Quad celebrates 78 years of audio innovation with the world-debut of Vena at Sound & Vision – the Bristol Show. Available from May with a prospective price tag of around £600, Vena combines a DAC and integrated amp in a single chassis, offering wireless Bluetooth connectivity alongside an extensive range of inputs and outputs. D/A conversion is handled by the same 24-bit/192kHz chipset used in Quad’s Platinum CD players, while support for the aptX codec ensures superior sound quality over Bluetooth.

The Class AB power amp section delivers 45W per channel into 8 ohms. Finishes include premium piano black, piano white and wood, Vena looks to be an exceptionally neat and simple solution and can be used with smartphones, tablets, PCs and Macs as well traditional hi-fi separates.