Lejonklou

The reference phono stage that lets vinyl speak for itself

The Lejonklou Entity MC is a moving-coil phono stage created for listeners who want to hear exactly what is in the groove — nothing added, nothing softened.

At Authentic High End, the Entity MC holds a special place. It is Steve’s preferred phono stage when pairing a high-quality MC cartridge with the Linn Sondek LP12. Not because it sounds spectacular, but because it consistently makes records feel right: stable, expressive and emotionally intact.

Why Entity MC

Entity MC was designed by Fredrik Lejonklou with a clear objective:
to amplify the tiniest signals in analogue replay without imposing a character of its own.

Moving-coil cartridges generate extremely small signals. Any noise, instability or tonal emphasis introduced at this stage permanently alters the music. Entity MC 1.2 addresses this by combining extreme low-noise design with a listening-led approach to gain, loading and circuit behaviour.

The result is a phono stage that does not sound “quiet” or “detailed” as a trick — it simply allows the musical structure to remain intact.

Design Philosophy: Listening Before Theory

Like all Lejonklou products, Entity MC was developed through extended listening and comparison, not by chasing measurements alone.

Component selection, circuit topology and power regulation were refined until changes no longer improved musical timing, phrasing or flow. Anything that didn’t clearly contribute to musical coherence was removed.

This is why Entity MC 1.2 feels calm and assured rather than analytical or impressive. It serves the record, not the listener’s expectations.

The LP12 Connection

The Linn Sondek LP12 is unforgiving of phono stages.
When timing is right, it sings. When it is not, it exposes every weakness upstream.

With Entity MC, the LP12 locks in effortlessly. Rhythm feels natural, bass lines are perfectly proportioned, and musical phrases unfold without hesitation. This is the combination Steve consistently returns to — not because it is the most adjustable or configurable, but because it makes vinyl listening addictive rather than evaluative.

Listening Experience

Entity MC does not draw attention to detail.

Instead, it restores order.

Music gains structure and intent. Quiet passages remain expressive, while dynamic swings arrive without stress. Instruments occupy their place naturally, and performers feel connected rather than isolated.

Long listening sessions become effortless. Records finish. Another side goes on.

That is the real test of a phono stage.

Operation & Compatibility

True to Lejonklou’s minimalist approach, Entity MC avoids unnecessary complexity:

• Dedicated MC phono stage

• Optimised gain and loading for musical accuracy

• Analogue RCA inputs and outputs

• Designed to work seamlessly with high-quality turntables and preamplifiers

There are no gimmicks and no distractions — just a carefully judged analogue amplification stage.

Why We Selected Entity MC at Authentic High End

Phono stages define the character of vinyl playback more than almost any other component.

Entity MC earned its place because it consistently reveals improvements elsewhere in the system without ever becoming the focus itself. Better cartridges, better setup and better records are immediately audible — and poorer recordings are treated honestly, not flattered.

In our Brussels listening rooms, it remains the reference against which other MC phono stages are judged.

Technical Overview

• Product type: Moving Coil (MC) phono stage

• Design approach: Music-first, listening-validated analogue design

• Inputs / Outputs: Analogue RCA

• Noise performance: Extremely low, optimised for MC cartridges

• Philosophy: Preserve timing, coherence and musical intent

• Origin: Designed and built in Sweden

Who Is the Entity MC For?

The Lejonklou Entity MC is ideal for listeners who:

• Take vinyl replay seriously

• Use high-quality MC cartridges

• Build systems around the Linn Sondek LP12

• Prefer musical truth over tonal flavour

• Believe that if it sounds better, it is better

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Moving Magnet phono amplification, stripped to the essentials

The Lejonklou Slipsik MM is a moving-magnet phono stage created for listeners who want maximum musical engagement from MM cartridges, without complexity or distraction.

At Authentic High End, Slipsik MM is our reference entry into Lejonklou’s analogue philosophy. It delivers timing, coherence and flow in a way that immediately feels natural — especially when paired with turntables such as the Linn Sondek LP12 fitted with high-quality MM cartridges.

