Integrated amplifiers — AVM AS 30.3

The AVM AS 30.3 is a streaming integrated amplifier in the 30.3 line from AVM, the German company founded in 1986 that designs and builds its electronics in Malsch near Karlsruhe. AVM has made compact integrated amplifiers since the early 1990s, and the 30.3 generation is the current form of that concept. With the AVM X-Stream Engine on board, one chassis combines power amplifier, preamplifier, DAC, phono stage and network streamer, plus HDMI ARC for a television.

Key specs that matter

Power output is 2 x 125 W into 4 ohms at 1% THD with both channels driven. The power amplifier section has a gain factor of 30 (about 29.5 dB), input sensitivity of 275 mV, distortion below 0.005%, signal-to-noise above 95 dB and a -3 dB response from below 5 Hz to above 80 kHz. In the preamplifier section, input impedance is 3.4 kohm, pre-out impedance is 470 ohms, distortion stays below 0.001% and signal-to-noise exceeds 100 dB. The chassis measures 430 x 115 x 320 mm and weighs 6.7 kg.

Engineering and use context

Network playback is handled by the X-Stream Engine, which covers Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz, AirPlay 2, UPnP and internet radio, is Roon Ready, plays formats up to DSD256 and receives online updates. Alongside streaming there are optical and coaxial digital inputs, a USB-A port for storage drives, Bluetooth and an HDMI ARC input that carries television sound and lets the TV remote set the volume. The phono input accepts both MM and MC cartridges. The analogue line inputs are joined by a pre-out, so a larger power amplifier or an active subwoofer can be added later. The unit is operated from AVM's RC X smartphone app or the supplied metal remote, and an OLED display shows source and level. Silver and black versions of the brushed aluminium fascia are offered, while gold-plated terminals take the speaker cables.

Pairing

The 4 ohm power rating suits the many European floorstanders and stand-mounts with a 4 ohm nominal load and a sensitivity of 86 dB or more. The pre-out impedance is low enough to feed any power amplifier or subwoofer input over normal cable lengths. With HDMI ARC and streaming built in, a turntable may be the only external source a system needs, and thanks to the MM/MC stage no outboard phono preamplifier is required. AVM's CS 30.3 adds a CD drive to the same amplifier and streaming platform in a receiver format.

Alternatives

AVM also offers the AS 2.3 integrated amplifier.