With the integrated amplifier from the entry-level 180 series, Aavik took a radical turn: leaving behind heavy castles of aluminum in favor of natural materials and shapes derived from musical instruments. Aavik is the electronics side of a company-triumvirate, the other two being Børresen as a loudspeaker brand and Ansuz as a supplier of cables and accessories. Regular STEREO readers might be familiar with Aavik thanks to the impressive U-300 integrated amplifier equipped with a phono stage and DAC. Or maybe also due to the D-180 DAC or R-180 phono preamp, which has already received excellent reviews recently.