Design Philosophy: Less Circuitry, More Music

Slipsik MM is designed by Fredrik Lejonklou using the same discipline applied across the entire Lejonklou range:
every part must earn its place by improving the musical result.

Rather than offering adjustable loading, gain switches or selectable filters, Slipsik MM focuses on getting the fundamentals right:

• correct gain structure

• stable timing

• extremely low noise

• natural tonal balance

Anything that did not audibly improve musical coherence was removed.

Listening Experience

What defines the Lejonklou Slipsik MM is how quickly music locks in.

Rhythms feel grounded and assured. Melodies unfold naturally, without emphasis or blur. There is no sense of added warmth or spotlighted detail — instead, records sound organised, confident and emotionally direct.

Slipsik MM does not impress by sounding “big” or “hi-fi”. It convinces by making vinyl playback feel effortless and involving, encouraging longer listening sessions and complete albums.

A Natural Match for MM Cartridges

Moving Magnet cartridges are often chosen for their musical balance and ease of use — and Slipsik MM respects exactly that.

It pairs beautifully with quality MM designs, allowing them to perform at their best without forcing a character onto the sound. In LP12-based systems, Slipsik MM preserves the deck’s sense of timing and flow while keeping the presentation open and stable.

For many listeners, this combination represents one of the most satisfying and musically honest ways to enjoy vinyl.

Operation & Simplicity

True to Lejonklou’s minimalist approach, Slipsik MM offers only what is necessary:

• Dedicated MM phono stage

• Analogue RCA input and output

• Optimised fixed loading and gain

• External power supply for low noise

No switches, no menus, no user settings — once connected, it simply disappears into the system.

Why We Selected Slipsik MM at Authentic High End

Slipsik MM earned its place by doing something deceptively difficult:
it allows MM cartridges to sound complete and convincing, without pushing the listener toward upgrades or adjustments.

In our Brussels listening rooms, it consistently proves that MM playback — when handled properly — can be deeply engaging, musically credible and completely satisfying.

Technical Overview

• Product type: Moving Magnet (MM) phono stage

• Design approach: Music-first, listening-validated analogue design

• Inputs / Outputs: Analogue RCA

• Gain & loading: Fixed, optimised for musical accuracy

• Noise performance: Extremely low for MM applications

• Origin: Designed and built in Sweden

Who Is the Slipsik MM For?

The Lejonklou Slipsik MM is ideal for listeners who:

• Use high-quality MM cartridges

• Value musical flow over adjustability

• Build vinyl systems around timing and coherence

• Want simplicity without sacrificing performance

• Believe that if it sounds better, it is better

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Digital streaming, refined through listening

The Lejonklou Källa is not a streamer designed to showcase technology. It is designed to remove it from the experience.

At Authentic High End, we chose the Källa because it follows the same discipline that defines all Lejonklou products: careful evaluation through listening, elimination of anything that distracts, and absolute focus on musical coherence. Källa is a digital source for listeners who value flow, timing and emotional credibility over features and interfaces.

Design Philosophy

Källa means “source” in Swedish — and that is exactly how Lejonklou approaches it. Not as a computer with audio functions, but as a true musical source component.

Designed by Fredrik Lejonklou, Källa was developed through long listening sessions and systematic comparison. Every design choice — from circuitry to component selection — was validated by ear. If a change did not improve the musical result, it was discarded.

The result is a streamer that does not seek attention. It simply allows music to unfold naturally, with stable timing, tonal honesty and long-term listening comfort.

Listening Experience

What stands out immediately with the Lejonklou Källa is not resolution or spectacle, but coherence.

Music feels connected. Rhythms make sense. Musicians sound like they are playing together, not assembled digitally. Källa excels in preserving intent — whether you are listening casually in the background or fully engaged during an evening session.

This is a digital source you stop thinking about after a few minutes — because the system stops reminding you that it is digital at all.

Operation & Use

True to Lejonklou’s philosophy, Källa avoids unnecessary complexity.

