I was really pleased to receive a call from Italian brand Monrio a few months ago asking if we’d be interested in reviewing one of their amplifiers as I’d owned one of their preamplifiers many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. Here we take a listen to the company’s MC 201 integrated amp with onboard USB DAC and costing £1600.

“The MC 201 has 5 total inputs, 4 analogue RCAs, 1 digital, plus, unusually these days, a tape loop. The digital input is via USB and so the MC201 makes adding a computer to your set-up a doddle. The onboard DAC is an AKM DAC, 24-bit/192 kHz that will handle WMA, MP3 Streams, MMS Playlists (M3U, PLS), MP3, AAC (up to 320 kbps, CBR/VBR) WAV and FLAC so pretty much all your files other than DSDs and super hi-res are catered for. It also includes a “direct” analogue input bypass that allows the use of the MC 201 in a home theatre system as a two-channel surround system. In addition to the inputs outlined above you have a set of good quality binding posts, the IEC input and a master power switch. There’s plenty of room around the back and everything is neatly laid out. Output is 60 Watts into 8 ohms…”

Read the full review here