A Dreammaker From Moonriver | Moonriver Audio 404 Reference review in Stereophile by Jason Victor Serinus 02/2020
"A Roon search led me to Trio Tapestry (Qobuz 24/96 FLAC), which is led by saxophonist Joe Lovano with Crispell and percussionist Carmen Castaldi (Qobuz 24/96 FLAC). I couldn’t believe how realistic Castaldi’s gongs sounded on “One Time In.” On “Seeds of Change,” sonics and musicianship were mesmerizing. The varied heights of instruments in the deep and spacious soundstage were enthralling. Everything felt so right that there was nothing to do but bliss out.
I wrote at the beginning of this review that the Moonriver 404 Reference is the least expensive integrated amplfier I’ve had in my system; that makes it difficult for me to proclaim the Moonriver 404 Reference integrated amplfier a new benchmark for sonic excellence in an integrated costing $5000 or less. But I’m tempted to anyway, because it does justice to complex and demanding recordings and it sounds tonally spot on, well balanced, clear, and musical.
For some of you, the Moonriver 404 Reference integrated may be the longed-for component, just waitin’ round the bend, that transports you to audio nirvana. With dutiful attention to setup and component matching, the Moonriver Model 404 Reference integrated amplifer can deliver Class A sound at a Class B price, and joyful listening".
The Tannhäuser Gate / Positive Feedback | Moonriver Audio 404 Review from John Marks 11/2020
"It sounds more powerful than 50 Watts. It was also very dynamic, from the smallest gradations of chamber music, to large-scale orchestral works. However, I think that the most important characteristic is the coherence of the sound. I don't want to use the word "smoothness," because that might give the impression of rounded-off highs. The highs are not rounded off. And that's certainly not what the designer intended, because the small script word "fågelsång" on the front panel means "birdsong." There is a very organic "togetherness" to the sound. Both in the time domain, and in the frequency domain. After one of the listening parties, one participant remarked that it was a true measure of how great an audio product the Moonriver 404 is, that nobody really had any comments to make about it. They just listened to it, and enjoyed the music.
To sum up: Highest Recommendation".
Read the whole review here:
https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/moonriver-audio-404/
Moonriver Audio 404: Green Award effortlessly earned 09/2020
Green Audio Review website awards the Moonriver 404 with a Green Award:
"The Moonriver 404 does that most important of jobs with flair: it makes our loudspeakers sound good. Any loudspeaker I threw at it was a great match. The see-through capabilities of this amplifier are simply amazing. The first time I plugged in the 404 it was revelatory. Clarity, insight, momentum, crisp smoothness. But when it had been in my system for a while and it was time to say goodbye it was harder than usual to let it go. Other amplifiers – even my beloved Croft separates – sounded, well, off. Better than Croft? That is high praise indeed".
Read more: http://greenaudioreview.com/moonriver-404-review/
A Charming Combination | Moonriver Audio 404 & ATC SCM40 v.2 Review in AUDIOHT magazine 09/2020
"The combination of ATC's SCM40 version 2 and Moonriver Audio's 404 actually sounds very synergistic. The high resolution, high-end ATC monitors have a transparent and three-dimensional sound stage and an accurate, colorless midrange convey the true information of the recording exactly as it is. The recording of a large format, such as the finale of Bernstein and New York Philharmonic's Mahler's Symphony No. 2, reveals a three-dimensional stage with wide left and right depths a deep front and rear depth, and shows the driving force of stable power without collapsing into the center of the stage even in the gun barrel. It is easy to understand the separation of vocals and orchestra instruments, as it shows the strength of the speaker's resolution and detail".
Korean (original) version:
http://www.audioht.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=11550
English version (Google Translate):
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=el&sl=ko&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.audioht.co.kr%2Fnews%2FarticleView.html%3Fidxno%3D11550&sandbox=1
Review: Moonriver Audio Model 404 in HiFi Philoshophy magazine 06/2020
"Overall, the amplifier turned out to offer a colorful, atmospheric and well-saturated sound, it was also able to reproduce spatial effects, especially holography and reverbs. It doesn't hide the naturalness of the vocals, it was able to create a deep stage, immersing the listener in the music, allowing him to enjoy it. The most important here was the atmosphere, it was a reference to the sound from tubes. No bright light, especially soprano glow - transparent and atmospheric sound at the same time. Translucency was combined with chiaroscuro, the number of details was sufficient, and most of all it included the omnipresent three-dimensional, concerning both the stage and the sounds. Simultaneously, a melange of a good substitute for the most expensive and best amplifiers, for which you can pay tens, sometimes hundreds of thousands.".
