The stereo amplifier is the beating heart of any hi-fi separates system. You can have all the sources (CD player, turntable, music streamer) and as fancy a pair of passive loudspeakers as you can get your hands on, but without an amplifier you simply won't get a sound.
You can cover amplification by connecting sources straight into active speakers, which have amplifiers built into the cabinets, or by opting for a pre/power amplifier pairing where the necessary preamp and power amp duties are housed in separate boxes. But the most simple, convenient, space-efficient and indeed popular option is buying a one-box integrated amplifier. Of course, which integrated you pick will greatly impact your system's sonic quality and character, so you want a best-in-class performer that offers the connections your system needs.
That is where we come in. Our experienced in-house reviews team tests tens of amplifiers every year – we are one of the (if not the) first hi-fi publications to get hands and ears on newly announced models – and has picked eight class leaders across several price points. The What Hi-Fi? testing process is uniquely comprehensive: every amp under scrutiny is compared to the current class leader at its price point in our dedicated listening rooms. Such thoroughness and wide contextual knowledge allow us to confidently pick the best stereo amps across the spectrum. So let's dive into the definitive list, shall we?
The quick list
Arcam’s A15 is well-built, packed with useful features and, most importantly, sounds fantastic.
A fuss-free, well-built stereo amp that sets an enviable standard for sound quality at this modest level.
Arcam is back in the affordable stereo amplifier market with a bang; the A5 is a superbly rounded performer for the money.
An assured, elegant and capable stereo amplifier that cuts to the heart of the music – now with a built-in DAC.
Naim’s Nait XS 3 remains one of the most musically enticing options at this more serious level.
A stripped-back, performance-first amp that delivers exceptional insight, dynamics and rhythmic precision.
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A left-field choice that doesn’t come cheap, but in the right system this Lavardin is a hugely compelling performer.
As brilliant as it is quirky, this diminutive amplifier offers a premium twist on desktop sound.
Recent updates
October 2024: The newly reviewed Rotel 8 replaces the Marantz PM6007 as the Best Entry-level Amplifier due to its greater sonic insight. The former award-winning Marantz moves to our Also Consider list. The Rotel has been labelled a What Hi-Fi? Award 2024 winner alongside the Arcam A5 and A15, Naim Nait XS 3 and Rega Aethos.
I'm the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and have been testing hi-fi and audio equipment for over a decade, including my fair share of stereo amplifiers. An amplifier is the centerpiece of a system, through which music flows both into and out, so it's crucial to get the best performer and partner for your source and speakers that you can afford – and that's where this carefully curated list comes in. There's something to suit all budgets and connectivity requirements here, to get your system singing whether it comprises a modestly priced turntable paired with entry-level speakers, or indeed higher-end kit.
The best stereo amplifier overall
Previous Arcam efforts have always looked tidy, but the British brand's new Radia range, with the all-black finish and subtle yellow accents, looks sleek and modern. Of course, the best part of the Arcam amplifier makeover doesn't concern aesthetics...
The middle-sitter in a range of three, the A15 has this powerful, precise and poised character regardless of the input chosen. "Arcam was one of the pioneers of outboard digital-to-analogue converters back in the ’80s and that experience shines through in the performance of the A15’s digital section," our in-house reviewers note in our A15 review. "It is crisp, insightful and engaging."
We are also impressed by the scale of the sound – "stereo imaging is expansive, stable and nicely layered," we wrote – as well as how it handles music’s savage dynamics. There is no shortage of punch and power, but this is no muscle-bound thug; the A15 is insightful and subtle, able to track multitudes of instrumental strands with skill.
Once we had heard how good Arcam's entry-level A5 (below) sounded, we were a little worried for the A15 – but we needn’t have been. It is clearly better than its talented sibling, delivering a sound of greater clarity, scale and precision that justifies its extra price tag and represents a logical step up.
Better yet, there's a moving-magnet phono stage built in, which is something its closest rival, the Cambridge Audio CXA81 (formerly found in this very spot) doesn't offer – and nor does its brand-new replacement, the CXA81 MKII. The new (and old) Cambridge model does reply with a USB input, though, so if that's important to you then consider it a recommendable alternative.
Otherwise, make sure you give the A15 a listen if it falls within your budget; we haven’t heard a better-sounding alternative for the money.
Read our full Arcam A15 review
The best entry-level stereo amplifier
For many years, Marantz's entry-level amplifier has taken this spot as our most recommendable budget entry, but Rotel has come along this year with the no-frills, performance-first A8 and knocked it off its perch.
