Entry-level stereo amp and CD player go on sale for £299 and £249 respectively.
We've been tracking the impending launch of new UK hi-fi brand Mitchell and Johnson since the beginning of 2014, when it made its international debut at CES.
The good news is that we've finally got our hands on the first review samples of its £299 SAP-201V stereo amplifier (shown above), with built-in 24-bit/192kHz DAC, and £249 CDD-201 CD player (below). We'll be testing them soon.
Mitchell and Johnson was set up by the team who previously brought the Sansui brand back to the UK in 2011, Paul Mitchell and Dave Johnson. Having previously sold a range of hi-fi products using the Sansui name under licence, they have now redesigned and re-engineered them to be sold under the Mitchell and Johnson banner.
The SAP-201V is an updated and improved version of the original Sansui SAP-201V amp, which we awarded four stars in 2012. Power output is 40W per channel into 8Ohms. Other features include four line-level analogue inputs, a 3.5mm front panel socket, a dedicated phono input for a turntable and coaxial/optical digital inputs for use with the integrated DAC.
The latter enables owners to feed the signal from portable devices or computers through the amp, with the better quality Wolfson DAC within the SAP-201V handling the digital-to-analogue conversion for improved sound quality. High quality toroidal transformers and audiophile-grade components are used throughout "to ensure accurate sound tuning", the company says.
Available in brushed silver or black, the SAP-201V is designed to match the partnering CDD-201 CD player, which can handle CD/CD-R/CD+R/CD-RW and MP3 formats.
Co-founder Paul Mitchell says his aim is to create an affordable alternative to Cambridge Audio's successful budget hi-fi range, which is sold exclusively through Richer Sounds in the UK.
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Andy is Global Brand Director of What Hi-Fi? and has been a technology journalist for 30 years. During that time he has covered everything from VHS and Betamax, MiniDisc and DCC to CDi, Laserdisc and 3D TV, and any number of other formats that have come and gone. He loves nothing better than a good old format war. Andy edited several hi-fi and home cinema magazines before relaunching whathifi.com in 2008 and helping turn it into the global success it is today. When not listening to music or watching TV, he spends far too much of his time reading about cars he can't afford to buy.