• Network streamer with integrated DAC

• Ethernet connection for stable, consistent performance

• Analogue RCA outputs for seamless integration with high-end amplifiers

• Controlled via AirPlay-compatible devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV)

No displays. No menus. No endless configuration. Källa is designed to be used, not managed.

Why We Selected Källa at Authentic High End

We don’t look for digital products that impress quickly. We look for components that invite longer listening.

Källa earned its place because it behaves like a mature source component: calm, stable and musically convincing. It aligns perfectly with systems built around musical timing and coherence — including vinyl-led setups where digital must meet the same standards.

In our listening rooms in Brussels, Källa consistently proves that restraint and precision lead to the most rewarding results.

Technical Overview

• Product type: Network streamer with integrated DAC

• Digital architecture: Music-first, listening-validated design

• Outputs: Analogue RCA

• Network: Ethernet (RJ45)

• Control: AirPlay-compatible devices / Roon

• Design: Minimalist Scandinavian enclosure

• Origin: Designed and built in Sweden

Who Is the Källa For?

The Lejonklou Källa is ideal for listeners who:

• Value musical coherence over technical features

• Prefer long listening sessions without fatigue

• Want a digital source that integrates naturally into a high-end system

• Believe that if it sounds better, it is better

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The little sister of Källa — digital streaming, distilled

The Lejonklou Tjärn was conceived as a more accessible, more distilled counterpart to the Källa. Not a compromise, but a deliberate reduction.

Priced at roughly 60% of the Källa, Tjärn retains the same musical priorities while stripping the concept down to its essentials. It is a digital streamer and DAC for listeners who want Lejonklou’s musical integrity in its most straightforward form.

At Authentic High End, we see Tjärn as the most honest expression of Lejonklou’s belief that complexity should only exist when it audibly improves the music.

Tjärn and Källa: Same Thinking, Different Scale

Functionally, Tjärn works much like the Källa — but it goes even further in simplification.

There is no web interface and nothing to configure. Setup is intentionally minimal:
connect the supplied Ethernet cable to your network, the power cord to your system, and analogue interconnects to your amplifier. Switch it on, and after about 20 seconds Tjärn appears as an output device on your Apple equipment.

The question behind Tjärn was not how much can we add, but rather:
how much can we remove while keeping the music intact?

Streaming Architecture: Built and Voiced by Ear

At the heart of Tjärn is a streaming platform based on the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 — but with a crucial difference: each compute module is individually selected by ear.

The Ethernet physical layer is designed and built in-house by Lejonklou. Every part in that circuit was chosen through listening, not convenience or datasheets, with the sole aim of preserving musical flow and natural timing.

Tjärn communicates using a new in-house protocol, Protokoll 2, developed to improve stability, timing and coherence throughout the digital chain.

DAC Integration: Digital That Doesn’t Sound Digital

The DAC stage in Tjärn is based on a 24-bit AKM chip, closely related to the one used in Källa. However, it has been adapted specifically to work with Tjärn’s new streaming engine.

These adaptations reinforced a core Lejonklou conviction:

a DAC cannot be treated as a standalone block — it must be tightly integrated with the digital processes feeding it.

When that integration is right, the music flows effortlessly and loses the brittle, mechanical quality often associated with digital playback.

Power Supply: Simpler, Smarter

Compared to Källa, Tjärn uses a less elaborate power supply and regulation stage. This is not a downgrade, but a strategic choice.

All regulation components are individually pre-measured and selected, removing the need for extensive manual fine-tuning. Where a Källa can require up to three days of final tuning, Tjärn achieves consistency through careful design and repeatable processes.

The result is a product that is easier to build, more predictable to finalise, and still fully aligned with Lejonklou’s musical standards.

Built in Sweden, Controlled In-House

Each Lejonklou Tjärn is built and tested in-house in Lejonklou’s lab in Uppsala, Sweden.

Over the past year, Lejonklou has brought as many production steps as possible under direct control, increasing consistency and quality.
Exceptions are limited to:

• the enclosures

• machine soldering of circuit boards (done to Lejonklou specifications by two Swedish partners)

• printed circuit boards manufactured in Germany to the same standards used for Källa and Tundra Mono 3

This balance ensures precision without losing control over what matters most.