The new What Hi-Fi? Award 2024 winner reminds us of Rotel’s excellent, Award-winning budget models from the early 2000s, combining excellent build quality with a sonic performance that sets the benchmark at this modest price point.
Let's get one thing out of the way: the A8 doesn't offer Bluetooth or digital inputs, sticking simply to line-level inputs and an MM phono for connecting a turntable. We don't think that's the end of the world, though, particularly as the DAC module inside a half-decent budget streamer or CD player tends to outperform those inside budget amplifiers anyway. Sure, Bluetooth would have been nice, but you can easily cover that base either with a music streamer or an affordable Bluetooth receiver.
Elsewhere, the Rotel does everything right. The Marantz PM6007 it surpasses may sound more spacious and fluid, but the A8 offers greater insight and is all the more compelling for being able to dig up finer details. As our expert reviewers noted in our A8 review, "this is an amplifier that just fades into the background letting the recording and the other components in the system step into the limelight". If you are looking for a stand-out budget amplifier, ignore this one at your peril.
There aren't many alternatives around this price point that we can heartily recommend, although the aforementioned Marantz is still a great alternative, particularly if you do want digital inputs. And the Rega io is a half-width joy that doesn't cost much more. The high-performing Mission 778X is one to consider if you want Bluetooth and a USB or simply value retro aesthetics and/or a half-width box and can afford the £549 / $549 / AU$1099 outlay.
If you're looking for an even cheaper option, however, we would point you to the five-star Cambridge Audio AXA35, which is a brilliant 'my first amplifier' option.
Read our full Rotel A8 review
The best budget stereo amplifier
Arcam’s once dominant presence in the affordable stereo component market definitely waned in recent years, leaving the likes of Cambridge Audio, Marantz and Rega to take bigger pieces of the pie. Cambridge Audio's CXA61 sat in this very spot on this list for many years, in fact. That it no longer does tells you a lot about how good Arcam's new A5 is. Like its next-level-up A15 sibling (at the top of this list), the A5 is a stonkingly good stereo amp for the money.
It may be the most affordable amplifier in the all-new Radia range, yet it perfectly encapsulates what the company is trying to do. To our eyes, this is a fresh and modern-looking product; and to our ears, it is just as attractive.
An amplifier at this price point is as likely to be partnered with budget kit as it is more premium offerings, so it has to be forgiving enough not to emphasise the shortcomings of more limited partnering equipment, yet still have the insight and transparency to make the most of more capable partners.
As our reviews team was pleased to report, the A5 manages this balancing act superbly. "It has a sweet nature that while full-bodied and smooth never errs far enough to rob the life from the music," reads our A5 review. It's controlled and remains composed even when the music gets dense, and lows are pleasingly well-defined, authoritative and agile.
Turntable owners will be pleased to read that the phono stage is a good one – clear and expressive – while the DAC stage feeding the coaxial and optical inputs is of similar satisfying quality.
Partner the Arcam with suitably capable sources and speakers, and it will invariably deliver musical and enjoyable results. It has been many years since we’ve heard such a convincing stereo amplifier from Arcam. If you are thinking of buying at this level, this one has to go at the top of your shortlist.
Read our full Arcam A5 review
The best mid-range stereo amplifier
The successor to the multi-award winning Rega Elex-R, one of our favourite amplifiers of the last decade, is thankfully far from a disappointing sequel.
Revealing and faithful, it’s sonically capable in ways far beyond our expectations at this mid-tier price point. The elegant, confident way it delivers music is very rare at this level. As our expert reviews team noted in our Elex Mk4 review, "We struggle to focus on particular strands or frequencies to critique, and instead are content listening to track after track and marvelling at how the Rega turns its hand to every song. It simply doesn’t impose itself on the music. That’s a huge accomplishment in its own right." At this price, it's the most entertaining amplifier we've heard – lively, full-bodied and with tip-top timing that truly underpins rhythms.
The addition of digital inputs (at last!) and a headphone port is a great step in the right direction, too, particularly given their good quality, giving customers more flexibility in how they listen to this terrific amp.
If you take the time to partner it carefully (we’d avoid any bright or forward-sounding kit as a rule; pairing it with speakers with more richness to the tone – like the KEF LS50 Meta or Wharfedale Linton – will give the sound more body and weight), this stereo amplifier will work wonders.
