Post by Owen Y on May 27, 2020 10:22:06 GMT 12
41 years after LEAK stopped production in 1979, the LEAK brand returns. This seems to be the trend, with international (in this case Chinese, the IAG Group) companies, buying up traditional brands, injecting cash & re-launching the recognisable brand anew. Mission, Quad, Wharfedale, Audiolab,Tag McLaren and Castle Acoustics are all IAG brands. LEAK HiFi UK Ltd has now launched, with 2 fresh products: - STEREO 130 Integrated Amplifier - with DAC, 45Wpc @ 4ohms, Bluetooth, digital & analogue inputs, MM phono input. (£799 with wooden sleeve, £699 without.)
- CDT CD Transport - with USB input, coax & optical digital out. (Pricing to ne confirmed.)
" In 2020, the year of Harold Joseph Leak’s 113th birthday and H.J. Leak & Co’s 84th birthday, IAG Group
proudly bring the return of LEAK. Maintaining the art-deco inspired, classic-styled high-quality home audio
format for the modern-day hi-fi enthusiast, LEAK is reborn. " (From LEAK HiFi UK's new elegantly-produced catalogue)   " Leak-Hifi.co.uk was recently established by mega Chinese hifi manufacturer IAG (who also handle Quad, Wharfedale and Audiolab) in support of their Leak brand resurrection.....
Details of the CDT’s internal DAC chip/circuitry and the unit’s intended street price are also TBC. " (See also DARKO - 26 May report)
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Post by Owen Y on May 27, 2020 10:38:50 GMT 12
A pic of my LEAK Stereo 20 valve amplifier, from the early-mid 60s, can be seen in the DIY- Restorations forum section. The new STEREO 130 is obviously styled on the LEAK Stereo 30, the original LEAK company's first solid state integrated amplifier introduced in 1963. We used one of these at home (as a teenager's bedroom amp  ) for quite a few years until it expired. It's now awaiting a restoration. Pic to come.
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Post by michaelw on May 27, 2020 12:58:10 GMT 12
another classic british name for IAG.
they look good and reasonably priced.
the digital player seems a little underspecced for 2020 ?
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Post by Owen Y on May 27, 2020 15:40:07 GMT 12
Our Leak Stereo 30 'Plus' - you can see where the new styling comes from...  
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Post by cartridgeguyonline on May 27, 2020 17:01:59 GMT 12
Yes thats the one. I dont think I ever saw a stereo 30 in a wooden case though ? They were quite a common sight at one time. Wasnt there also a more powerful one ? There was also a chap in the ChCh hifi club that actually met Harold Leak while he was fishing in Taupo.
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Post by andrewp on May 27, 2020 17:19:59 GMT 12
Man alive...who was incharge of design... thats major ugly!
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Post by cartridgeguyonline on May 27, 2020 17:54:35 GMT 12
LOL, I quite like it: would match nicely with a Linn Sondek !
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Post by Citroen on May 27, 2020 18:33:18 GMT 12
Very 70's!
Don't think its ugly but it really does look like genuine vintage item, rather than being a more modern update on the old theme. I reckon it needs a revision.
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Post by Owen Y on May 27, 2020 19:59:52 GMT 12
Back in the 50s - 60s, music equipment was built into 'radiograms' or 'consoles', so only the front face was seen - no wooden cases back then. The power amps, like the Stereo 20, etc. sat inside the cabinet back, unseen. I like the 'mid-century' look, pretty stylish for 1960 - would go with an Eames lounge chair, Bing Crosby & Sinatra
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Post by jon on May 27, 2020 20:18:00 GMT 12
You may find that the amp is Class D.
I was surprised to see in the specs that they quote THD at a particular Power level and impedance. I've only seen that done with Class D amplifiers.
That's not a bad choice, the technology has improved a lot over the last few years, IMHO.
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Post by michaelw on May 27, 2020 20:24:31 GMT 12
needs toobs 
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Post by cartridgeguyonline on May 28, 2020 12:45:20 GMT 12
Which got me to thinking about how valve integrated amplifiers were not really a thing in the UK. Off hand I can only think of a couple: The Rogers and the Beam Echo Avantic (which I have never seen in the flesh). They seemed much more common in Japan and the US. My favourite was the Dynaco SCA35, would still love to lay my hands on one.
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Post by michaelw on May 28, 2020 18:17:37 GMT 12
uk toob integrateds that immediately come to mind...
audio innovations
audio note uk
croft
ear
icon
quad
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Post by cartridgeguyonline on May 28, 2020 18:58:46 GMT 12
I was thinking of Leak era ones LOL. And strictly speaking isnt it valves in the UK ?
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Post by colinf on May 28, 2020 19:03:27 GMT 12
No-one says tubes here, very American. Sir John Ambrose Fleming, who invented the thermionic valve, was English. But I don’t mind if it’s called a tube or a valve really. Americans came up with vacuum tube or thermionic tube, a reference to its production-ready appearance.
AMR-iFi R&D
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Post by michaelw on May 28, 2020 22:08:53 GMT 12
toob is also easier to type for the keyboard challenged
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Post by RdM on May 31, 2020 19:11:44 GMT 12
No-one says tubes here, very American. Sir John Ambrose Fleming, who invented the thermionic valve, was English. But I don’t mind if it’s called a tube or a valve really. Americans came up with vacuum tube or thermionic tube, a reference to its production-ready appearance. Edicron (of London!) covered both bases... ;=})
Actually coincidentally I made a stack just days ago from just to hand mostly junk valves, er, tubes, to illustrate to someone else the variances in nomenclature. Uh, of different label variants. Of names for the glass vacuum bottle invention thing inside the box.
Cheers! ;=})
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Post by colinf on May 31, 2020 19:14:33 GMT 12
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Post by Owen Y on Nov 23, 2020 10:44:32 GMT 12
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Member
Post by chilli on Dec 19, 2020 19:59:26 GMT 12
Have you seen the English acoustics remake of the Leak? Nice colours...
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Post by Owen Y on Dec 20, 2020 21:41:59 GMT 12
Wow!  (Not so sure about the use of a modern PCB however (on some of their examples) - I've always liked the Leak hard-wired tag-board underneath for looks & serviceability.)
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Post by RdM on Dec 20, 2020 22:10:57 GMT 12
There's also the dielectric considerations of the pcb, vs open air tag mounting, I can't find the link but recently read of. Also remembering the delightfully curmudgeonly Pat Turner's comments on early Leak TL12 www.turneraudio.com.au/leakampmods.html
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) for quite a few years until it expired. It's now awaiting a restoration.
