LEAK Audio STR130/CDT

Some components just look and sound perfect when they're together, and we'd put the LEAK Stereo 130 integrated amp and the LEAK CDT CD transport high on that list. Both feature sturdy and attractive metal cases with retro-style buttons and knobs — and you can choose the sleek silver-only version, or the pairing ensconced in warm walnut. And the CDT is designed to read a disc with minimum jitter and distortion, so it can pass pure signal along to the excellent DAC inside the Stereo 130. You could separate them, but why would you want to? The LEAK CDT does not have a digital-to-analog converter in it, because it's designed to take advantage of the exceptional DAC in the Stereo 130. It plays audio CDs, CD-Rs and CD-RWs, which load via an ultra-smooth slot-loading mechanism that's quiet and reliable. The CDT has a rugged, vibration-resistant chassis, and its precise internal clock ensures pure, distortion-free signals from the optical and coaxial digital outputs. A Type-A USB input on the front panel allows yo...