Listening Experience

Tjärn does not try to impress with immediacy or fireworks.

Instead, it presents music with calm authority. Timing feels stable, phrasing makes sense, and performances hold together naturally. Compared to Källa, the presentation is slightly more compact and intimate, but unmistakably Lejonklou in character.

It is a streamer you stop noticing — because the music takes over.

Why We Selected Tjärn at Authentic High End

Not every system needs a digital flagship.

Tjärn earns its place by offering the essence of Lejonklou’s digital philosophy in a form that fits more systems, more rooms, and more listening habits. It is ideal in vinyl-led systems, integrated amplifier setups, or anywhere digital playback should feel natural rather than dominant.

In our Brussels listening rooms, Tjärn proves that restraint, when executed with precision, is a virtue.

Technical Overview

• Product type: Network streamer with integrated DAC

• Positioning: Compact sister model to Källa (~60% of the price)

• Streaming platform: Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 (individually selected)

• Protocol: Protokoll 2

• DAC: 24-bit AKM, adapted for Tjärn architecture

• Network: Ethernet (RJ45)

• Outputs: Analogue RCA

• Control: Appears as an output device on Apple systems (AirPlay)

• Build: Hand-built and tested in Uppsala, Sweden

Who Is the Tjärn For?

The Lejonklou Tjärn is ideal for listeners who:

• Want Lejonklou’s musical integrity at a more accessible level

• Prefer simplicity over interfaces and settings

• Value timing, coherence and natural flow

• Believe digital should serve the music — not announce itself

• Live by the principle: if it sounds better, it is better

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An integrated amplifier with ZERO features — and everything that matters

Lejonklou Boazu 2 is a ZERO-feature integrated amplifier built around the Source First principle. Swedish, music-first design curated by Authentic High End.

The Lejonklou Boazu 2 is an integrated amplifier with ZERO features — and a stunning ability to communicate music.

At Authentic High End, Boazu 2 represents one of the purest expressions of Lejonklou’s philosophy: remove everything that interferes with the signal, and the music becomes more alive. No menus. No modes. No options. Just music, amplified with authority and emotional clarity.

Why ZERO Features?

The idea behind Boazu was born in 2015, when Fredrik Lejonklou began questioning a long-held assumption: that sensitive low-level analogue signals must always be separated from high-current power amplification.

With new ideas on how to combine both successfully, he set out to design an integrated amplifier that could outperform traditional pre/power combinations — not by adding clever features, but by removing them.

Boazu (named after the Sami word for reindeer) went through multiple iterations. Early prototypes included familiar conveniences: a phono stage, headphone output, pre-outs. Each was carefully tuned. Yet something was missing.

Listening sessions were shorter. The music didn’t fully take over.

So Fredrik did the opposite of what most designers would do:
he removed features, one by one.

Each step towards simplicity resulted in greater musical expression. When nothing unnecessary remained, Boazu finally had ZERO features — and it became not just different, but better.

Source First: The Core Principle

At the heart of Boazu 2 lies the Source First principle.

Source First recognises that the earliest part of the signal chain matters most. Musicians matter more than instruments. Recordings matter more than playback equipment. And within a hi-fi system, the source matters more than the amplifier, which in turn matters more than the loudspeakers.

Most systems — and most buyers — focus on speakers. But all listening experience shows that the closer you are to the source, the greater the musical impact.

In Boazu, this philosophy is taken literally.

Input Stage: Where the Music Begins

Boazu 2 has four analogue inputs — and they are the most important part of the amplifier.

Instead of using traditional input switching, Fredrik simplified the design by adapting the input stage of the Sagatun preamplifier. All four inputs are summed into a single, ultra-clean circuit. Whatever source is playing, it is passed directly and purely to the rest of the amplifier.

• No input selector

• No switching circuits

• No signal degradation

There is nothing to choose, nothing to read, nothing to distract you.
You simply play music.

