis and finish options. They have an attractive oval contour that provides a contemporary yet retro aesthetic. The front face and control knobs are aluminum, the face having a satin finish. The control knobs have a sturdy feel and provide tactile feedback when turned. The standard finish is high-gloss piano-black, but buyers can opt for the premium wood-like Mocha Gloss finish for an additional $100. My review sample had the premium finish, which I found attractive; it avoided any “Family Truckster” tackiness. The front OLED screen on Carina products is very easy to read, with a large font. A mesh top grille facilitates internal cooling but also gives a glimpse at the internals, including more than half a dozen internal diagnostic LEDs (blue, green, and white) that offer a discreet lightshow for those seeking a little extra visual stimulation. In use, the Carina GaN maintained a warm operating temperature, but never crossed over to hot. Overall, I thought the fit and finish of the Carina GaN was very good; this amplifier will provide real pride of ownership.

Unique features

Where conventional MOSFETs are fabricated from silicon, GaN-FETs are made from gallium nitride. GaN transistors are able to run at a much higher frequency than silicon transistors, resulting in cleaner switching with substantially lower distortion. Though GaN-FETs cost more than MOSFETs, their superior performance is the reason they are used in the Carina GaN, but not in Peachtree’s lower-priced Carina amplifiers.

The second design feature that sets the Carina GaN apart from the other Carina integrated amplifiers, as well as from most class-D amplifiers, is its power-DAC amplifier topology. To provide more insight into the Carina GaN’s power-DAC technology, let me quote from an email exchange I had with Andrew Clark, president of Peachtree Audio:

Pretty much every class-D amp is fed an analog input from the internal preamp, including every other integrated amp we [Peachtree Audio] make and have made. This is put through a comparator circuit that turns the analog audio signal into a PWM signal, which is how a class-D operates. There is a global feedback loop utilized to reduce the noise and distortion of the silicon transistors switching. They are . . . pretty noisy as they don’t switch on and off very quickly and there is some ringing as they do their best to stabilize between their on/off states. Modern class-D designers solve these issues by putting a large amount of feedback into the loop. Sometimes as much as 60dB.

Since the Carina GaN uses GaN transistors there is much less distortion and ringing to deal with. To the point that you can (direct) drive the amplifier with a PCM to PWM signal converted by a DSP chip and forego the feedback loop entirely . . . [and] simplifies the signal path . . . [and] which is how we designed the Carina GaN.

Unlike other Carina amplifiers, the DAC section is not used when the amp is powering loudspeakers; rather, it’s used only for the Carina GaN’s headphone amplifier and preamplifier output. In addition, as mentioned above, the Carina GaN uses no feedback whatsoever.

Setup

I reviewed the Peachtree Audio Carina GaN in my acoustically treated studio (7.75′H × 18.5′W × 13′D), set atop my Quadraspire SV3T rack. Digital sources included my Rega Apollo CD player, which was connected to the coaxial input, and my Acer Windows notebook PC connected to the USB-C input. To evaluate the Carina GaN’s phono stage, I borrowed a vintage Sony PS-11 turntable with Ortofon 2M Blue moving-magnet cartridge. The moving-coil cartridge installed in my reference Rega Planar 10 ’table is incompatible with the Carina GaN’s MM phono input. An Audio Sensibility Statement power cord and digital coax interconnect were used with the Carina GaN, as well as Zavfino 1877 Fusion and Furutech ADL Alpha Line Plus analog interconnects. I did most of my listening through my Focal Electra 1008 Be 2 bookshelf loudspeakers, which Philip Beaudette reviewed on SoundStage! Hi-Fi in February 2013.

Listening out loud

The Focal Electra 1008 Be 2 is a mid-size, two-way, bass-reflex standmount loudspeaker that employs a 6.5″ midrange-woofer and 1.25″ beryllium inverted-dome tweeter. With nominal impedance of 8 ohms, minimum impedance of 3.9 ohms, and sensitivity of 89dB (2.83V/1m), the 1008 Be 2 is not a challenging load for a well-built amplifier. But it is very transparent and will help you discern the differences between amplifiers. The GaN was able to produce very high volumes through the Focals, with some of my listening reaching 100dB peaks. Dynamics were well controlled, as the GaN presented music with composure and a sense of ease. Though modest in size, the Focal loudspeakers can sound like floorstanders when powered by a robust amplifier, and in this regard, the Carina GaN did not disappoint.

CD music: I began my listening using my Rega Apollo CD player as the source. On Pink Martini’s “Splendor in the Grass” from their 2011 album A Retrospective (Wrasse Records ADCD 10306), the opening piano notes had a natural, even-handed tonal balance, sounding relaxed but also having lifelike brilliance. Their top-end sparkle helped communicate Thomas Lauderdale’s microdynamic variations of touch. I was taken aback by the carnal quality of China Forbes’s vocals; not only was her voice exquisitely feminine in its sweetness, but the Peachtree Carina GaN was also able to convey the physicality of her singing, the way her voice emanates from her diaphragm and not just her throat. The Peachtree made evident Forbes’s vocal inflections and breaths as well as the dimensions of the recording space. The strings of the Harvey Rosencrantz Orchestra were textured yet smooth, devoid of stridency. The bass and percussion were tight and impactful, with impressive fullness, and cymbal hits were vibrant and clean, with plenty of sparkle and shimmer.