If you can stretch your budget further, Rega's Elicit MK5 is a similar but superior-sounding proposition that will set you back a bit more – a great and slightly more affordable alternative to the Naim Nait XS 3 below.
Read our full Rega Elex Mk4 review
The best premium stereo amplifier
This is the third-generation instalment of a model first introduced in 2008. The XS 3 adds a moving magnet phono stage and better responsiveness, and that's about it. If that sounds negative, it shouldn't – the XS 3 is a killer stereo amp, having earned a well-deserved five stars and multiple What Hi-Fi? Awards for its trouble.
Why? Attention. To. Detail. Open it up and you'll see what we mean – there's immaculately assembled audio circuitry, with fantastic care shown in reducing the degrading effect of outside interference and unwanted interactions between components, down to the way the connecting wiring is shaped and the exact number and placement of the tie clips used to hold it in place!
Such engineering care shines through the Nait's performance. The sound is much crisper and more agile than its forebear. It might not be enough of a difference to justify upgrading from its predecessor, but it still makes for an awesome amp nonetheless. There's a combination of insight, dynamic subtlety and rhythmic drive that’s hard to better at this level, with energy on tap and a good degree of refinement when required.
The new phono stage proves a worthy addition, too. While phono circuits integrated into stereo amplifiers aren't always of great quality, the one in the XS 3 bucks that trend. Our in-house reviews team described its "detailed and punchy performance that brims with energy and interest," to quote our Nait XS 3 review.
Ultimately, the Nait XS 3 delivers the music with emotional impact intact – and that's all anyone could ever ask of it.
Read our full Naim Nait XS 3 review
If anything on this list has stood the test of time, it's the Nait XS model. I've loved listening to it over the years. Just be aware that it doesn't have digital connectivity, which you might find slightly surprising in this day and age. But I – and I'm sure Naim! – would argue that an outboard DAC would be a better solution anyway at this level, and at least this way the XS 3's analogue performance doesn’t suffer from any digital integration.
The best stereo amplifier for purists
The Rega Aethos delivers a fantastic fusion of insight, dynamics and rhythmic precision to produce a class-leading sound at this serious level. It's not the most highly-specced stereo amp we've seen: there are no digital inputs (something Rega is now starting to add in its newer releases), nor is there a phono stage for a turntable, which is perhaps the more surprising omission given Rega’s record player heritage. So those wanting to connect digital sources or a phono-less turntable should seek an outboard DAC and/or phono preamp.
You do get five line-level inputs and a 6.3mm headphone socket, though, and for those who don't care much for digital (or have another solution to get it), that'll do very nicely.
If you can live with that, the Rega will reward you with a captivating sound that majors in clarity and dynamic fluidity. It's clean, coherent, forthright and uncovers unprecedented insight at this level. Its sense of timing is second to none at this price, which is part of the reason it is a current What Hi-Fi? Awards winner.
Just note that tonally it sits just on the lean side of neutral, albeit in no way sounds thin or undernourished. Our expert reviewers suggest in our Aethos review that "it’s best to avoid systems that already edge towards brightness or aggression; it is a revealing amplifier that doesn’t go out of its way to hide the shortcomings of its partnering source or speakers."
Performance-wise, the Aethos is our definitive number-one pick at this level. That said, if your budget can stretch a bit further but you don't have high-end money to spend on the Lavardin ITx below, the competitively performing Naim Supernait 3 (phono inclusive), Rotel Michi X3 (phono and digital) and Cambridge Audio Edge A (digital and Bluetooth) are all worthy alternatives if you crave more features than the line-level-only Aethos offers.
Read our full Rega Aethos review
The best high-end stereo amplifier
The Lavardin ITx is one of the most uncluttered and self-effacing amplifiers we’ve ever heard. "Its presentation isn’t warm or rich in the manner of some valve designs," notes our ITx review, "but it is incredibly sweet sounding, in all the best ways. This is also a fast and fluid performance, one that’s immensely precise without sounding clinical in any way."
Its stereo imaging is wonderfully expansive and impressively precise, richly textured and a musical champ.
It isn't a stereo amplifier that encourages over analysis of the hi-fi system or the recording being played. It is more than transparent enough to perform that role but prefers to put the spotlight firmly on the music. That’s the way we like it, and we rarely come across a product that sounds 'just right'. Does the ITx live up to our fond memory of the original from the late '90s? Yes, it absolutely does.
