Power amplifiers stereo — Perreaux 350

The Perreaux 350 is a two-channel power stage from the New Zealand company Perreaux, built as a hybrid Class A and AB design with power MOSFET output devices. It sits in a tall 186 mm chassis weighing 30.0 kg and comes in a choice of dragon red or black finishes. Inputs are provided in both RCA and XLR form, and the rear panel is laid out for bi-wired loudspeaker runs and remote switching, so the amplifier can slot into a stereo system or a home cinema front stage.

Key specs that matter

Continuous output is 350 W rms per channel into 8 ohm and 600 W rms into 4 ohm, with a maximum current capability of 80 A per channel and dynamic headroom above 1.1 dB. Distortion is typically 0.004 percent THD+N at 1 kHz into 8 ohm and stays under 0.02 percent across 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Hum and noise sit at minus 100 dB unweighted, referenced to rated output. Frequency response runs from 20 Hz to 25 kHz within 0.25 dB, while damping factor exceeds 700 at 1 kHz into 8 ohm. Gain is 30.7 dB. The RCA input has a 22 kohm impedance with 1.5 V rms sensitivity, while the XLR input presents 3.3 kohm with a sensitivity of 0.78 V rms. The case is 430 mm wide and 497 mm deep.

Engineering and use context

Inside, a custom toroidal transformer feeds banks of low-inductance filter capacitors, which is how the design supports its high current rating. Protection is handled by dedicated circuitry isolated from the audio path through opto-couplers, together with a soft-start stage that limits the inrush at power-up, plus an electrostatic shield in the supply. Each channel carries two pairs of speaker binding posts, making bi-wiring possible without extra jumpers, and two 5 V DC trigger inputs allow remote switching from a preamplifier or a home cinema processor. Because the amplifier weighs as much as it does and runs deep, a solid shelf with clearance at the rear for cabling is advisable.

Pairing

The power and current reserve into low impedances suit low-impedance or low-efficiency floorstanders that need real drive. Balanced preamplifiers link via the XLR sockets, which have the higher sensitivity of the two inputs, and speakers with split terminals can use the dual binding posts for bi-wire runs. Owners of a Perreaux preamplifier can link it through the trigger inputs for single-button switching.

Alternatives

The Perreaux 100p is a slimmer stereo model in the Perreaux line, delivering 100 W rms per channel into 8 ohm.