Volume Control: The Only User Function

After the input stage, the signal passes through an analogue volume control, identical in concept to the one used in Lejonklou’s reference preamplifiers.

This is the only user interaction on Boazu 2:

• Volume up

• Volume down

• Mute

Accessible via the front panel or the supplied Lejonklou remote.

Every other function was removed — because each additional feature degrades the sound just a little. Remove enough “just a little” degradations, and what remains is something far more powerful: musical thrill.

Power Amplifier: Authority Without Aggression

Closely integrated with the volume control is a power amplifier section derived from the Tundra power amplifier.

• High current capability

• Exceptional control

• Effortless drive of real-world loudspeakers

To make Boazu cost-effective without sacrificing musical integrity, component values are chosen just outside the extremely narrow selection window used for Tundra. The result retains the same character, timing and authority — without the cost escalation.

Boazu 2 uses:

• A 1.1 kg copper heatsink (chosen over aluminium for its clear musical advantages: cleaner, better-timed bass)

• Dual 100 W switch-mode power supplies, identical in concept to Tundra

The amplifier never sounds strained. It simply takes control and lets the music flow.

Listening Experience

Boazu 2 doesn’t impress by force.

It convinces by immersion.

Music starts easily, builds naturally, and holds your attention without effort. Rhythm is locked in. Dynamics feel proportional. Loudspeakers behave as if they suddenly make more sense.

Listening sessions stretch longer. Albums finish. Distractions fade.
That is the real achievement of ZERO features.

Why We Selected Boazu 2 at Authentic High End

Boazu 2 aligns perfectly with how we build systems at Authentic High End.

It respects the source. It refuses unnecessary complexity. And it delivers musical involvement that grows rather than fades over time. In our Brussels listening rooms, it repeatedly proves that less circuitry, when guided by listening, leads to more music.

Technical Overview

• Product type: Integrated amplifier

• Inputs: 4× analogue RCA (summed, no switching)

• Volume control: Analogue, front panel & remote

• Features: ZERO (by design)

• Power stage: Tundra-derived, high-current design

• Cooling: 1.1 kg copper heatsink

• Power supply: Dual 100 W SMPS

• Design philosophy: Source First, listening-validated

• Build: Designed and assembled in Sweden

Who Is the Boazu 2 For?

The Lejonklou Boazu 2 is ideal for listeners who:

• Believe simplicity is a performance advantage

• Want maximum musical engagement, not flexibility

• Value source quality above all else

• Prefer listening over adjusting

• Live by the principle: if it sounds better, it is better

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Single-channel amplification, refined through listening

Lejonklou Tundra Mono 3 is a high-end mono power amplifier evolved through meticulous tuning and thermal control. Music-first Swedish design, curated by Authentic High End.

The Lejonklou Tundra Mono 3 is the result of more than a decade of focused development around one idea: a single channel, executed without compromise, sounds more alive.

The original Tundra Mono, introduced in 2013, was derived from the stereo Tundra power amplifier. While it already shared many of its strengths, the move to a single channel brought something more important than extra power: a clear step up in sound quality. Whether playing softly or loudly, music became more engaging, more expressive, and more convincing.

At Authentic High End, the Tundra Mono 3 represents the pinnacle of Lejonklou’s power amplification philosophy.

Why One Channel Sounds Better

Tundra Mono is not about headline specifications. Its advantage lies in how calmly and consistently it operates under musical load.

Three core design choices make the mono version fundamentally superior to the stereo Tundra:

1. Power Supplies Working in Comfort

The twin power supplies are of the same type as in the stereo Tundra, but in Tundra Mono they only have one channel to feed.
This allows them to run smoother, delivering cleaner and more stable voltages throughout the amplifier. Cleaner voltages mean a more stable foundation for music — especially during dynamic passages.

2. A Much Stronger Drive Stage

The drive stage that controls the output devices is five times more powerful than in the stereo version.
As a result, Tundra Mono is far less affected by how much current a loudspeaker demands at any given moment. This freedom from effort allows the amplifier to express musical dynamics and emotion more convincingly, without strain or hesitation.