Just be aware that this is nothing other than an integrated amplifier for purists. The ITx’s connectivity is limited but adequate for most stereo setups. There are four single-ended line-level inputs, a lone tape output and a pair of modest-looking speaker terminals. So if you play records or use headphones, make sure to budget for a phono stage and headphone amplifier to do those jobs.
If you've got more to spend, the Luxman L-509Z is also an excellent performance-first choice, while the digital-friendly Copland CSA 100 is a slightly more affordable and versatile option to consider. The newly reviewed Chord Ultima Integrated is also hugely impressive around the same price level if you don't mind its minimalist approach to features.
Read our full Lavardin ITx review
The best desktop stereo amplifier
Chord Electronics has proven to have quite some talent in finding new market niches, and the diminutive Anni desktop stereo amplifier is a perfect example of that.
It truly is a proper Chord amplifier in miniature, using as it does the Ultima dual feed-forward circuitry seen in the latest generation of the brand’s high-end power amplification. However, the Anni is only the size of the Chord Qutest digital-to-analogue converter and is intended to be an ideal partner for that DAC and the company’s Huei phono stage.
While it could drive big speakers in a traditional setup, a 10-watt-per-channel power output will only go so far in such a situation, and really it’s designed for desktop use with either headphones or suitable speakers. Our reviews team tried it in a computer and headphones system, as well as with a mature, conventional speaker-fronted one, and it worked well with both.
Despite its diminutive size and limited connectivity (two analogue inputs), the Anni is among the most capable desktop/headphone amplifiers we’ve heard. It sounds clean, clear and articulate yet is able to communicate the energy and drive of upbeat songs too.
The Anni is a surprising product when used with speakers. It delivers a scale and solidity of sound that belies its tiny stature, though don't expect the muscle and authority a conventionally sized class leader, like the Arcam A15, can deliver. This Chord delivers a fuller, more robust presentation than we’ve come to expect from the brand, but it still renders enough in the way of detail and transparency to satisfy.
Use it as a desktop amplifier as intended and it shines. Sure, there are operational quirks – something that’s proving to be a Chord trait – but when the Anni sounds this good we can forgive a lot.
For a much more affordable but similarly sized, desktop-friendly alternative, consider the NAD D 3020 V2.
Read the full Chord Anni review
Also consider
- Rega io: If you're looking for a fun and affordable amplifier and don't need digital connectivity, this Rega has been a favourite of ours for years. No, it isn't all that well equipped, but sonically it's bags of fun and hugely entertaining, even if the Rotel on our list is more insightful.
- Marantz PM6007: This entry-level Marantz may have been knocked off its perch by the more detailed (albeit not as spacious or fluid) Rotel A8 on this list, but it remains a highly recommendable amp, especially for those who want digital connections.
- Naim Supernait 3: A better-equipped alternative to the Rega Aethos on this list thanks to its inclusion of a phono stage. The Supernait is also a remarkable all-round performer and recommendable for anyone who favours Naim's authoritative and dynamic sonic character.
- Luxman L-509Z: A great high-end alternative to the Lavardin for those who want both aspirational performance and modern-day features. This all-rounder proves that comprehensive functionality and great sound are not mutually exclusive.
- PMC Cor: Sitting between the Rega and Lavardin is this wonderful PMC, which is currently being used as a second reference amplifier in the What Hi-Fi? test rooms. It's a purely analogue amplifier that turns in a superbly musical performance.
How to choose the best stereo amplifier for you
Firstly, you should consider what sources you have and how you want to connect them. Stereo amplifiers aren't as simple and stripped back as they used to be; the days of equipping them with just analogue inputs and outputs and a pair of speaker terminals are now no longer the norm.
With laptops, phones and music streaming services becoming ever-more popular music sources, the integrated amplifier has indeed moved with the times. Many now contain built-in digital-to-analogue converters (DACs) that feed digital inputs for connecting laptops, hard drives and digital-savvy hi-fi sources. This is convenient, though note that not all digital stages are implemented as well as analogue ones, and higher-end systems may benefit from an analogue-only amplifier design paired with an outboard DAC.
The vinyl revival has seen many integrate phono stages for turntables, too. Some have Bluetooth for added wireless convenience, while others boast wi-fi/Ethernet complete with network streaming to make them fully-fledged, just-add-speakers systems, otherwise known as 'streaming amplifiers' (and for the best of those, you'll want to head on over to our best hi-fi systems page). So what you require will depend on your needs and the connectivity of any existing equipment you have.
