Furutech ADL GT40 review

The tiny Furutech ADL GT40 is a DAC with headphone amplifier, moving coil and magnet phono stage

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Product of the Year, Awards 2011. An unusually specified product that turns out not only to be a jack of most trades, but a master of them, too

Pros

  • +

    Impressively talented

  • +

    Wide range of functions

  • +

    Excellent build and finish

Cons

  • -

    Phono stage lacks a little openness

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This clever little box of tricks from high-end accessory specialist Furutech is a 24Bit/96kHz DAC with headphone amplifier, moving coil and magnet phono stage.

You can also use it to digitise vinyl for recording on a computer or as a rather oddly configured preamp in a hi-fi system.

Master of all trades

It’s a real Swiss Army knife of a product – and it performs admirably. The on-board DAC is excellent.

We got great results with both a WAV file of Regina Spektor’s recently released Live in London set and a 24bit/88.2 kHz recording of Maeve O’Boyle’s All My Sins.

There’s plenty of detail, excellent definition of leading edges and a good dose of refinement.

The GT40’s presentation errs on the polite side of ideal, but there’s still enough energy to keep us happy.

If this unit were judged solely on DAC performance it does enough for a five-star verdict. But it’s way more than that…

A headphone amp too

The headphone amp is equally good. This unit had no trouble driving a wide range of cans and delivered plenty of refinement. Add it up and it makes for great long-term listening experience.

The on-board phono stage doesn’t hit the same heights. It lacks a little transparency, but considering the price, it’s more than acceptable.

Using the on-board analogue-to-digital converter we were able to make some decent recordings on our laptop from our reference Clearaudio turntable.

The ADL GT40 even makes a decent makeshift preamp, provided the partnering power amplifier has enough gain.

All in all, then, it’s highly recommended.

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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