Monitor Audio unveils its most compact and affordable amplifier yet
The IA40-3 custom install amplifier is designed for music and movies alike
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Monitor Audio has today expanded its custom install range with the launch of the IA40-3 amplifier, a compact (as you can see) and affordable (£395) model designed to be the driving force in a TV or audio system.
With 40 watts of power over three channels, or 60 watts over two, the British brand is pitching its latest addition as an ideal powerhouse for passive bookshelf, in-wall and in-ceiling speakers (it naturally points to a pair of its own!) or a television.
There’s Dolby Audio decoding (Dolby Digital) through an optical connection to a TV, and also on the connectivity side is analogue inputs, aptX Bluetooth, and a sub/line output to cater for the hook-up of an active subwoofer.
Designed for easy, do-it-yourself installation, its brackets allow it to be positioned on a wall, cabinet, stand or, thanks to the supplied Velcro strips, the back of a TV. And thanks to a heat sink design aimed at keeping the amp cool even in tight spaces, it can be discretely hidden away without risk of overheating. Also enabling discrete positioning is an IR sensor that can learn the volume controls from a TV’s remote control.
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Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of the brand's sister magazines Down Under – Australian Hi-Fi and Audio Esoterica. During her 11+ years in the hi-fi industry, she has reviewed all manner of audio gear, from budget amplifiers to high-end speakers, and particularly specialises in headphones and head-fi devices. In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.