I moved to the Cranberries’ 1994 album No Need to Argue (Island Records I2 24050) and its famous track “Zombie.” The opening guitar strums were warm and relaxed, prefacing an embodied and solid attack of the drums and bass guitar. There was a natural character to the cymbal splashes, and the bass-guitar notes were rich. Dolores O’Riordan’s voice also possessed a very natural character. Percussion was nicely imaged, with the strikes moving across the back of the soundstage and possessing dimension and presence—the body of the drum was emphasized over the skin. On lesser amplifiers, this track can sound congested and busy, especially at louder levels; I heard no such problems with the Peachtree Carina GaN. On the contrary, the Peachtree amplifier’s presentation was well composed, with space between the aural images, allowing me to focus easily on individual elements. There was a sense of composure and smoothness that allowed for longer and louder listening sessions—always a good sign.

Streaming: I moved to streaming music from Tidal and Qobuz using my Windows laptop, and cued up the opening track, “House,” from London Grammar’s album The Greatest Love (24-bit/44.1kHz FLAC, Ministry of Sound Recordings / Tidal). This track was nothing short of auditory candy through the Carina GaN. The soundstage breadth was massive, the opening synth voices flanking my listening seat, playing outside the speaker boundaries and producing an enveloping soundscape. The buoyancy of the images was intoxicating, garnering my full attention, while the guitar plucks were refined and delicate, juxtaposed with the visceral repeating drumbeat. Set just in front, Hannah Reid’s intoxicating vocals, which possessed warmth and body, combined delicacy and detail with no trace of stridency or thinness.

Next, I listened to “Hey Joe” from the album saxnbass by markusphilippe (16/44.1 FLAC, iMusician Digital / Qobuz). Here I was impressed with the depth, fullness, texture, and detail that the Carina GaN was able to conjure up. The double bass was portrayed in life-size scale, with realistic timbre and tone. String plucks possessed fullness, while the micro details of string textures and rattles were de-emphasized. The sax was enthralling to listen to, given its burnished sweetness and the reedy breaths between stanzas that the Carina GaN capably expressed.

Kat Edmonson’s “I Don’t Know,” from her 2014 album Way Down Low (16/44.1 FLAC, Okeh–Sony Masterworks / Qobuz), sounded sensational through the Carina GaN. On this track, Kat’s voice can reach deep and evoke a feeling of woeful longing, which the Peachtree Carina GaN conveyed convincingly. The opening acoustic guitar strums were delivered with authenticity, offering both definition and tone to the strings but also communicating the body of the instrument. The electric guitar’s warm notes bloomed, revealing a valve-like signature, while cymbals were delicate and their patina apparent.

Bluetooth: I paired the Carina GaN with my iPhone 12 and streamed music to the amplifier via Bluetooth from the Qobuz app. It was one of the fastest and easiest BT connections I’ve ever experienced. My iPhone immediately found “peachtree” and connected without delay. The Carina GaN also maintained the BT connection when switching between inputs, which allowed me to compare the sound when streaming via Bluetooth to streaming Qobuz to my Bryston BR-20, which was connected to the amplifier’s line-level analog input.

Listening to Chantal Chamberland’s “Beautiful Life” from her album Temptation (24/96 FLAC, Evosound / Qobuz), the realism of Chantal’s voice via BT was astonishing. There was texture and fullness in the bass, and the piano had surprising presence within a well-sized, well-defined soundstage. In comparison, the analog input yielded greater subtlety, finesse, and complexity, while being more relaxed in the bass and presenting the piano with significantly greater size and bloom. The BT was clearly a compromise compared to the analog input, but the difference wasn’t nearly as significant as I thought it would be. I’d even say that Peachtree Audio’s implementation of BT in the Carina GaN is the best I’ve heard.

Vinyl: I performed a few comparisons to evaluate the Carina GaN’s phono preamp. I began by connecting the vintage Sony ’table to the Peachtree amp and comparing the sound with a Schiit Audio Mani phono stage ($149). It was no contest: the Carina GaN’s built-in phono stage trampled all over that Schiit! The GaN’s phono input delivered more midrange presence and detail, tighter bass, more complex harmonics, a more refined and delicate treble, and clearer imaging within a larger soundstage.

To pit the GaN’s phono input against something better, I enlisted the built-in phono stage of my Rega Elex-R Mk3 integrated amplifier (discontinued, $1875 when available). This comparison required an unorthodox approach. To hear the Rega’s Elex-R phono stage through the Carina GaN, I had to connect the turntable first to the Elex-R and then connect the Rega’s Rec-Out to the GaN analog in. This, of course, put the Elex-R at a disadvantage with an extra interconnect compared to connecting the turntable directly to the Carina GaN. But this comparison yielded some valuable insights.

