Editor’s Choice Award! | The Ear magazine | Moonriver Audio 505 Hybrid Phono review by Chris Kelly
”This is a masterpiece of audio technology. It seemed as if it had been made to be paired with my LP12 and drew me into long, unfatiguing listening sessions. The build quality is impeccable and, at least to my eyes, it is a very handsome thing too. I can imagine pairing this with the 404 Reference integrated amplifier and living happily ever after with those, my Harbeths and LP12. Whatever I subsequently played through the 505 Hybrid, it seemed to have been voiced as perfectly as any piece of audio equipment of my acquaintance. It must be incredibly challenging for a designer to find the right balance between detail and music flow, between analysis and emotional connection, between light and shade in the subtleties of a performance. Of course this did not come as a great surprise, as I found Moonriver’s 404 and 404 Reference integrated amplifiers to be among the most musically rewarding of any that have graced my system, ever. I may not have enough time left to play every single record in my collection before I am too shaky to lower a stylus safely onto the disc, but with this in my home I would give it my best shot. If you are committed to vinyl replay, as I am, I urge you to seek out and audition this wonderful machine – you will not be disappointed.”.