You should also consider your amp's partnership with your speakers. The speaker/amp relationship not only comes down to an amp’s power output but also the speaker's impedance characteristics and sensitivity. There are tonal characteristics to take into consideration too to ensure the best sonic synergy. So if you need clarification on system matching, you should head over to our thorough how to choose and set up a stereo amplifier advice page.
How we test stereo amplifiers
We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London and Reading, where our team of experienced, in-house reviewers test every bit of hi-fi and AV kit that passes through our door. Every stereo amplifier we test takes up residency in one of our two reference hi-fi rooms for the duration of its review.
What Hi-Fi? is all about comparative testing, so we listen to every stereo amplifier we test against the current leader – often a What Hi-Fi? Award winner – in its class to gauge how it compares to the competition. We keep Award-winning products in our stockrooms so we can always put new products against ones we know and love. We do our best to review as many new models in as many markets as possible, too, ensuring our contextual knowledge is the best it can be. And we encounter even more during our What Hi-Fi? Awards judging in autumn, where we listen to every amplifier manufacturers submit.
We are always impartial in our testing and ensure we hear every stereo amplifier at its optimum. So we'll use different partnering products – those in our high-end reference system as well as more price-comparable ones – and ensure we listen through an amp's multiple connections to test both its analogue and (if applicable) digital output stages. We also try plenty of different types of music and naturally give them plenty of listening time (and time to run in) too.
All review verdicts are agreed upon by the team as a whole rather than an individual reviewer to eliminate any personal preference and to make sure we're being as thorough as possible. There's no input from PR companies or our sales team when it comes to the verdict, with What Hi-Fi? proud of having delivered honest, unbiased reviews for decades.
You can read more about how we test and review products on What Hi-Fi? here.
Recent updates
- August 2024: The newly reviewed, five-star Chord Ultima Integrated gets a recommendation as an even higher-end alternative to our 'Best High-End' Lavardin pick, for those who don't mind stripped-back features.
- June 2024: The newly reviewed Luxman L-509Z secures a spot in our Also Consider section. We look forward to seeing whether the just-announced Cambridge CXA81 MKII can take back the crown from the class-leading Arcam A15.
- February 2024: Added an FAQ section (below) to help readers with their stereo amplifier buying decisions.
- December 2023: Added 'also consider' options to each entry where relevant to give readers an alternative in case our pick wasn't suitable for their connectivity needs.
- November 2023: Replaced the Cambridge Audio CXA81 for the Arcam A15 as our 'Best overall' recommendation following its What Hi-Fi? Award win. The Arcam A5 was also added as our go-to budget amp following its awards season triumph.
F.A.Q.
Should you buy an integrated amp or separate pre/power amps?
Integrated amplifiers pack both pre- and power amplification into one box, and all of the stereo amps on this list are this type. The advantage is neatness due to fewer boxes and cables and the fact that the pre and power stages will have been tuned to work optimally together.
Alternatively, you can buy individual preamplifiers (which essentially handle input selection and volume control) and power amplifiers (which increases the amplitude of the audio signal) and these have advantages, mainly in that they keep the sensitive preamp circuitry away from the electrically noisy high-current power amplifier section, and having separate power supplies helps improve sound quality too. It generally makes sense to pick a pre and power pairing from the same manufacturer as they will have been tuned together.
More information can be found in our how to choose and set up a stereo amplifier article.
Can you get stereo amps with HDMI?
Most stereo amplifiers will offer digital connections such as optical, coaxial and USB, though fewer include HDMI ARC ports for hooking up your TV. HDMI is much more common on surround sound-savvy AV receivers.
However, some people like to use their stereo system to make their television sound better, and including HDMI is a neat way of making that happen. Cambridge Audio has recognised that with its Edge A integrated by including an HDMI ARC socket. Other examples with HDMI ARC include the NAD C 389, Audiolab 7000A and the more home cinema-aligned Marantz Stereo 70.
Stereo amp or receiver?
You may see integrated amplifiers labelled as 'stereo amplifiers' or 'stereo receivers'. They are essentially the same thing, though the term receiver indicates that the amplifier has FM/AM and/or DAB radio built-in and therefore can play radio channels through connected speakers without requiring a source. An example of this is the Yamaha R-S202D.
These are less common nowadays as internet radio and DAB are often built into source components.