Hi-End at Low-Cost
Since 1979, Monarchy Audio has been handcrafting high-end audio equipment in San Francisco, California. We believe that exceptional sound should be accessible — not reserved for the few. From our acclaimed zero-feedback MOSFET amplifiers to award-winning tube DACs and pure-sinewave power regenerators, every product is meticulously designed, voiced, and assembled in-house to bring you closer to the music.
We refuse to compromise on sound quality. Every design decision — from circuit topology to component selection — is driven by one question: does it serve the music? By engineering with discipline and avoiding audiophile fads, we achieve reference-level performance without the usual price tag. Great sound should not require great wealth.
We pioneered zero negative feedback amplifier topology decades before it became fashionable. By avoiding global feedback loops, our circuits preserve phase coherence and transient accuracy — delivering a natural, grain-free sound that lets the original recording speak without editorializing.
Every Monarchy Audio product is individually assembled, tested, and voiced in our San Francisco workshop — not on an automated production line. This hands-on approach ensures that each unit meets our exacting standards before it ever reaches your listening room.
Since founder C.C. Poon established Monarchy Audio in 1979, this philosophy has guided everything we do. Sound quality comes first — and once that standard is met, the question becomes: how do we achieve the same quality at the lowest possible cost?
Monarchy Audio does not compromise on sound. Look inside any Monarchy product and you will find thick chassis panels to dampen vibration, premium audiophile-grade components, excellent American hand-wound toroidal transformers, and superb-sounding volume controls — all chosen without compromise. The only thing we sacrifice is cosmetic extravagance. C.C. himself draws no salary from Monarchy. For him, this is not a livelihood — it is a passion. A pure love of music and audio, pursued on his own terms.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1979 | Monarchy Audio is founded by C.C. Poon in San Francisco, initially selling Japanese amplifier kits such as Luxman. |
| 1980s | Monarchy distributes Nelson Pass Threshold amplifiers throughout Asia, building a reputation for exceptional audio. |
| 1990 | The Model 20 — Monarchy's first DAC — is released. A dual 20-bit design using Burr Brown PCM63P-K chips, hailed by Audio Observatory as sounding better than a Mark Levinson DAC costing ten times as much. |
| 1995 | The DIP (Digital Interface Processor) debuts. The latest version, DIP 24/96, wins "Best Buy of the Year" from American audio magazines. |
| 2000s | The SM-70 MK2, SM-70 Pro, and SE-100 Delux power amplifiers earn Best Recommendation and Reviewer's Choice awards from multiple US audio publications. |
| 2016 | The NM24 Tube DAC receives The Absolute Sound's Golden Ear Award, with reviewers comparing its sound to DACs costing $5,000. |
"High End at Low Cost. This is the spirit C.C. brought to Monarchy Audio. This is the philosophy we have lived by. Who says great sound must be expensive?"
High End at Low Cost. 這就是Monarchy Audio。自從1979年創辦人CC創立Monarchy Audio之後，就一直秉持這個理念。
Monarchy Audio的開始是源自於創辦人CC對音樂重播的喜愛。對CC來說，聲音的品質是第一考量，當聲音重播的品質達到標準之後，接下來就是如何用最小的成本達到一樣的品質。Monarchy Audio對聲音重播是不妥協的，從Monarchy的產品中很容易可以發現可以減少震動影響的厚重機箱、超高品質的音響級發燒料、極優秀的美國手工繞製環形變壓器、極好聲的音量控制旋鈕。唯一犧牲的是外觀，Monarchy並沒有請專業的工業設計師設計產品外觀，也沒有精細的打磨，一切都是以低成本為出發點來建立產品外觀。除此之外，CC本人並沒有從Monarchy拿取任何薪水，對CC來說 Monarchy的一切是他的興趣，他並不以此維生，純粹是對音樂與音響的喜好，以他自己獨特的方式堅持他的理念：High End at Low Cost。就是在這個理念之下，Monarchy的產品才可以用很低的價格提供超高的聲音重播品質。
| 年份 | 事件 |
|---|---|
| 1979 | Monarchy Audio由C.C. Poon於舊金山創立，初期主要銷售日本擴大機套件（如Luxman）。 |
| 1980年代 | Monarchy Audio主要將Nelson Pass的Threshold擴大機銷售至亞洲市場。 |
| 1990 | Monarchy Audio的第一台DAC — Model 20上市。雙20-bit設計，使用Burr Brown PCM63P-K晶片。Audio Observatory評論其聲音表現超越十倍價錢的Mark Levinson DAC。 |
| 1995 | DIP（Digital Interface Processor）推出第一代。最新版本DIP 24/96榮獲美國音響雜誌「Best Buy of the Year」。 |
| 2000年代 | SM-70 MK2、SM-70 Pro、SE-100 Delux後級陸續贏得多個美國音響雜誌的最佳推薦與Reviewer's Choice。 |
| 2016 | NM24管DAC獲得TAS金耳朵獎（Golden Ear Award），評論指出聲音可以媲美售價5000美金的DAC。 |
「High End at Low Cost. 這就是CC創立Monarchy的精神，也就是Monarchy一直以來的理念。誰說高品質的聲音重播一定是昂貴的？」
Forty years of audio excellence, from amplifiers to accessories
SM-70 MK2, SM-70 Pro, SE-100 MK2, SE-160, SE-250
NM24, M24, DIP Combo, DIP Upsampler
AC-Regenerator, M50, Power Strip
DR-1, DR-3, DR-4, DXLR-1, Overtone, Stage, Strength, Time, Power Strip
Black Series, Blue Series
Earth Cube
★★★★★"Monarchy Audio's AC-Regenerator is a Most Wanted Component — it brings a level of clarity and background silence that must be heard to be believed."
— Stereo Times
★★★★★"The NM24 DAC delivers a Golden Ear award-winning performance that rivals converters at many times its price. A true high-end bargain."
— The Absolute Sound
★★★★★"Monarchy Audio proves that high-end sound doesn't require a high-end budget. Their dedication to value delivers incredible performance."
— Enjoy the Music
