PEACHTREE AUDIO

Decco125 SKY Integrated Amplifier Review

THE HIGH NOTES

• Direct Streaming Reimagined
• Sweet Sounding Amp Section
• Multitude of Input Options

Company & Product Overview

Peachtree Audio has had a long history with Audio Advice. One of the founders of Peachtree, Jim Spainhour, lives close to our Raleigh store, so we tend to get the scoop on new products. It was about 10 years ago when he first brought in a unique little integrated amp called the Decco.

10 years is an eternity in the tech world, and this was actually one of the very first amps on the market with a DAC built in. It truly was ahead of its time -- the computer audio revolution was just getting started. Not only did it have a DAC, but it sounded amazing for its modest price, crushing some other integrated amps that cost 4-5 times as much. We became a dealer for Peachtree that very day ten years ago.

As computer audio took off, Peachtree continued to win awards around the world due to their ability to create great sounding products at a fantastic value.

In the spring of 2016, Peachtree launched two new integrated amps called the Nova150 and Nova300. Just like the original unit we heard, these integrated amps offered amazing quality and features for the money. They have since become some of our best-selling computer audio amps.

Recently, the team at Peachtree had been hinting that they had come up with something really cool and that we were going to love it. After a long wait, The Decco125 SKY has finally landed. When we first looked at the Decco125 SKY we wondered what the point of it was. It is fairly close in price to the Nova150 and after playing with it, we understand why!

Design & Build Quality

Like most of the recent Peachtree integrated amps, the new Decco comes in a nice rounded wooden outer case, available in piano a nice piano black finish with a brushed metal faceplate. However, unlike the other models, the Decco125 SKY's narrow yet deep. It’s only about 10” wide and 3 1/2 “ tall, but it's almost 15” deep.

The front panel consists of buttons for the inputs, USB, Optical, Phono, Aux, and WiFi. You’ll also find a full-sized headphone jack, IR sensor, power button and a large round volume knob. Each of the inputs has a small light above it, and like the Nova’s they also serve as your volume level indicator.

The back panel has a nice set of speaker binding posts, a couple of connections for WiFi antennas (that you may or may not need), and connections for all the inputs described above. You also get a set of preamp outputs that allow you to add a bigger power amp or a subwoofer. There is also a USB service port. Everything is put together nicely with the great fit and finish we’ve come to expect from Peachtree.

The Decco125 SKY is designed to get music to your system in a variety of ways. It takes its amp design straight from the new Nova series. You’ll find it very quiet, with a high signal to noise ratio of 100db. Peachtree continues to work their magic with the digital amp section. Unlike most digital amps that have a somewhat harsh sound, this one is warm and musical just like the Nova’s.

Since their first products, Peachtree has been known for having great DACs and associated components. This continues with the new Decco125 SKY, although it’s not quite to the level found in the Nova’s.

Features & Technology

At first glance, it may appear that the Decco125 SKY is just a trimmed down Nova for almost the same price. Once we figured out where Peachtree felt this unit would fit in, however, we just fell in love with what it can do!

First, you’ll get a full function remote control that even allows you to adjust your bass and treble.

Input-wise, all of the digital inputs are capable of 24/96 for most Hi-Res Audio files. You have a USB for computer connections and a Toslink for connecting a digital source. The phono stage can handle a moving magnet cartridge. You also get an auxiliary audio input, allowing you to connect up to another legacy source.

The preamp output on the rear can be used to either add a bigger power amp or connect a powered subwoofer. Finally, while the Nova’s have a direct input from your iPhone, the new Decco approaches things differently.

As you know, the world of streaming music has just exploded over the last few years. The Decco125 SKY, ultimately, is all about music streaming.

To get things going, place your smartphone where you will position the Decco and look at the signal strength of your in-home WiFi signal. If you get all bars then there may be no need for the antennas. If not, simply screw the two provided antennas to the Deccos’ back panel.

