The KR Audio VA350i amp is hand-built, as are its enormous tubes, in Prague and it costs £11 500 in the UK and €12 900 in Europe. Stuart Smith takes a listen. 

“KR Audio is based in Prague in the Czech Republic and hand make all their own valves as well as their amplifiers. On test here, we have the VA 350i Integrated amplifier which uses two KR Audio T100 output tubes to give a power output of around 30 Watts per channel in pure Class A.

The company began the research to make improved triodes in 1992 and started its life as a tube manufacturer, first of all with reproduction of Marconi valves and then audio valves intended as up-grade options for amplifiers in 1994.

The company design and build 15 different tube amplifier models and two completely solid state amps. The tube division currently makes 12 models of valves

At this point it should be noted that initially the amplifier was sent to our reviewer Dan Worth who felt that it did not match at all well with his Ayon Seagull C loudspeakers and it was thought the amp would be better matched to our Avantgarde Duo XD horns and hORN Mummy loudspeakers”.

Read the full review here