Possible for a Nobel Prize! | Moonriver Audio 505 Hybrid Phono review in LP magazine by Christian Bayer
”The 505 captures the delicacy of Nils Orland and Sigbjörn Apeland's Nordic mélange of a Herdanger fiddle with its additional resonance strings and a harmonium that seems to sound from within the earth with all its finest nuances. Tonally it's beautiful, dynamically incorruptible, totally calm and stable and anchored in the vastness of the north. But it also works with juice and strength. John Scofield, one of my great guitar heroes, has released another dream album with “Uncle John's Band”. Vicente Archer on bass and drummer Billy Stewart, who gets better as he gets older, play on “Mr. Tambourine Man” in the most subtle way. You've definitely never heard the Dylan classic like this before and I can only recommend this ECM recording to you. The Moonriver 505 brings out everything that is on offer in terms of delicate dynamic jumps and tonal delicacies and seduces me to continue listening indefinitely”.
Read the whole review translated in English here
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Editor’s Choice Award! | Moonriver Audio 404 Reference review in The Ear magazine by Chris Kelly
"My system, with the 404 Reference at its beating heart, was as immersive as any I have heard, here or elsewhere. Regular readers will know that one of my favourite pieces is Pink Floyd’s Echoes, which takes up the whole of the second side of Meddle. Its epic sweep has never been better portrayed in my home than it was by this system, with the contribution of each band member clearly heard and placed in the soundstage, without any detriment to the musical flow. Hard to believe that it was released over half a century ago, it sounded so vivid here.
If there was any justice, the name Moonriver Audio ought to be mentioned in the same breath as that of many much more widely acclaimed brands. I congratulate the Moonriver team on this achievement – they are going to have their work cut out to produce something better than this. I know it is only May, but I think I have already identified a shoo-in for one of my Product of the Year nominations”.
Moonriver Audio 404 review in AVF Line magazine by Ywen
"Although Moonriver Audio is a young company, it has entered our sights with many new elements: new positioning, new design, new technology, while also retaining the necessary functions and features in the development process of Hi-Fi. , from which we can see Moonriver Audio’s full sincerity to users. The Model 404 integrated power amplifier is a relatively versatile power amplifier. It has a bland personality and allows the speaker to bring out its characteristics. The retro appearance, neutral and durable sound, the ability to add phono preamplifier and decoding modules, and 100% Swedish manufacturing make the Model 404 an extremely cost-effective integrated amplifier”.
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Responsive and Powerful! | Moonriver 404 Reference review in HiFi Review magazine by Chen Haichuan
"Drum Improvisation is crisp, refreshing and energetic with contrast between big and small percussion instruments The soundstage and front-to-back layers are clear. It also makes me think that Model 404 Reference is class AB but it sounds like a class A with higher bias, so it is not only that has delicate tone, but it is also vigorous and lively It also has heart, power and speed when playing the drums.”
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Gosh! | Moonriver 404 Reference review in Audio Magazine by Lothar Brandt
"A nice integrated amplifier in the old fashioned way. I didn't miss the DAC board, that belongs to the source anyway. The phono stage can also convince audiophiles. The silky, confident sound of the Moonriver 404 Reference is definitely for connoisseurs. The 404 Reference didn't overwhelm the fine, internal dynamic levels and basically took the listener by the hand for every slight increase or decrease. That was fine, fresh sound that opened up beautifully and transparently.”
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Absolutely Divine! | Moonriver 404 & 404 Reference + phono stage MM/MC extensive review in Audiophile FR by Lionel Schmitt
"[...] In fact, I would even go so far as to say that this amplifier is a sort of real “musical bible” which allows us to discover the history and the underlying story of each extract. He works perfectly to focus on each instrument, on the vocal section revealing all the substance and magic of the interpretation, undoubtedly desired by the author – composer – performer.
[...] Listening to the soundtrack of the film Barry Lyndon in turn reserves excellent surprises. Just like the amplifier itself, it is undeniable that the phono section does extensive analysis work. Sensations of intense emotions are perceived without filters. The music is fruity: it opens with absolutely exquisite colored hues.
[...] Several weeks of listening allowed us to understand the musical temperament of these two Swedish integrated amplifiers. MOONRIVER 404 amplifiers are not an exception in themselves in this product category. However, they bring their share of pleasant surprises on all objective and subjective criteria. Extremely musical, devilishly endearing, they are distinguished by a singing temperament in all repertoires. Melodious by nature, their great strength is also their transparency . What if I told you that in the company of these amplifiers, “music is born from silence”?
Read the whole review here translated in English
Read the whole review here in French
Beautifully Warm and Expressive Sound | Moonriver 404 Reference review in Esoterica by Steve Holding
"The Moonriver 404 Reference’s ability to deliver the wall of sound with such solidity was the standout experience for me. It’s as if I were being hit by a sonic sledgehammer, particularly in the drumming department. [...] I was impressed by the Moonriver 404 Reference’s ability to create a totally rich soundscape while at the same time making it easy to hear every single sonic nuance from every different instrument. ”
50 watts Beyond Expectations | Moonriver 404 review in Audio Art by Tao Zhonghao
"The Model 404 can make music sound warmer, smoother, and more intimate, while not suppressing the liveliness that should be present in music performance. It can fully demonstrate the openness of the music, and can also reveal the micro and macro dynamics very clearly. It can especially express the micro-dynamics of low passages clearly and delicately. For a comprehensive amplifier with an output power of 50 watts, this performance has completely exceeded my expectations.”.
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Dream Maker | Moonriver 404 Reference review in Hi-Fi News by Andrew Everard, Lab: Paul Miller
"There's no overt 'hi-finess' here, but instead an honest, rich and enveloping sound from boogie to sweeping orchestra to sultry jazz. While some will wish for more power, a headphone socket, or even a functioning USB input, the 404 Reference still offers a refreshing alternative to amplifiers with more obvious physical size and swagger.
The fuzzy guitars, relentless drive and growled vocals sounded magnificent here, and you could almost sense the spontaneity of the trio involved in making so big a sound in their California desert studio. It's a thick, heavy and rather fabulous album, and from the straight-rockers to the more menacing – the simmering 'Spanish Fly' and the dark closer, 'Desert High' – the Model 404 Reference creates compelling sonic pictures, full of ambience and hot, dusty atmosphere”.
A Benchmark Integrated Amplifier | Moonriver 404 Reference review in Blog Son-Video by Valentin Lefort
"The Moonriver Model 404 Reference amplifier’s musical performance was incredibly refined. It reproduced each note with great finesse and real attention to detail. The slightest nuances could be clearly heard. The Moonriver Model 404 Reference made us want to listen to our reference tracks louder and for longer to discover hidden details.
With the Moonriver Model 404 Reference, the Swedish manufacturer has renewed its flagship amplifier to offer an even more refined, dynamic and balanced sound. The reproduction is still just as pure, warm and tonally accurate. The Moonriver Model 404 Reference impresses with its ability to combine a warm sound worthy of a tube amplifier with dynamics that can only be achieved with transistors. The 50W per channel easily competes with much more powerful models thanks to a power reserve seldom seen in hi-fi. This ensures an optimal impulse response, deep bass and a perfect power supply for many bookshelf and floorstanding speakers. Lastly, the design inspired by the most elegant models of the 70s and 80s makes this amplifier a real success in every respect, and one of the best references in its price range.”
