The Short Version:

If sound quality is your top priority, the Carina series offers a more open and transparent sound than the nova (and decco) series that came before. The Carina GaN and Carina X are our best-sounding integrated amplifiers to date, followed by the Carina 300/150. After that, the preDAC+GaN400 combination, the nova500, and the nova300/150 follow in ranking order.

The Carina platform was designed from the ground up with superior sound quality as the primary goal — nothing was carried over from the nova platform. We improved sound quality by addressing the main areas of sonic loss in most systems:

Power amplifier – Selected the best-sounding modern power solutions.
Volume control – Designed a wide-bandwidth, highly accurate resistor ladder volume control.
Phono preamplifier – Designed an exceptional Moving Magnet (MM) phono stage.
Analog circuitry – Utilized high-performance DACs in dual-mono mode and balanced analog circuitry to minimize noise and interference.

What’s the Difference in Sound?

Carina sounds clearer, more open, and more defined in instrument, voice, and spatial reproduction compared to nova. Is it a “night-and-day" difference? No — both platforms are designed to be neutral so the difference is more subtle than that. Most listeners can reliably hear a difference in level-matched blind listening tests. Customers who have spent significant time listening to both platforms also report a clear preference for Carina’s sound quality.

When to Choose nova Instead

If system flexibility is your priority, nova may be a better fit. The main advantages of nova over Carina are:

Two analog inputs vs. Carina’s one
Analog loop in/out – Allows easy integration of external devices such as equalizers (e.g., Schiit Loki)

Nova’s second analog input supports Home Theater Bypass (HTB) or standard analog audio input. Carina’s single input supports a Turntable, Home Theater Bypass (HTB) or standard analog audio input. If you need two analog inputs and/or an analog loop, nova is a great choice for you. If not, we recommend Carina for its superior sound quality.

The Longer Version

Why Did We Transition from nova to Carina?

Several factors influenced our decision:

Advancements in Class-D amplification – GaN power amps impressed us with their amazing transparency and openness, and high-end silicon-based designs began outperforming more expensive linear amplifiers.
The rise of high-resolution audio streaming – Streaming services transitioned to studio-quality audio, making high-res playback mainstream.
COVID-related disruptions – This provided a unique opportunity for a complete redesign of our core product line.

What’s Different Between Carina and nova?

In short: Everything.

Nova was designed with an analog mindset — an analog preamp and power amp with a built-in DAC. While it performed well for its time, it had limitations due to its fundamentally analog architecture and traded off some sonic transparency for additional connectivity.

Carina, on the other hand, was built as a high-performance DAC platform, with everything else designed around that. Key upgrades include:

A high-performance DAC – A highly resolving digital core establishing a lofty baseline for the entire system.
Balanced signal paths – To minimize interference, noise and signal integrity loss.
Resistor-ladder volume control – High precision and sonic transparency.
High-performance MM phono preamp – Designed to rival standalone models.
Fully balanced headphone amplifier – Delivers exceptional clarity and power for a wide range of headphones.
Top-tier power amplifiers – Class leading GaN and Hypex solutions with unmatched clarity, power, and reliability.

We also redesigned the user interface to resemble a classic car stereo layout — two knobs flanking either side of a screen. One knob selects the music source, the other controls the volume — clean, simple, and intuitive.

Why Does Carina Have Bluetooth but Not Wi-Fi?

Bluetooth is included as a convenience feature — a quick way to connect wirelessly and to play music for less critical listening. It’s a high-performance Bluetooth 5.0 input with top-tier CODECs and an adjustable external antenna for extended range providing remarkable quality for a Bluetooth connection.

Wi-Fi is high performance and evolving rapidly. Rather than lock users into a built-in streaming module that may become obsolete, we left streaming out of Carina so users can select and upgrade their streaming solution as the market continues to evolve and mature.

Why Does Carina Have Fewer Inputs/Outputs Than nova?

As streaming became the dominant music source, fewer people relied on computers for playback. Based on user surveys, we designed Carina with three primary inputs:

Digital audio input – For a dedicated streamer.
USB audio input – For mobile devices or computers.
Analog audio input – For a turntable, HTB, or SACD player.

Rather than add more inputs and features, we focused on delivering the best possible sound quality. Features can be added to a system later, but once sound quality is compromised, the system’s full potential is also restricted.

Summary: Carina vs. nova

Carina → Best sound quality, fully balanced design, next-generation DAC, preamp & power amp.
Nova → More analog inputs & flexibility, ideal for setups requiring EQ or two analog sources.

If you prioritize sound quality, choose Carina. If you need more I/O flexibility, nova may be the best choice.