Atoll SDA200 Streaming Integrated Amp $4300 (120×2)

(3.75h, 17.32w, 12d, 25 lbs)

Made in France!

3 Year Warranty

Well here’s a fave I didn’t think I would be writing about. The first part of it is no surprise. The base platform of SDA200 is Atoll’s IN200 integrated amp. Please look up IN200 in Dave’s Faves to read some of the nuts and bolts that have blown us away and redefined what affordable electronics can sound like.

The surprise about SDA200 is that the STREAMING mechanism on board, and Atoll app with Tidal, works like a champ. For years, we’ve been approached by everybody and their brother to try out their streaming integrateds. To win our endorsement, the streaming mechanism will have to WORK WELL. I don’t mean, claim great stats and features. It will actually have to stand the test of us using it- and then work as advertised.

We’ve tried a myriad of alternatives to NAD’s Bluesound platform and none of them have worked worth a diddly do. Most were fraught with hiccups and sputters. They didn’t cut it. You see, the Bluesound streaming system works very well. I’m not interested in any streaming product that has problems, because Bluesound’s is reliable. And of course, you could buy a great integrated like IN200, and add a Bluesound Node and accomplish what we want. But some customers would prefer it all in one box and the album art sure is fun.

I’m happy to tell you that the SDA200’s streaming integrated- has raised the bar of this product category. The Atoll app with Tidal has worked as advertised and sounds terrific. This provides us with a one box option of a most serious pedigree, with even bigger bass and dynamics than any product we’ve encountered in this category.

SDA200 is also wonderful because it does come with a DAC on board. You can run other digital sources (CD & TV come to mind) and still have great sound with a one box solution.

I only know of one better streaming integrated. That would be the 200’s bigger brother, SDA300 which runs $5500. If you can afford the 300, by all means, it’s only money! Atoll SDA models do not accept phono boards.