SKU: 47308092295

Moonriver Audio 404 Integrated Amplifier

Sale price$2607.75 Regular price$2897.50
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Description

Moonriver Audio 404 Integrated AmplifierThe 404 integrated amplifier Moonriver Model 404 is the outcome of a 3 year research, the aim being to achieve incredible performance regardless of price range. The 404 amplifier will extract hidden elements and render textures from within any audio format, with the source, speakers and room to set the limits. Its culture will suit all music, as the Model 404 is by design set to define the faintest nuances of which tone integrity is composed. A hefty

The 404 integrated amplifier

Moonriver Model 404 is the outcome of a 3-year research, the aim being to achieve incredible performance regardless of price range. The 404 amplifier will extract hidden elements and render textures from within any audio format, with the source, speakers and room to set the limits. Its culture will suit all music, as the Model 404 is by design set to define the faintest nuances of which tone integrity is composed.

A hefty supply section ensures that ample healthy power is available at all times at all stages through separate rails. A fully discrete preamp section serves for acute dynamic awareness, while a high output stage that is custom-optimized for bandwidth and distortion warrants for neutral predisposition and transient fidelity. A laborious selection of components armors the design against tonal alteration, pretentious or not, thus preserving naturalness throughout the shortest feasible path.

Furthermore, an integrated phono stage, a USB DAC, two preamp outputs and a tape monitor loop expand functionality to form an ideally flexible integrated amplifier.

Design & Ergonomics

We had a very clear vision when we conceived the Moonriver 404 amplifier: Classic design with a modern touch; high quality materials such as massive aluminum knobs, solid walnut cheeks, sturdy enclosure; ergonomic user interface.

There are no “shaved” aesthetics here, no display with complicated serial menus and hidden functions, nor a single multi-function knob for “minimalistic” purposes.
The heart of Model 404 is pure and minimal but the interface is user oriented and easy to operate by anyone in seconds with no need to resort to the user manual. Four knobs and three switches give direct access to any function.

Modular Architecture

Moonriver 404 amplifier is modular by nature; it can accommodate an MM or MM/MC phono stage and a USB asynchronous DAC. Fitting these modules is simple and can take place at any time, on or after purchase. The USB DAC may also be upgraded with a newer version to meet future needs.

Balance Control

You may find this feature to be vanishingly scarce in audiophile products as a result of today’s “minimalist” design mentality and the various myths accompanying it. However, balance control addresses a common problem; speakers that are positioned in asymmetry, in a non-balanced room environment. It thus provides the simplest tweak towards achieving a proper sound stage.

Living rooms and house furniture are meant to serve everyday life and may not be provisioned with an ideal listening spot, evenly distanced from each speaker to form an equilateral triangle. It is also not uncommon for one speaker to have to be placed nearer room boundaries than the other, having various frequencies boosted in a more or less predictable pattern. More often than not, balance control would come in handy in that it drastically helps overcoming volume level unevenness and in some cases even reclaiming stereo effect and the resulting focused sound stage.

As expected, the way balance control is implemented on the Moonriver 404 amplifier, in parallel, will not degrade or affect the signal in any way determinable.

Discovering the layout

Model 404 incorporates no less than 5 separate power supplies, each featuring overload protection. The power amplifier specifically runs on a dual mono configuration, beginning from separate windings on the toroidal transformer.

Signal switches are implemented via relays, while volume attenuation is trusted on the legendary blue ALPS pot.

A soft start circuit based on a 30A relay ensures that even the on/off switch is thought out to work with virtually no burden or wear for decades.

Components are carefully selected for both suitability and reliability. We make no use of surface-mount in analog circuits, despite the fact that through-hole costs more and requires advanced space management & layout strategies.

Each element utilized has to be of proven stability and sustained higher performance -proficient implementation provided- before making it into our analog paths.

As for the sound, we are not to say whether Model 404 is virtually transparent or inherently forgiving. Voicing it to appreciate the playlist and respect the user at all times has been the sum of all of our effort; a sincere effort to achieve effortlessness.

The Importance of Tape Monitor Loop

Probably most of today’s manufacturers reject the idea of their product featuring a tape loop. At Moonriver Audio, we have concluded that the tape monitor loop is essential. Not only does it add the option of monitoring the difference between recorded and source material at a real time.

It also, and most importantly, makes possible to insert to the chain -at will- a digital or analog room correction processor, a buffer, a noise reduction system or any other line device available to improve the sound of connected sources.

Stereo/Mono Switch

The pristine era of analog recording being long gone, features like the stereo/mono switch have been gradually chased out into obsolescence. Who wants to go back to one when they have two channels? “Less is more” and “more is better”. Well…

As vinyl record revamping climaxes, whether a modern rage, a fashion thing or a real movement, countless monaural pressings emerge out there, often along with their digital… image. Too many of them, among others waiting to be rediscovered, have currently become collector’s items, 78 rpm direct-cut gems being no exception. This is not unreasonable, as what happened between say the 30s and the 80s in terms of both musical interpretation and recording technique is by many considered to be “most of the music” – this sentence doing perhaps no justice to stunning actual developments in creation and reproduction. Stereo/mono switch gives you the chance to enjoy recording art milestones with respect to how they were initially intended to please; in genuine mono, 2-channel, doing away with artificial phase discrepancies induced by mandatory stereo mode.

