Copland CSA70

Copland's range comprises both hybrid and all-valve designs, but for its latest amplifier it has gone exclusively solid state. The CSA70 is its entry-level offering and follows a similar design to the CSA100 (HFC 465) and 150 (HFC 479), but dispenses with the valve preamp stage. As the name suggests, the amp section is good for 70W into 8ohm.

Three line inputs via RCA connections are supported alongside a moving-magnet phono stage that is paired with both a line-level and a pre out.

A single set of speaker terminals is fitted and around the front there's a 6.35mm headphone socket. This is then augmented by a digital board that has two optical inputs, one coaxial and one USB, allowing the CSA70 to function as a largely self-contained device. For an extra £198, aptX Bluetooth can be fitted too.

The CSA70 uses the same 'Amenero' USB interface as the CSA100 and 150, but where they have an ESS DAC here it's a Wolfson WM8740. This has sample rate support of 24-bit/192kHz PCM with no DSD.

Sound quality

This performance is not about shock and awe; 10 minutes in and you'll be thinking the CSA70 is pretty good. Give it an hour and you'll realise that nothing you've chosen has unsettled it and after three hours you'll realise it's a truly great all-rounder.