Introduced back in 2022, Peachtree Audio’s Carina was a hell of an integrated amplifier that packed cutting-edge digital tech into an analog-looking wood cabinet that housed way more Hypex NCore amplification than nearly anybody needs. And it sold for a mere $1999 (all prices USD). So, in a sense, it’s somewhat surprising that the company has already introduced a successor—three of them, in fact: the $2999 Carina GaN, the $1499 Carina 150, and the bad boy we’re unboxing today, the $1999 Carina 300.
The alphanumerics after the “Carina” bit indicate the differences between the three, as they’re otherwise functionally identical. The 150 and 300 boast 150 and 300Wpc of class-D output, respectively, whereas the GaN delivers 200Wpc, but from a GaN-FET amplifier module with no feedback. As you can see here, the three even share the same instruction manual.
Overall, the packaging for the Carina 300 is straightforward and unfussy. The white accessories box—nestled in a cutout within the expanded polyethylene foam (no expanded polystyrene, thank goodness)—holds the beefy power cord, AAA cells for the remote control, and a Bluetooth antenna that could do double duty as a self-defense baton in a pinch.
Underneath that top layer of EPE is the Carina itself, wrapped in a fabric bag. No need to dwell on this one. The amp is well-protected and looks like it could take a good bit of abuse in shipping, which is a not-insignificant consideration for a brand that sells its wares direct-to-consumer.
Freed from its wrappings and trappings, the Carina 300 feels simultaneously fresh and familiar. It evokes the capsule-shaped, wood-wrapped aesthetic that Peachtree products have sported since Day One, but with a slimmer, sleeker profile, rounder corners, more refined accents, and a display screen.
Around back, we also get our first sense of the biggest differences between the original Carina platform and this new Phase 2 iteration, as Peachtree calls it. Perhaps most noticeable to Peachtree fans is the addition of an analog input, with a flip switch that converts it from a line-level to a phono (MM) input. That, in addition to the optical and coaxial digital inputs, gives the Carina as much I/O flexibility as most people are likely to need in a modern two-channel system.
Speaking of the digital domain: Peachtree has also swapped out the ubiquitous USB-B input for a USB-C one—an evolution that I’m starting to see a little more frequently on new integrated amps. It’s a welcome change, although for the time being it does mean that I need to keep two USB cables running from my media PC, around the walls, behind bookshelves, and up to the back of my gear rack. Hopefully, within a few years, I’ll be able to extract the old USB-B cable and relinquish it to the Drawer of Cables I Keep Despite Knowing I’ll Never Use Them Again.
At any rate, I’m eager to dive into this one. I don’t see nearly enough hi-fi companies evolving and adapting as much as Peachtree seems to be, and at a surface glance the Carina 300 seems like a lot of integrated amp for the money. Will those impressions hold? We’ll have to wait for my full review to find out.
. . . Dennis Burger
dennisb@soundstagenetwork.com
