Audiophilepure

The Level 1 arrives in Jade Audio’s kraft-style outer box, with the Jade Audio brand name embossed on the top face and Hi-Res Audio certification stamps printed beneath.The interior is organized: the amplifier sits in shaped foam, and a secondary cardboard tray below holds the accessories in a tidy, well-protected arrangement.Included in the box are the amplifier, the 48V/5A/240W Merryking power supply, and a power chord.

Sound Impressions

The following impressions were formed using a pair of vintage Wharfedale Diamond III bookshelf speakers, driven directly from the Level 1 via banana plugs.I also did some tests with a powered subwoofer connected to the Level 1. Sources included a macOS via USB-C, a CD transport via coaxial, a Technics SL Q303 turntable connected to an SMSL PH-1 phono pre-amp, and a smartphone via LDAC Bluetooth. Both flat and PEQ-corrected listening sessions were conducted.The Jade Audio Level 1 presents a fundamentally transparent and controlled sound, with a tight low end and an overall tonality that reveals any track’s sonic character with little to no coloration.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/wharfedale-heritage-series-super-linton-loudspeaker

For speakers that failed to impress out of the box, the Super Lintons eventually sang their hearts out. In the initial setup, with higher-end amplification, the scale was immense, and I heard endless airy detail, but it came at the price of occasional harshness. In a second setup—with, incidentally, less-expensive amplification—I heard the Super Lintons at their best, producing engaging sound that soulfully charmed and captured this music lover’s heart.Speakers competitive in price with the Super Lintons include the JBL L100 Classic MkII, the Focal Aria Evo X No.2, the MartinLogan XT F100, and the B&W 706 S3. These are fine, sophisticated speakers, with plenty to say about your music, but I doubt any of them would play it back with the naturalism, lifelike color, emotional truthfulness, and tonal rigor of the Wharfedale Super Linton.