So, “less” may well be “more”, but better is to have a choice.

Optional Phono Stage

Model 404 comes with two options in the phono stage department; one is MM only and the other is MM/MC selectable. Both follow the exact quality principles that Model 404 is built on. Quality components and massive power supplies are also employed here, to efficiently accommodate very low noise, high performance op-amps.

The gain in the MM/MC phono can be adjusted, simply by changing the dip switches position. The MC input load can be set also, by replacing the original 100 Ohm input resistor with a higher or lower value. No soldering is required.

Optional SPDIF DAC

The add-on dac module is based on the 9000 series ESS Sabre dac chip. The SPDIF supports PCM streams up to 192kHz/24bit due to the limitation of the SPDIF (coaxial) specifications. There are 3 separated power supplies with very low noise regulators, 2 for the ESS dac board and 1 for the analog circuit. The capacitor bank is massive and it uses 42000uF (in case of 404 Reference) from the power amplifier’s power supply.

Specially care has been given to the voicing of the analog output stage to match the dynamic and natural character of Moonriver sound. The result is an impressive sounding digital-to-analog converter which respects the timing, the space and the color of the music and unfolds the dynamic contrast – the definition of every musical event.

Optional USB DAC

What was desired for our USB DAC module was not to make an addition rather than an omission; instead we had to be confident of substantially raising the true value and functionality of Model 404.

The add-on USB dac module is also based on the 9000 series ESS Sabre dac chip with native DSD support. The USB dac supports PCM up to 384kHz/24bi and DSD up to 128. The USB input section is separated with discrete, very low drift clocks, XMOS input based chip with custom firmware. There are 5 separated power supplies with very low noise regulators, 2 for the USB board, 2 for the ESS dac board and 1 for the analog circuit. Specially care has been given to the voicing of the analog output stage to match the dynamic and natural character of Moonriver sound. The capacitor bank is massive and it uses 42000uF (in case of 404 Reference) from the power amplifier’s power supply.

A new USB DAC for the Moonriver 404 Standard and Reference will be announced shortly.

Downloads

Moonriver 404 User Manual
Moonriver 404 Flyer
Moonriver 404 AKM USB DAC Windows 7 Drivers
Moonriver Audio Press Kit

