Class G and GaN: Why Power Stages Now Define High-End Amplifiers
High-end audio amplifiers are premium amplification components that combine advanced power topologies, low-noise analog design, and modern digital connectivity to drive demanding loudspeakers with higher power, control, and neutrality than mass‑market receivers or lifestyle systems. At HIGH END Vienna, three long-established brands used the show to underline how power stage design has become the new battleground. ARCAM advanced its Class G amplifiers into fully dual mono territory, Cambridge Audio brought large-scale Hypex NCOREx Class D power into a lifestyle-friendly streaming chassis, and Chord Electronics previewed GaN power amplifiers aimed at both audiophile racks and architectural installations. Together they show how streaming amplifier technology, refined power supplies, and more efficient output devices such as GaN FETs are reshaping what serious systems look like, from classic integrated amplifiers to slimline power blocks built for custom installers.
ARCAM A50 Signature and CD25: Dual Mono Class G Meets Disc-Based Hi-Fi
ARCAM’s 50th anniversary brought a clear statement: amplification remains its core identity. The new A50 Signature is the first ARCAM integrated to use a fully dual mono Class G architecture, with separate PCBs, output stages, lifter stages, and power regulation for each channel. That layout aims to improve channel separation and dynamic control, while Class G’s multi-rail design reduces heat and power waste compared with traditional Class A/B solutions. ARCAM co-founder John Dawson was involved in the project, and his signature appears on the rear cowl and PCBs as a seal that it follows the company’s long-standing design philosophy. Alongside the amp, the CD25 arrives as the flagship Radia Series CD player, reinforcing ARCAM’s belief that silver-disc playback still matters in an era dominated by streaming amplifier technology. Together, they extend the Radia line upwards rather than serving as nostalgic anniversary curios.
Cambridge Audio Evo 300: 300W Streaming Amplifier With NCOREx Muscle
Cambridge Audio’s Evo 300 moves the Evo concept from compact lifestyle hub to full-blooded system anchor. Rated at 300 watts per channel into 8 ohms from a Hypex NCOREx Class D stage in dual mono layout, it targets larger rooms and harder-to-drive speakers. The dual mono structure, balanced preamp, and separate analog volume controls for each channel are intended to sharpen imaging and preserve low-level detail at any listening level. A switch-mode power supply supports that output without resorting to a heavyweight chassis. On the digital side, StreamMagic Gen 4 provides streaming support for Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz, Amazon Music, Deezer, UPnP, internet radio, and Roon Ready use, reinforcing Cambridge’s credentials in streaming amplifier technology. According to ecoustics, “the Evo 300 is being positioned as Cambridge Audio’s most powerful and sonically advanced streaming amplifier to date,” a clear step above the Evo 150 SE.
Chord Electronics ULTIMA 7 and Blade: GaN Class G for Audiophiles and Installers
Chord Electronics used HIGH END Vienna to preview two stereo power amplifiers that extend its ULTIMA platform. The ULTIMA 7 is a full-width power amp designed to visually match the ULTIMA PRE 3 preamplifier and will become Chord’s most affordable full-size model when it launches. It delivers 135 watts per channel into 8 ohms and continues the firm’s focus on wide-bandwidth, low-distortion analog stages. The Blade heads in a different direction: a slimline 0.5U Class G GaN stereo amplifier targeting custom installation and architectural audio. By pairing Class G’s multi-rail approach with GaN power amplifiers, Chord aims to combine efficiency, compact form factor, and high sound quality in equipment racks and hidden spaces. While full specifications and pricing are due later, the message is clear: GaN-based Class G designs are moving from engineering curiosity to practical building blocks for both audiophile and installation markets.
Convergence: Power Innovation and Streaming Define the Next System Upgrade
Viewed together, ARCAM, Cambridge Audio, and Chord Electronics outline a clear direction for high-end audio amplifiers. ARCAM focuses on refined Class G amplifiers and dual mono layouts rooted in classic integrated design, pairing them with a new flagship CD player for listeners who still prize discs. Cambridge Audio folds serious Hypex NCOREx power and StreamMagic Gen 4 into a single-box streaming centerpiece aimed at users who want one chassis to run an entire system. Chord takes GaN power amplifiers and Class G into both racks and walls, hinting at a future where architectural audio is judged by the same standards as the main listening room. For buyers, the decision is less about “old” versus “new” than about which blend of Class G, GaN, and streaming amplifier technology best fits their speakers, room, and media habits.