3. Improved Thermal Stability

Cooling of critical components is significantly improved. This ensures stability when music transitions rapidly from silence to high output — a moment where timing and control are most easily lost.

From Tundra Mono to Tundra Mono 3

The second major evolution came with Tundra Mono 2, released in February 2015. This was a complete rework, focused primarily on thermal behaviour, which plays a decisive role in musical stability.

Key improvements introduced with Mono 2 — and carried forward into Tundra Mono 3 — include:

• Copper cooling blocks replacing aluminium
  Two pieces of copper with a total weight of 1.2 kg dramatically reduced temperature variations in all critical areas. Less thermal fluctuation means a more stable and predictable musical presentation.

• Torque-optimised clamping of output transistors
  Output devices are clamped between the copper blocks using a spring-loaded mechanism that maintains constant pressure, regardless of temperature changes.

• Advanced Thermal Interface Material (TIM)
  Thermal resistance between components and cooling blocks was reduced to one quarter of the previous value. Faster heat transfer results in audibly tighter, more solid bass and improved overall control.

Status Port & Trim: Long-Term Musical Consistency

In addition to internal refinements, the rear panel of Tundra Mono 2 and 3 received two important additions:

• a Status Port

• a Trim control

These allow compensation for variations caused by:

• ambient temperature

• ventilation (open rack vs closed cabinet)

• long-term component drift over many years

Each pair of Tundra Mono amplifiers is supplied with a calibrated instrument and clear instructions. The trimming procedure is simple and ensures that the amplifier continues to perform at reference level in its specific environment.

Individually Tuned — No Exceptions

Every Tundra Mono 3 is individually fine-tuned.

This process combines precise measurements with extensive listening. An amplifier is not approved for shipment until it performs on par with Lejonklou’s internal reference. This level of attention ensures consistency, longevity and musical integrity across years of use.

Listening Experience

Tundra Mono 3 does not emphasise power or scale.

Instead, it delivers certainty.

Music feels alive at any volume level. Quiet passages remain expressive, while loud passages retain control and composure. Loudspeakers sound less stressed, timing remains intact, and the emotional message of the music comes through clearly and effortlessly.

System Integration

• Mono power amplifier (one unit per channel)

• Analogue RCA input

• Designed to pair with high-quality preamplifiers and source-first systems

• Ideal for demanding loudspeakers and reference-level installations

Once connected, there is nothing to configure — only music to play.

Why We Selected Tundra Mono 3 at Authentic High End

We chose Tundra Mono 3 because it reveals improvements upstream without adding anything of its own. Better sources, better setup and better recordings are immediately audible.

In our Brussels listening rooms, Tundra Mono 3 proves that control, stability and thermal discipline are not technical details — they are musical necessities.

Technical Overview

• Product type: Mono power amplifier

• Architecture: Single-channel design

• Power supplies: Twin supplies dedicated to one channel

• Drive stage: Five-times stronger than stereo Tundra

• Cooling: Dual copper blocks, total 1.2 kg

• Thermal control: Advanced TIM, constant-pressure clamping

• Adjustment: Status Port & Trim control

• Tuning: Individually measured and listened to

• Build: Designed and assembled in Sweden

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Remote-controlled analogue stereo preamplifier

The Lejonklou Superkikkin is a remote-controlled analogue stereo preamplifier created for listeners who want to hear what their sources are truly capable of.

If you are currently using a digital volume control, Superkikkin is an eye-opener — or rather, an ear-opener. It restores weight, flow and musical intent that digital attenuation quietly erodes.

At Authentic High End, Superkikkin is one of the most convincing demonstrations of why a great analogue preamplifier still matters, even in modern digital systems.

From Kikkin to Superkikkin

Project Superkikkin started with a clear request:
create a better version of Kikkin.

The original Kikkin preamplifier, released in 2008, became highly regarded for its musical qualities and robust electronics. Many early units are still in daily use and remain sought after on the second-hand market — a testament to how well the design has aged.