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Ashton Taylor
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 3
I love indie authors
Format: Kindle
Let me preface this by saying—writing a book is HARD! Coming up with characters so real that they take on a life of their own, building an entire world, the political/magic system. Designing all of this is no easy feat. That being said. This book had so. Much. Potential. I was so excited to read this book, and I plan to finish it for the sake of finishing it. But. At this point, I would have set I’d aside as a DNF. The book could have benefited from some form of a developmental editor, or an in depth beta reader. I will say this. Within 5 chapters, there are so many… phrases that I’ve highlight that I’ve latched onto. Phrases about books and storms that were written BEAUTIFULLY! So, bravo Linton for hitting the nail on the head as to why readers disappear like they do! However, 5 chapters in and I can already guess where a majority of the story is going. But that’s also because I read like a mad-woman and have read this particular type of story, many different ways. Enemies to lovers where the FMC isn’t who she thinks she is. I am all about supporting indie authors. BUT. I also feel like criticism should be constructive, and not degrading. So if I could give this book a 4 1/2, strictly because I know the work the author put into this, I would. So if you’re looking for an easy read with characters that aren’t hard to follow, look no further! They are easy to love and easy to care for. One of the biggest issues they lacked, to me, was depth and plausible reactions to their situations. JD, you have done BEAUTIFULLY writing this book. I applaud and will continue to buy your books in the future. My BIGGEST recommendation is to definitely hire some form of an editor for any upcoming books. Or in turn, I will be happy to beta read for you. Should my opinion change of the book by the time I finish, I will happily get on here and say I was wrong, delete this review and post a different one. Until then…
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Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2022
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Hannah Durham
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 5
this book set my soul ablaze! <3
Format: Paperback, Format: Paperback
"i had never really cared about the weather before, but now, clear skies meant everything to me, and i was grateful to see another calm morning." this book. this book! i loved the last storm so much. the writing style. the descriptions. the world-building. the characters. the plot twists. the tropes. the sexual tension. the—everything. everything was magic. the last storm follows our two main characters, ara and rogue, giving us dual POV from both characters (which i loved, btw). ara, a human girl who has been locked away in her father’s estate most of her life, just wants to see the world. all she dreams of is seeing what else is out there. but when her father announces her engagement, she knows that dream will become nothing more than just that—a dream. rogue, the fae king, is tired of the attacks being rained down on his people. in hopes of finding out the human king adon’s secrets, rogue infiltrates auryna’s borders. in his last resort to gain information, he visits the local pub. to his surprise, the general’s precious only child is sitting at the bar, drink round after round of mead. now he just needs to figure out how to take her without anyone noticing. first and foremost, let’s talk about the endless list of my favorite tropes and aspects that this book had. ›› enemies to lovers ›› fated mates ›› one bed ›› the chosen one ›› elemental magic ›› actually good and shocking plot twists!!! ›› badass female lead ›› morally-grey love interest ›› fae/human war ›› force proximity ›› touch her and die ›› who did this to you? ›› captor/captive ›› praise k!nk (panting profusely) “you are entirely the opposite of everything that i am, and i would gladly wear your shackles if it meant i could have you.” it’s been a long while since i read a book i liked this much. but i just loved this book. it set my soul ablaze. thank you to the author for writing this beautiful story and for blessing me with an eARC! i loved it so much that i immediately bought the paperback upon release! every aspect of this book was just beautiful. i was blown away by the way the world was described, the way feelings were portrayed, the way the elements were used in the fae’s magic. it just—AHHH! i just absolutely adored it all. i cannot wait for the second book to release next year! also the way he calls her “little storm” sets my heart on fire. this was a fast-paced read and if you are a lover of acotar, fbaa, deal with the elf king, or any other similar books, then please stop everything you’re doing and read this book right now. you won’t regret it. thank you again, jd linton, for giving me the privilege of reading your arc and for blessing this world with the world you created. <3 "something about him pulled me in, like a moth to a flame, and it felt as if i was just waiting for the inevitable burn that came with flying too close to the fire."
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Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2022
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Sean
Houston, US
★★★★★ 4
Fun, both heartwarming and heartbreaking
Format: Kindle
Only my second first person written selection, I am still getting used to that aspect, but unlike my first, I enjoyed that the story was told through both MCs. A great enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fated love etc, that resonated to me. There were some small twists that I could see coming, but also a few that I didn’t quite see until the characters were also seeing. Personally, I am more interested in the story than the spice, but with that said, it was well seasoned! I am kind of new to the spice world so I can’t say for sure how this would rate, but it definitely had some heat. I am very glad I happened across this author, and I do plan on also reading the next book….if nothing else, just to see for myself the “transformation” of the characters I’ve grown to love!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2024
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Havinne Akins
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
😍😍 BEST DEBUT NOVEL EVER
Format: Paperback
I’m having trouble finding accurate words to describe the way this book made me feel, but I am going to do my best. To start off with basic elements, the character and world building are phenomenal. I feel a strong bond to not only the two main characters, Ara and Rogue, but to each and every character introduced throughout the book. The author did a stellar job of giving each of them unique personhood. All of the scenes are beautifully described. So much so that throughout the entirety of the book, I could see every scene: the towns, the castles, the meadows, the landscape. I have had difficulty with this and with distinguishing between outlying characters while reading in the past, but I did not have to think to remember details of world or character building because they flowed naturally within the story and were described well. I have read book series before that made me want to be a part of that world, but I actually felt like I got to step into Auryna and Ravaryn! The plot twists!! Although this is not a suspense novel, it still had me on a rollercoaster of emotions and on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I haven’t cried actual tears over a book since I was in high school (and I’ve read a LOT). This book finally broke the floodgates in the final few chapters. Multiple times. And we love a good cliffhanger. It truly made me FEEL. THE SPICE is a solid 3.5/5. Some of the scenes had me flushed, some had me taking notes, some just had my jaw slack and my mouth hanging open. Bravo, JD Linton, bravo. The relationships: friendships, family, romantic, ALL of the relationships in this book have so much meaning. The author does a great job at making you feel the love, the anger, the peace, the frustrations, the safety, the familiarity, etc. between the characters. Ara and Rogue. I can not say enough and I also do not want to say too much. Just know that I feel like I know them both, to their core. I know what their childhood looks likes, their darkest moments, their biggest fears, their dreams and passions, what they want in life… The POV switches were seamless. I am so happy this author decided to let us see from both sets of eyes. I can not wait for book two after that cliffhanger. And there is SO much potential for at least one prequel, I can’t wait to see where this author goes! I hope this series continues and flourishes. Fingers crossed!
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Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2022
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Tracy and Christina
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 5
Amazing!
Format: Kindle, Format: Kindle
This book was phenomenal, I devoured it within a few days! For this being a debut novel, it is fantastic and I would’ve thought the author was a seasoned author. I have zero complaints about this book. Let me start by saying that the world building was phenomenal. I could picture everything in my head because of how detailed it was — that’s how good it was written. And I absolutely love the “captive/captor” trope so much, it’s become one of my favorite tropes, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that this book had that. I loved the banter between Rogue and Ara — they’re both snarky and witty, plus with the romantic tension, it made the dialogue that much better. Speaking of romantic tension, yes there is spice but not so much of it that it overrides the plot, which I loved. For me, this would probably be on the 3/5 level of spice. This book had a ton of plot twists and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2024

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