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.”
Download the review in German here
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.”.
Download the review in Chinese here
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.”
L'oiseau chanteur venu de Suède (The songbird from Sweden) | Moonriver Audio 404 on-mag.fr review by Pierre Stemmelin
”You can tell that this Moonriver 404 was created by a team of audiophiles who truly love what they do and music. Its creators certainly spent many hours listening to it to refine the design of their device and carefully select its components. The result is evident. This Hi-Fi amplifier delivers a sound that is at once very elegant, harmonious, and powerful. The reproduction is articulate, well-paced, and balanced. In addition to its delightfully vintage look, which stands out from the usual standards of hi-fi, this Moonriver 404 stereo amplifier benefits from a very serious and high-end manufacturing process. Purely analog, it is built to last and can be upgraded with the addition of a phono card and a DAC. Its 2 x 50 watts into 8 Ω are expertly orchestrated, giving beautiful authority to the bass, a rich and open midrange, and a stereo image of rare airiness. ”.
Moonriver Audio 404 Stereo Integrated Amplifier by Green Audio Review (Reposted by eCoustics)
”The Moonriver 404 did something special with every pair of loudspeakers in my home. This is a confident sounding amplifier that engages you from the first note and never lets go until the decay of the final note begins to dissipate in the air. That’s very rare for any piece of hi-fi equipment. The first time I plugged in the 404 it was revelatory. Clarity, insight, momentum, crisp smoothness. ”.
The value of beautiful music | Moonriver Audio 404 review in TheWave, Thailand's magazine by Wijit BoonChoo
"Well, if you appreciate the smooth flow of a Class A amp, love the rich, vacuum tube-like end the Moonriver Audio Model 404 's amplification style, brings all the advantages into one device in class AB. And it stands out in that grandiose, bright, wide and deep. It's really impressive!
The Model 404 surely sounds authentic and has a personality. The intention of the design team is to impress with every sound and the satisfaction of the audience is regarded as the most important thing. It is for the listener who wants to own every detail of sound quality and have elegance in every tone.".
Read the whole review here translated in English
The Musical Pass | Moonriver 404 Reference wins a Diamond award in the review by LeBeauSon French magazine
"The Moonriver 404 Reference is A spellbinding device!
The integrated Swedish succeeds in seducing us with a form of expressiveness different from our criteria, more in the human tenderness of a friendly and carefree exchange around a wood fire than the more or less restrained intimate sensitivity of a shiver epidermal. The Moonriver 404 Reference is an amp that exists on its own with an engaged yet perfectly cohesive personality. The proof ? To the dismay of my teammates, I absolutely had no desire to make a comparison, rely on a benchmark. The Moonriver 404 Reference is an amp that exists on its own with an engaged yet perfectly cohesive personality. For the languorous who do not know the sources of their languor, the 404 Reference offers an eternal beauty, that of a certain art of living that only a Jaguar smelling of Connolly leather or a glamorous Aston Martin can release: it is less effective than a McLaren, but it still has another class.
Frankly, if I had the means, I would buy one. Value for money:
Invaluable. One does not negotiate with selfish pleasure, neither that of nostalgia, nor that of an altruistic form of classicism….".