For the new version, Fredrik Lejonklou set two goals:

1. Improve sound quality beyond the original Kikkin

2. Add a second line-level input

The single input of the original Kikkin had become a practical limitation — especially for listeners combining vinyl and digital sources. Superkikkin solves this while preserving everything that made Kikkin special.

Preserving Musical Harmony

Early experiments showed that Kikkin’s musical magic depended on a very specific combination of older film capacitors, some of which were already out of production back in 2008.

Fortunately, Fredrik had the foresight to buy a large stock after months of listening and sorting. These original capacitors form the heart of Superkikkin as well, preserving the harmonic coherence that defined the original design.

When the remaining stock was counted, it became clear that exactly 101 units could be built. With only one prototype needed to finalise the design, 100 Superkikkins were manufactured — no more.

Refined with Modern Precision

While musical harmony was preserved, key areas were refined using modern know-how:

• Power regulation was redesigned using a solution derived from the Boazu integrated amplifier, providing a precise voltage reference for the digitally controlled sections

• Circuit board layout was significantly tightened after 15 years of additional experience, audibly improving focus and timing

The result is a preamplifier that sounds cleaner and more precise than the original Kikkin, without losing its musical warmth and balance.

Two Inputs, Done the Right Way

Adding a second input proved more complex than expected.

Neither the electronic switching of Sagatun nor the input summing approach of Boazu suited the Superkikkin design. Instead, Fredrik chose a purely mechanical switch — but only after ordering and listening to many different types.

The best-sounding switch (also the most expensive) had minimal musical impact. It is mounted directly to the circuit board, adjacent to the input connectors, eliminating internal wiring — which would have degraded the sound more than the switch itself.

The switch is positioned discreetly at the rear. Switching sources becomes a natural gesture, often done while placing the needle in the groove.

Listening Experience

Superkikkin does not impress with spectacle.

Instead, it restores scale, density and musical flow — especially noticeable when replacing digital volume control. Music gains body. Timing tightens. Emotional cues become easier to follow.

Vinyl and digital sources both benefit, but the biggest surprise often comes from digital systems, where Superkikkin reveals just how much musical information was being lost before.

Listening sessions grow longer. Volume adjustments become less frequent. Music feels settled and complete.

Remote Control, Analogue Soul

Superkikkin is remote-controlled for convenience, but the signal path remains fully analogue.

Volume adjustments are precise and repeatable, without introducing the artifacts associated with digital attenuation. This combination of usability and purity makes Superkikkin unusually satisfying in daily use.

Recognition

In the summer of 2024, Superkikkin received a highly favourable review in the French enthusiast magazine VUmètre No. 54, confirming what many listeners had already discovered: this is a special preamplifier.

Why We Selected Superkikkin at Authentic High End

Superkikkin aligns perfectly with our philosophy.

It respects the source. It avoids unnecessary complexity. And it delivers musical engagement that becomes more obvious the longer you listen. In our Brussels listening rooms, it consistently proves how transformative a great analogue preamplifier can be — even in modern, streaming-centric systems.

Technical Overview

• Product type: Analogue stereo preamplifier

• Inputs: 2 × line-level analogue RCA

• Volume control: Analogue, remote-controlled

• Input switching: Mechanical, listening-selected

• Design approach: Music-first, listening-validated

• Production: Limited to 100 units

• Origin: Designed and built in Sweden

Who Is Superkikkin For?

Lejonklou Superkikkin is ideal for listeners who:

• Use digital volume control and want to hear what they’re missing

• Combine vinyl and digital sources

• Value musical flow over feature lists

• Appreciate limited-production, carefully voiced components

• Believe that if it sounds better, it is better

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Reference all-analogue headphone amplifier

The Lejonklou Giella ∏ is an all-analogue headphone amplifier with a single purpose:
to give you a thrill when listening to music.

Not accuracy for its own sake. Not features. Not convenience.
Giella ∏ exists to make music gripping, meaningful and emotionally convincing through headphones.

At Authentic High End, we consider Giella ∏ a reference for serious headphone listening — not as an alternative to loudspeakers, but as a complete musical system in its own right.

