Source: Press Release, Last Accessed: 2020/07/30

Founded in 1934, Leak is one of the most important names from the early years of the British Hi-Fi scene, responsible for many technological firsts throughout the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s. For example, the Point One series of valve amplifiers introduced in 1945 were the first to reduce total harmonic distortion to 0.1%, while its Sandwich speakers heralded true-piston cone action by sandwiching polystyrene foam between outer skins of stiff aluminum foil. Such was Leak’s engineering excellence that its 1955 Trough-Line is still considered one of the finest FM tuners ever made.
The all-new Stereo 130 is a descendant of another Leak classic, the Stereo 30 integrated amplifier, which arrived in 1963 as the first commercially available all-transistor amplifier. It spearheaded the use of transformer-less transistor output stages over then-standard transformer-coupled designs, paving the way for future solid-state amps.
The Stereo 130’s aesthetic resemblance, with its optional real-wood enclosure and invitingly tactile front panel, isn’t the only nod to its ancestor. The engineering behind its circuit design embodies the Stereo 30’s pioneering spirit, too, utilizing the latest techniques and technologies to bring this classic transistor amp design bang up to date. With its connectivity also benefiting from such modernization, the Stereo 130 is destined to form the beating heart of many a high-performance, multi-format audio system – ready to deliver vinyl, CD, Bluetooth-streamed and USB-stored music, through all manner of speakers and headphones. A high-quality, low-noise, J-FET-based MM phono stage is included, while analogue line-level inputs and optical, coaxial and asynchronous USB digital connections accommodate external CD players, computers, network streamers, TVs and more. Hi-res PCM (up to 32-bit/384kHz) and DSD (up to 11.2MHz/DSD256) files are supported. The Stereo 130 also recognizes the convenience of streaming music from a phone, tablet or music player over aptX Bluetooth. Stereo 130 is a Class AB power amp featuring a 200VA toroidal transformer, followed by 2x15000uF capacitor reservoir. Headphone users are well catered for thanks to a dedicated amp stage with current-feedback circuitry.
For the people for whom CD remains crucial, the Leak CDT is the Stereo 130’s ideal CD-playing companion. The CDT is a dedicated CD transport incorporating the same slot-loading mechanism as the highly acclaimed CD players and transports made by another of Leak’s sister-companies, Audiolab. The master clock is controlled by a temperature-compensated crystal oscillator, enabling the digital output from both coaxial and optical sockets to exhibit low levels of jitter.
As well as spinning CDs, the CDT features a front-mounted USB input, enabling playback from USB storage devices. FAT16 and FAT32 formatted devices are supported, and WAV, AAC, WMA and MP3 files can be played, with file navigation available via the front panel controls and remote handset.

For more information: https://www.leak-hifi.co.uk/

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