Polish (original) version:
https://hifiphilosophy.com/recenzja-moonriver-audio-model-404/?caly-artykul=1
English version (Google Translate):
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=el&sl=pl&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fhifiphilosophy.com%2Frecenzja-moonriver-audio-model-404%2F%3Fcaly-artykul%3D1
A Bright Pearl from Sweden | Moonriver Audio 404 Review in NGHENHIN magazine 04/2020
"Despite its classic design, the Model 404 completely convinced us of the "jacket" outside. We can see there is balanced, calm, but not too flashy. As for the sound, this amplifier easily convinces the listener. It expresses the sound in a very natural and vivid way, does not highlight any sub-areas, does not add color to the music, but only provides a classy and coherent sound. Although the price of the product is only in the mid-range tube amplifier segment, Moonriver Audio Model 404 is completely capable of bringing true hi-end sound, especially towards the philosophy of modern audio design, optimizing the dynamic and preserving the fidelity of the recording. It is completely possible to defeat the competition with many times higher prices".
Vietnamese (original) version:
https://nghenhinvietnam.vn/tin-tuc/moonriver-audio-model-404-vien-ngoc-sang-den-tu-thuy-dien-63598.html
English version (Google Translate):
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=el&sl=vi&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fnghenhinvietnam.vn%2Ftin-tuc%2Fmoonriver-audio-model-404-vien-ngoc-sang-den-tu-thuy-dien-63598.html
A New Powerhouse | Moonriver Audio 404 Integrated Amplifier Review in AUDIOHT magazine 06/2020
"The Swedish Moonriver 404 is a very good amplifier with the advantage of pure sound that extracts the recording as it is, in a neutral, natural tone with excellent dynamics and modern sound characteristics added to the retro but attractive appearance".
Korean (original) version:
http://www.audioht.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=11413
English version (Google Translate):
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=el&tab=TT&sl=ko&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.audioht.co.kr%2Fnews%2FarticleView.html%3Fidxno%3D11413
Classicismo Sueco | A Moonriver Audio 404 Review in HIFICLUBE magazine 05/2020
“The 404 is an amplifier with modern, vibrant and young sound, with a high "athletic" capacity. It is difficult to define the type of the sound: Voices sound clean, clear, without artificial 'chest', which can often be confused with body and texture. It sounds like a thin cambric which, by letting the light through, show us the threads that makes the texture of the fabric: the smallest details are heard as part of the music, and not just as sound 'fireworks'.
The sound is so delicate and rich in information, that even conventional speakers seem to exhibit the characteristics of transparency and harmonic richness typical of electrostatics. It is a unique product from a new brand which can help you to solve the old valve vs. transistor dichotomy, offering colorless transparency, speed and dynamics without "aggression".
Portuguese version:
http://www.hificlube.net/artigos/reviews-testes/moonriver-audio-404-classicismo-sueco/
English version (Google Translate):
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=pt&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hificlube.net%2Fartigos%2Freviews-testes%2Fmoonriver-audio-404-classicismo-sueco%2F
Moonriver Audio 404 Review in HIFI Test magazine issue 02/2020
“The 404 plays incredibly direct and doesn't give much the idea of the typical high-end sound. It sounds fresh and out of the box. The sound stage is wide, but has a particularly important effect in depth and height and sounds pleasantly lush. The retro style goes beyond the look. It is a device to touch, but most of all to listen to music, because of its direct and energetic sound which is the actual charm of the amplifier".
https://hifitest.de/shop/einsnull/2000-einsnull-2-2020-epaper.html
Moonriver Audio 404 Integrated Amplifier Review in Stereo+ magazine issue 02/2020
“Absolutely fantastic with full control in the base and with an almost overwhelming musicality. It plays music in an open and transparent way, allowing for full insight into a well-defined three-dimensional soundscape. The Moonriver amplifier is incredibly nimble and precise, and has a transient response that makes your favorite music a festive moment. Everything merges into a rich and vibrant soundscape with massive amounts of information and timbre nuances".
Download the Norwegian version