ModWright KWH 225i Integrated Amplifier Review: Pure Sound, No Compromise

The ModWright KWH 225i can do a lot of things for a system — but what sets it apart is how confidently it reveals what your other components are truly doing.

Pure Sound. No Compromise.

The ModWright KWH 225i Integrated Amplifier Experience

If you’ve ever gone back and forth between an integrated amp and separates, you’re not alone. I’ve lived on both sides. Each has its merits.

This is definitely not a first-impressions review. This is all about what happens after living with a component, after rotating gear around it, pushing it, questioning it, and ultimately trusting it.

This is about why I moved into an integrated amplifier — specifically, the ModWright KWH 225i, and why it reshaped how I think about system building.

Preferences change in this hobby. Mine certainly have. I’m not married to brands, but I do have non-negotiables: thoughtful circuit design, proven designers, and gear that doesn’t chase yearly model updates just to stay relevant. Some product cycles and constantly upgrading models start to feel like UFC events — exciting at first, but by UFC 587, you start to wonder who’s keeping track.

My system had been all tubes: a McIntosh C22 MV and MC275 MkIII. Beautiful gear. The C22 especially had my heart. But I was rotating components more often. Space tightened. Retubing got expensive. Heat became a factor.

I wanted simplicity without compromise. Fewer boxes. Less heat. Same soul.

A colleague suggested I look at ModWright. I’m glad he did.

Under the Hood: What the 225i Actually Is

The KWH 225i is a hybrid integrated amplifier.

Tube input stage (two 6922 tubes — 6DJ8, ECC88, 7308 compatible)
225 watts per channel into 8 ohms
400 watts into 4 ohms
First 25 watts in pure Class A
Solid-state output stage

The design philosophy is straightforward: tubes for voltage gain, solid state for current delivery.

As Dan Wright put it:

“Tubes amplify voltage. Solid state amplifies current. Speakers need current — full stop. An amplifier input simply needs voltage. It is as simple as that.”

That clarity of intent shows up in how the amp behaves.

Build Philosophy of the 225i: What It Isn’t Matters

To understand the 225i integrated amp, you have to understand what it refuses to be.

At this price point, many integrated amplifiers are loaded with DACs, phono stages, streaming modules, digital inputs, menus, and screens. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that — but every added feature consumes budget somewhere else.

Transformers.
Capacitors.
Internal wiring.
Power supply architecture.

The 225i strips it back. No built-in DAC. No internal phono stage. No digital gimmicks.

Just a serious preamp section and a serious power amp in one chassis.

DACs age quickly. Streaming platforms change. Digital boards become obsolete. With the 225i, the core stays relevant. Upgrade your source. Keep the heart.

It’s less Swiss Army knife. More Corvette.

Why I Chose Integrated (And Why That’s Okay)

Moving to an integrated wasn’t about giving something up. It was about simplifying.

Fewer cables.
Fewer shelves.
Lower heat.

More budget is focused on the actual amplification stage.

Separates absolutely can deliver advantages. But they also introduce complexity, gain matching, interconnect variables, rack space, and, of course, cost.

A well-executed integrated like the 225i doesn’t feel like a compromise. It feels and sounds intentional.

And make no mistake, that’s a big distinction.

Living With It: How Does the 225i Amplifier Sound?

After extended time with the 225i, swapping DACs, phono stages, speakers, cables, and even tubes, one word keeps coming back: Honest.

It leans slightly north of neutral. Never sterile. Never syrupy. It doesn’t editorialize.

What you feed it is exactly what you hear. That’s not marketing language, it’s a lived experience.

Digital Pairings: Letting DACs Be Themselves

I spent significant time with two very different DACs:

The Aqua delivered scale, timing, and an organic flow that filled the room. The 225i didn’t sweeten it or harden it. The amp simply passed it through with control and dimensionality intact.

The Chord Qutest, known for detail and speed, can lean forward in the wrong system. Here, the detail remained open and expansive without glare. It also revealed the Qutest’s slight compression in depth compared to larger Chord models.

The takeaway? The 225i doesn’t mask. It doesn’t embellish. It reveals what your connected gear is capable of, or more importantly, the music itself.

Analog Pairings: Phono Stages & Vinyl

On the analog side, I paired the 225i with:

Each phono stage retained its character.

The PH 9.0X brought spaciousness and ease. The Chord was ruthlessly revealing, groove noise, texture, microdetail, all laid bare.

Again, the amp wasn’t adding a flavor. It was acting as a truth teller.

And with good vinyl, that truth is intoxicating.

Speaker Synergy: Real-World Loads

I ran the 225i with:

It handled them all confidently.

The Magnepans, at 4 ohms, demanded more current. The amp delivered, staying composed even during longer, louder sessions.

The first 25 watts in Class A cover most real-world listening. Unless you’re pushing club levels, you’re living in that sweet zone most of the time.

A Moment With Harbeth

The pairing with Harbeth Compact 7ES-3XD was special.

Listening to Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me” — my favorite song of all time — the system didn’t just play the track. It constructed the space.

The bass line was rich and grounded. King’s voice hovered between the speakers. The room dissolved. Three minutes. Total immersion.That’s the kind of experience that we are chasing in this hobby.

Diptyque & Planar Control

With the Diptyque DP115s, I expected beauty. I didn’t expect that level of bass organization and stamina.

Planars can expose weaknesses in current delivery. After hours of listening, sometimes from early evening until well past midnight, the amp never flattened out. No sag. No fatigue. Just control and clarity.

The kind of pairing that makes you lose track of time.

Tube Rolling: Subtle, Not Transformational

I experimented with:

Stock Electro-Harmonix
Telefunken 6922
Gold Lion ECC
JJ

Differences were present, but not dramatic.

The Telefunkens sounded the cleanest and most open on top. Gold Lions added some midrange warmth. The stock tubes held their own surprisingly well.

The takeaway: tube rolling can fine-tune the presentation, but this isn’t an amp that radically shifts personality with glass swaps. It’s fundamentally stable.

Cables & Transparency

The 225i is transparent enough that cable differences are audible, but you don’t need exotic solutions.

Quality copper.
Solid design.
Thoughtful system matching.

That’s it. When an amplifier is this honest, upstream decisions matter. That’s part of its strength.

Final Verdict

Over time, my values in this hobby have shifted.

I care more about simplicity, Integrity, and long-term relevance. Most importantly, confidence in what I’m hearing

The ModWright KWH 225i delivers all of that in spades.

At $9,750, it’s serious money. But when you compare core amplification quality, transformer design, power delivery, and circuit intent, the field narrows quickly.

This isn’t an integrated trying to be everything.

It’s an amplifier built to do one thing exceptionally well: reveal your system’s truth.

And once you hear that, it’s hard to go back.

Keep Exploring

Ready to Hear the ModWright KWH 225i in Your System?

Explore current availability, full-warranty new units, and Certified Pre-Owned options when available. The KWH 225i blends tube dimensionality with solid-state authority in a design built for long-term ownership and uncompromising performance.

Shop the ModWright KWH 225i