Henley Audio are excited to announce the imminent UK availability of the HiFi Rose RA280 integrated amplifier. The RA280 takes its lead from the Korean brand’s flagship RA180 amplifier, first released to critical acclaim in 2022, designed to offer music lovers a more affordable solution for their Hi-Fi system.
With the RA280 listeners can enjoy a pure, natural sound reproduction that is as close to the original recording as possible, says the maker. Making use of HiFi Rose’s innovative Class AD design, featuring GaN FET technology, this flexible product has been created to be an exciting addition to the world of amplification solutions. Externally, the RA280 presents an elegant aesthetic, more minimalist than the original RA180, but still boasting some key features and design elements.
HiFi Rose RA280 detail
The RA280 is a feature rich integrated amplifier, designed to deliver a pure, natural sound that puts the musical experience first.
The overall design of the RA280 matches that of HiFi Rose’s full width streaming products. The aluminium chassis gives a reassuring weight and solidity to the build, while also doing a good job of isolating surrounding interferences from the sensitive electronic circuitry inside. The top-mounted vents bring further character to the design, while also allowing for heat dissipation from within.
The RA280 is based around HiFi Rose’s Class AD Amplifier technology. Class D amplification provides higher efficiency and higher output, as well as improved noise and distortion measurements, compared to more traditional Class AB designs. However, many Class D designs in the past have suffered in sound quality due to limitations in their circuitry. HiFi Rose’s state-of-the-art Class AD (Advanced D) amplifier resolves these problems with the use of innovative new materials, says its creator.
The RA280’s Class AD amplifier boasts Gallium Nitride FETs as opposed to more common Silicon FET technology. The result of this design is a high-speed, accurate amplification stage with almost no dead time, allowing it to perform more naturally, like a pure analogue amplifier.
The RA280 boasts separate 250W (4Ω and 8Ω) amplifier modules per-channel, delivering 500W of total system power. The power stage also makes use of a HiFi Rose-designed two-stage analogue filter to achieve high sound quality. The LC filter helps support the amplifier’s excellent frequency response by offering -1dB attenuation in the frequency band up to 65kHz and -3dB attenuation in the 85kHz range. This technology dramatically reduces carrier noise caused by the inherent switching of Class D amplifiers, providing clearer and cleaner sound quality throughout the frequency range. This further supports the RA280’s analogue sound signature.
The RA280’s front panel offers access to Bass and Treble tone controls, allowing users to adjust the flat frequency response at 100Hz and 10kHz, respectively, with ±15dB gain for a fully tailored sound. Elsewhere the built-in MM phono stage has been purpose-designed to deliver distortion-free pre-amplification for a connected turntable.
The RA280 features one balanced and three unbalanced inputs alongside the built-in phono stage. There is also support for a subwoofer output, trigger connections and a grounding post alongside the speaker output terminals. But the wide array of features, technologies and connectivity options are all able to perform optimally thanks to the new power supply design.
The power supply was first developed for the flagship RA180 amplifier. It employs Silicon Carbide FET technology, with its high voltage support and heat resistance, to provide a high output in an efficient manner with low heat generation. It also responds to power delivery fluctuations well with its 2.5kW class PFC circuit and high-capacity condenser. The result is a power supply that responds to the needs of the system, while always allowing the amplifier to sound as clean and natural as possible says the manufacturer.
Available from this February, the RA280 will be available in black or silver finish.
Key features include:
✓ Next-generation Class AD (Advanced D) amplifier design with 250W per-channel output
✓ Gallium Nitride FETs in the amplification stage deliver perfect linear output
✓ Built-in moving magnet phono stage
✓ Tonally neutral output design, complemented by Bass and Treble tone controls
✓ Purpose-designed high-efficiency power supply with Silicon Carbide FET technology
✓ Distinct, retro-industrial aesthetic with high-purity aluminium construction
✓ Dimmable VU meters
✓ IR remote control included
HiFi Rose RA280: £2,999.00 (SRP)