Power Amplifiers - Leema Acoustics
A dedicated power amplifier and pre amplifier in a hi-fi separates system is an aspiration for many music lovers as this set-up usually offers superior performance over a single box integrated amplifier. We offer both stereo and mono power amps. Using 2 mono or 'monoblok' power amps instead of a single stereo model can offer even greater performance. You can even upgrade to 4 monobloks for bi-wirable speakers (two on either side powering each driver) or 6 monobloks on tri-wirable speakers. You can directly link a power amp to your music source if the source features built-in pre amp but a dedicated pre amp is generally recommended to also offer source selection and volume control. We also sell multi-channel power amps for home cinema. Need advice choosing? Please call us or email us for advice.
Leema Acoustics products range from the classic award-winning Constellation series, new remarkable Stellar series, sleek half-size Element series and the small but premium-grade discrete Essential add-on series; all of which are complimented by Leema's high-end handbuilt cables.
Leema was founded in 1998 by ex-BBC engineers Lee Taylor and Mallory Nicholls who wanted to explore their keen interest in audio reproduction. The began by focusing on pushing the limits of loudspeaker design to create a miniature loudspeaker able to outperform much-larger systems.
The available design principles and algorithms at the time were unable to bring this vision to life, so Taylor and Nicholls embarked on four years of extensive work accumulating in a micro monitor of unprecedented technical and musical excellence which they named Xen. It was initially only available to the professional audio market but as audiophiles learnt of the quality of Leema products, Xen moved into the domestic market.
Following this success and inspired by the overwhelming reception, they shifted their expertise to additional speakers and complementary audio electronic components resulting in the release of the Tucana integrated amplifier in 2006 which won the coveted HiFi News "amplifier of the year award" a few months later. The Antila CD player followed soon after and almost immediately swooped up the prestigious "What Hi-Fi? Sound & Vision best CD player" award in 2007.
To date, Leema Acoustic's industry-leading products has expanded to include the Reference, Elements and more recently the Essentials range. These products continue to accumulate global acclaim, “best in class” reviews and countless prominent awards.
In 2007, Leema formed a partnership with a local Welsh manufacturer Davlec to supply an increasingly high demand. Established in 1983, Davlec originally designed and manufactured electronics for the Dairy industry. In 2014 Davlec and Leema joined forces to bring together decades of experience from the production and design teams and over 30 years of manufacturing expertise to continue to produce top-standard audio products.
Using an individual power amp and pre amplifier is considered the pinnacle of audio and most premium systems and no expense spared hi-fis use separate power and pre amplifiers. Breaking down equipment into as many separate boxes as possible is a principle used in most aspects of hi-fi, due to the acoustic benefits that can be achieved. When using a one-box unit such as an integrated amplifier, power supplies for both the pre and power amp circuitry are housed within the same unit. Power supplies are typically “noisy” and can add unwanted resonance when poorly isolated. By separating these components as much as possible, the power supplies are also separated, preventing unwanted resonance from affecting the overall sound quality.
Power amps receive an input from a pre amplifier via RCA input, with some models offering alternative inputs such as balanced XLR. Output to speakers is then taken from the speaker terminals also known as speaker “taps”. Speaker terminals generally accept spade plugs, banana plugs as well as bare wire. However, some brands like Naim and Cyrus accept only proprietary BFA or banana plugs, so please check before purchasing if you wish to use existing pre-terminated cables with your amp. Most of the power amplifiers we offer are made for stereo use and suitable for driving a pair of speakers. Some power amplifiers can drive two pairs of speakers though if you need a multi-channel setup such as a home cinema surround sound speaker system, an AV Receiver may be more appropriate.
Power amps drive your speakers with output quoted in watts (e.g. 50W per channel or 100W per channel). When choosing a model, consult the recommended amplifier power for your speakers. Delivering suitable and appropriate power to your speakers is key to getting the best possible sound quality from them and your system. Using an amplifier with too little power for your speakers can result in a lacklustre and underwhelming performance, while an amp with too much power can result in overdriving your speakers and potentially damaging them. Some amplifiers, particularly those which are valve-based or Class A designs will be rated with a lower power rating, due to the nature of their designs and their efficiencies. Such amps can deliver stunning sound but can be harder to pair with speakers based on statistsics as a lower power rating may not equate to the same power rating on a solid state design. Feel free to get in touch to discuss pairing or to arrange a demonstration of one of these models.