COPLAND has established a solid reputation for releasing products to market that stand the test of time, which gives its customers peace of mind that what they are buying into is hifi that’s designed to last at the heart of their systems for years, alleviating the sense of upgraditus for the sake of it.
Industrial elegance
Fresh from its packaging this amp gets your attention with how elegantly simple and purposeful its casework and execution feels. The 10mm thick brushed front panel with expertly embossed brand name and solid to the touch rotary dials strike a perfect balance of form and function. This amp oozes quality without screaming for attention.
Performance of Copland CSA150
The Copland’s exceptional lack of harshness is a trait that runs through its overall presentation. The soundstage it presents strikes a noticeable balance in scale, depth and presence without being forward. Serving up Kings of Leon’s Walls track at 24/48 from Qobuz via my windows based laptop straight into the amp’s DAC over USB, demonstrates how the 150 lays forth all the musical detail with a smooth clarity while still sounding full of energy. The looping guitar riff has just the right amount of sustain and texture to live in the mix with unforced realism, while the texture of the piano notes and echoing guitar chords at the margins of the soundstage rise and reverberate with superb imaging, making my speakers aurally disappear.
In Summary
In an age where many manufacturers churn out new products like they’re in a space race, it’s refreshing to celebrate products that are designed for long term enjoyment instead of short term reward. In this respect Copland sets the standard with the CSA150, thanks to its exemplary build, timeless styling and natural sounding sonics that make for effortless longterm enjoyment. And with its built in DAC, headphone output and moving magnet phono stage, this is a considered package for those who want hi-end sounds without the hi-end box count.
- Andrew Simpson, April 2022
Copland CSA-150
Audiograde