Listening to Pearl Jam’s Completely Unplugged: The Acoustic Broadcast (Bauhaus BAU005LP), it was clear to me that the two phono stages were very comparable in performance. The Rega seemed to reveal more ambience, more echo around voices, and more of the reverb of the venue, with greater leading-edge emphasis on notes, while the Carina GaN sounded more relaxed and at ease. I also noted that the Carina GaN’s phono stage was very quiet, with noticeably less hiss than the Rega’s. I concluded that the Carina GaN’s phono stage is high-performing and would be well suited to MM cartridges up to $500.

Headphone listening

To assess the Carina GaN’s headphone amplifier, I connected my Grado SR325e headphones to the amplifier’s unbalanced 1/4″ output and compared the sound with the headphone output of my Bryston BR-20 streaming preamplifier. To keep things equal, I used my Rega Apollo CD player as the source, connecting it via analog inputs to each in turn.

“Cloudbusting” from Kate Bush’s 1985 album Hounds of Love (CD, EMI-Manhattan CDP 546164) sounded full-bodied, sweet, and liquid, with a wonderful glow around Bush’s voice exposed by the Carina GaN’s headphone output. The music was fluid and delicate, and Bush’s siren-like vocal inflections and sibilants were well controlled. The strings sounded dynamic and genuine, but free of harshness. The kettle-drum strikes were commanding, revealing the instrument’s timbre authentically. There was also good separation between elements. In comparison, the BR-20 had a cleaner but more sterile presentation, with less sense of flow and musical soul. I’d put the Carina GaN’s on the beauty side to the BR-20’s beast—which is a solid compliment to the Carina GaN’s headphone output.

With the Apollo CDP connected to the Carina GaN’s coaxial input, I experimented with the PCM filters (L-FAST, H-FAST, and M-SLOW). Using my Grado SR325e headphones, I switched between the filters. As I mentioned, these filters are only functional with the Carina GaN’s headphone and preamp outputs. The H-FAST sounded the most incisive, having the sharpest treble and making sibilance—those ess, ka, and ch sounds—most evident; meanwhile, the M-SLOW reduced any etch in the treble, giving the most relaxed impression. The L-FAST seemed to fall right in the middle. These details were very small and required intensive listening to discern, with differences only noticeable in the treble frequencies.

Comparison

I compared the Carina GaN to my Rega Elex-R Mk3 using my Bryston BR-20 as a source, set to its unity gain level (-0 volume setting), and connected via analog inputs. While this arrangement eliminated many variables, it did mean there was an analog-to-digital conversion in the Carina’s signal path. The main differences between the Carina GaN and the Elex-R were in their presentation, detail retrieval, and dynamics. The GaN presented the music in a more relaxed manner, while the Elex-R delivered a greater sense of precision and timing. The Carina GaN was smoother top to bottom, but also comparatively opaque in the upper-treble range. It was not quite as revealing of echo/reverb, cymbal sustain, and soundstage size as the Elex-R. Micro- and macrodynamic impact proved to be slightly greater with the Elex-R. However, with complex music arrangements, the Carina GaN sounded more composed, delivering such passages with a greater sense of ease than the Elex-R. The Carina GaN also possessed a more liquid midrange. In the end, this was not really an apples-to-apples comparison, as the Elex-R doesn’t boast nearly as extensive a feature set as the Carina GaN.

Conclusion

Peachtree Audio’s Carina GaN is a feature-rich integrated amplifier. The ability to integrate a Bluesound Node is a major bonus. Given its high-quality MM phono input, making the Carina GaN the hub of a vinyl playback system is no challenge. Headphone fans will find the Carina GaN a pleasure to listen to, and its high-quality build, attractive styling, and compact form factor should allow it to fit into just about any home or office environment. Peachtree Audio’s Carina GaN integrated amplifier has provided me with a new appreciation for power-DAC audio amplification. The Carina GaN is a peach of an amplifier. Maybe you should give it a taste.

. . . George de Sa
george@soundstage.com

Note: for the full suite of measurements from the SoundStage! Audio-Electronics Lab, click here.

Associated Equipment:

• Loudspeakers: Focal Electra 1008 Be 2
• Rack: Quadraspire SV3T
• Turntable: Sony PS-11 with Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge
• CD player: Rega Apollo
• Streaming preamplifier: Bryston BR-20
• Music server: Roon Nucleus
• Notebook PC: Acer Aspire 5 A515-45
• Integrated amplifier: Rega Elex-R Mk3
• Headphones: Grado SR325e
• Cables: Audio Sensibility Statement speaker cables, interconnects, and power cables; Zavfino 1877 Fusion balanced (XLR) interconnects; Furutech ADL Alpha Line Plus (RCA) interconnect.
• Network: Netgear wireless modem

Peachtree Audio Carina GaN integrated amplifier
Price: $2999 (piano black), $3099 (gloss mocha)
Warranty: Two years, parts and labor (three years with product registration)

Signal Path International, LLC
13087 Bleinheim Ln.
Matthews, NC 28105
Phone: (704) 391-9337

Website: www.peachtreeaudio.com