Next, search for and download a mobile app called Muzo. The Decco will start broadcasting a signal. Connect to it, open a browser, type in the IP address in the manual, enter in your WiFi credentials, give your Decco a name if you wish, and you are all set. All of these steps took us only about 90 seconds and we were up and running.

You’ll then open up the Muzo app and your jaw will drop like ours did! You’ll see places to enter in your credentials for all kinds of streaming services including, Tidal, Spotify, Tune In, Napster, and iHeartRadio. The Decco will show up as a possible endpoint and you’ll choose it. If you have more than one Decco, they would both show up the way you named them, so you can spread these great little amps all over your house!

So here is what we really love about this. The app is simply an authenticator. It tells the streaming music service you are the paid subscriber, but the stream does not go from your router to your phone, it goes straight to the Decco! There, the magical digital section reclocks the stream for better audio, and sends it through the great internal DAC’s! The app on your smartphone will also allow you to control the volume of the Decco, and if you use the Decco’s remote or volume control, it syncs with the app. This is an incredible feature set, but it doesn’t stop there!

The app also has the ability to store presets. A preset can include a Tidal playlist, Spotify radio station, or nearly anything you can imagine. You get 6 presets. When you look at the remote supplied with the Decco125 SKY, you’ll see four little buttons on the bottom labeled one through four. These give you direct access to those presets, and the best part is, they stay authenticated. This means when you wake up or get home, all you have to do is pick up the remote, press one of those presets and your Decco will turn on, switch to the streaming input, and start that stream playing!

Performance

We started off giving the headphone output a real workout including some of our favorites from. Audeze, Focal, and Grado. The Decco drove them all with ease and the sound of full CD quality Tidal was just fantastic! From what we can tell, the headphone amp inside the Decco125 SKY is definitely no slouch.

Next, we paired it up with a pair of Vandersteen Model 1’s. This has been a long time favorite speaker of our team here at Audio Advice. We felt a typical Decco SKY buyer may be likely to have speakers around this price range. The Model 1 is also very revealing of any flaws in the upstream signal, making them great speakers to test with.

The first cut we cued up from Tidal was the “William Tell Overture” played by the Berlin Symphony. On a great system you can hear the acoustics of the hall it was performed in and that shines right through with the new Decco and Vandersteens! The strings were also very smooth with not a trace of edge.

Next, we went with an old standby, “Take 5” by Dave Brubeck. Once again, every instrument just floated in space with a very effortless sound. From there, we lit things up with “All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix. We pushed the volume up to rock levels here and the Decco did a great job. We did a little comparison though at this point of the Nova300 (just for grins) using our iPhone and the Nova did win out, with even cleaner sound and more bass dynamics, but that is to be expected with the Nova’s better amp and DAC’s.

Finally, we tried out one of our favorite songs for pacing, “Pink Houses” by John Mellencamp. Here the Decco shined yet again. We were tapping our foot and the drum kit sounded like it was literally there in the room with us!

All and all, our tests proved the new Decco125 SKY can drive just about any pair of headphones and had no trouble with a mid-priced speaker like the Vandersteen Model 1. Unless you have speakers that are extremely difficult to drive, the Decco should serve you well.

Overall Recommendation

If you are looking for a great-sounding integrated amp and listen primarily to streaming music or music on your local network, the Peachtree Decco125 SKY is the perfect match.

The ability to stream directly from the unit, paired with the built-in phono stage, analog inputs, and digital and USB inputs is very compelling. This new Decco offers up a lot of goodies for a modest price and sounds like amps that cost far more. This is nothing unusual for Peachtree, but the new Peachtree Audio Decco125 SKY really puts the icing on the cake with its direct streaming feature!.

HIGH NOTES UNPACKED

Multitude of Input Options

Direct Streaming, Phono, Digital, USB, and Analog inputs. What more could you ask for in an amp? Plus you get a very well done headphone amp. This one has it all!

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