Why “Giella” — Your Headphones Need a Language

Giella means “language” in Sami.

That choice is deliberate. Headphones do not automatically communicate music in a meaningful way. They need an amplifier that understands how to translate electrical signals into phrasing, rhythm and emotional intent.

Giella ∏ was created to give headphones that language — so music stops sounding reproduced, and starts sounding expressive.

Designed by Listening, Not by Spec Sheets

Designed by Fredrik Lejonklou, Giella ∏ follows the same discipline as all Lejonklou products:
every decision is validated by listening and comparison.

Electronic components are individually measured and selected into tolerances that cannot be bought off the shelf. Specific combinations are chosen after hundreds of comparative listening tests, always asking the same questions:

• What makes the music more gripping?

• What reduces involvement?

• What keeps you listening longer?

Only the answers that served the music survived.

From Giella to Giella ∏: A Necessary Evolution

Project Giella began in 2014.
The first complete design was simpler and significantly less expensive than the final product. By the summer of 2020, the circuit had been refined as far as it would go — technically excellent, enjoyable to listen to, but not thrilling.

That wasn’t enough.

Fredrik redesigned the amplifier using a different set of components and adopted the power supply architecture from the Entity Moving Coil phono stage. This transformed Giella into something fundamentally different. After months of tuning, it became an amplifier he used every day.

When Giella was introduced in December 2020, early feedback was overwhelmingly positive — with one important exception. Some extremely current-hungry headphones revealed limits in bass control at very high volumes.

That feedback was taken seriously.

Work resumed, and only stopped when the amplifier became both more powerful and more musical.

The result was Giella ∏, introduced in March 2021.

Almost all original Giella owners chose to upgrade — a clear indication that the musical gains were unmistakable.

Purely Analogue — By Choice

There is no DAC and no digital circuitry inside Giella ∏.

This is not a limitation, but a deliberate decision. The absence of digital elements allows the analogue signal path to reach a higher level of refinement without unnecessary cost or compromise.

Giella ∏ is designed to reveal the quality of your source. The better the source and the headphones, the greater the musical difference becomes.

Listening Experience

Giella ∏ does not exaggerate detail or create artificial space.

Instead, it delivers meaning.

Music flows naturally. Rhythms lock in. Dynamics arrive with intent rather than force. Headphones feel less like transducers and more like a direct connection to the performance.

This is an amplifier that encourages long listening sessions — not because it sounds “impressive”, but because it makes music hard to turn off.

Power & Compatibility

Giella ∏ can drive any pair of dynamic headphones, including demanding, current-hungry designs, with authority and stability.

It remains composed at higher listening levels and retains control in the bass, even when the music becomes complex or intense.

More Than a Headphone Amplifier

In addition to its headphone output, Giella ∏ features left and right analogue line outputs.

These allow Giella ∏ to function as a high-quality analogue preamplifier, feeding a power amplifier and loudspeakers. This makes it possible to build a compact yet deeply engaging system — ideal for an office, studio or second listening space.

Why We Selected Giella ∏ at Authentic High End

We selected Giella ∏ because it treats headphone listening with the seriousness it deserves.

It does not chase trends or features. It focuses entirely on musical communication. In our Brussels listening rooms, Giella ∏ consistently proves that headphone listening can be every bit as emotionally involving as a carefully set up loudspeaker system.

Technical Overview

• Product type: All-analogue headphone amplifier

• Design philosophy: Listening-led, music-first

• Amplification: High-current, stable into demanding headphones

• Inputs: Analogue line-level

• Outputs: Headphone output + analogue line outputs

• Additional role: Can function as a high-quality preamplifier

• Digital circuitry: None

• Build: Designed and assembled in Sweden

Who Is the Giella ∏ For?

The Lejonklou Giella ∏ is ideal for listeners who:

• Take headphone listening seriously

• Want emotional engagement, not effects

• Value phrasing, rhythm and musical intent

• Use high-quality dynamic headphones

• Believe that listening is the only true measure

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