Elipson has been flying the French hi-fi flag since 1938, best known for crafting high-end, spaceship-looking loudspeakers that cost more than most used cars. But here’s the curveball: their new amplifier, the Connect 2130 Xi, isn’t some extravagant statement piece. It’s small. It’s plain. It looks like it should be plugged into your router, not your turntable.
And that’s almost shocking when you remember this is the same country that gave us Focal’s bombastic, five-figure sculptural loudspeakers, Jadis’ gold-plated tube amps that look like royal jewelry, YBA’s minimalist slabs of brushed aluminum, Lavardin’s almost too humble-looking amplifiers, and Triangle’s aggressively styled speakers that either seduce or scare off half the room.
French hi-fi design is usually all over the map — from wildly over-engineered bling to somber, monk-like austerity — but it almost always screams “notice me.”
The Connect 2130 Xi? It doesn’t scream. It just shows up, gets to work, and quietly humiliates a lot of flashier competition with real-world performance. Très impolite, and very French.
Don’t be fooled by the no-frills exterior, though. Under the hood, the Connect 2130 Xi is built for modern audiophiles who care more about how it sounds than how it looks — especially if you’re setting up shop in a smaller room. Elipson’s betting that substance still wins over flash, even if most of the industry seems hell-bent on selling $15,000 slabs of marble with LEDs stuck in them.
Network Amplifier for the City of Lights
The Elipson Connect 2130 Xi isn’t here to beg for your attention with flashy lights or over-the-top specs. This streaming stereo amplifier delivers a solid 130 watts per channel into both 4 and 8 ohms, making it a surprisingly serious option for driving anything from refined bookshelf speakers to full-sized floorstanders.
In true French fashion — a little smug but backed by actual skill — Elipson has packed it with their proprietary power factor correction (PFC) technology. They claim it keeps harmonic distortion absurdly low (less than 0.003%) and boasts a signal-to-noise ratio over 119 dB. Translation: it’s whisper-quiet when you need it to be, and brutally clean when you push it.
It’s not here to throw a parade. It’s here to do the job — and maybe sneer at your overcomplicated $10,000 rig while doing it.
The Elipson Connect 2130 Xi isn’t trying to seduce you with chrome accents or absurd design flourishes. Its understated, rack-friendly design suggests it’s far more comfortable slipping quietly into professional installations — or any setup where the goal is performance, not performance art.
And don’t let the modest looks fool you. Bridged into mono, this amplifier can unleash up to 500 watts at 8 ohms, without breaking a sweat or asking for applause. It’s the silent enforcer in a world full of loud amateurs.
For audiophiles who value actual engineering over showroom theatrics, the Connect 2130 Xi’s low-profile attitude comes with another bonus: it’s more affordable than many of its flashier rivals. Because sometimes the best muscle in the room is the one that doesn’t bother flexing.
The Elipson Connect 2130 Xi may look like it’s too polite to cause a scene, but under that clean exterior beats the heart of a very capable operator. It’s a streaming amplifier armed with a proper DAC — the ESS SABRE ES9023 — not some bargain-bin chip glued in at the last minute. It handles high-resolution audio up to 24-bit/192kHz, because anything less would be an insult to your finely tuned French sensibilities.
But let’s be honest: the real story is versatility. The Connect 2130 Xi is packed with more connection options than a Parisian socialite at a wine expo. Physical, wireless, you name it — this amp will shake hands, kiss cheeks, and connect to pretty much anything you put in front of it. It’s small, serious, and just smug enough to remind you it’s probably smarter than you.
Compact Design and Easy Integration
Measuring just 215 x 44.5 x 220 mm and weighing a mere 2 kg, the Elipson Connect 2130 Xi amplifier is designed to slip seamlessly into any professional setup. For those who prefer a more polished look, an optional rack-mountable front panel lets you stack two of these units, offering a tidy, efficient solution for pro installations. No fuss, no drama—just simple, clean integration.
Wired, Wireless, and Way Too Capable
The Elipson Connect 2130 Xi doesn’t just sit there looking smug — it actually backs it up. You get line-in and RCA inputs to drag in your beloved analog gear, plus a subwoofer output for when you realize bass isn’t just for nightclub disasters.
And because even the French eventually gave up and embraced television, there’s an HDMI ARC input so you can turn this thing into the brain of your home theater setup without needing a second mortgage.
On the wireless front, it’s just as overqualified. Bluetooth? Naturally. Wi-Fi? Of course — complete with AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and Chromecast. In short, the Connect 2130 Xi is ready for the modern listener — the one who demands everything, gives very little back, and still expects their music to sound absolutely perfect.
Specifications
- Amplifier Type: Class D
- Power Output:
- 2 x 130 W RMS @ 4 & 8 Ω
- Bridged Mode: 250 W RMS / 500 W peak @ 8 Ω
- Harmonic Distortion (THD) @ 1 W: < 0.003%
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 50 kHz
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 119 dBA
- Damping Factor: 350
- Connectivity:
- LAN Network
- Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz 802.11 b/g/n/ac
- Ethernet RJ-45
- Streaming Services:
- AirPlay 2
- Chromecast Built-in
- UPnP, DLNA
- Spotify, Deezer, Qobuz, Amazon Music, Audirvana, TIDAL, TuneIn, etc.
- Inputs:
- RCA (Unbalanced)
- HDMI ARC
- Bluetooth 5.1
- Outputs: Subwoofer (200 Hz @ 12dB / Oct)
- DAC Chip: ESS SABRE ES9023, Hi-Res (24-bit/192 kHz)
The Bottom Line
The Elipson Connect 2130 Xi is proof that not everything French has to be wrapped in leather, gold leaf, or existential dread. It’s a no-nonsense streaming amplifier with serious power, excellent specs, and just enough flair to remind you it’s still French — understated on the outside, a little cocky on the inside. If you want champagne sound without the Champagne price tag, this could be your ticket.
Price & Availability
Thanks to its modest, “I’m just a router” appearance, Elipson’s streaming amplifier promises to be more affordable than many similarly capable options — with an expected price around $700.
As of now, exact U.S. availability details are still under wraps, because apparently even the French like to keep a little mystery alive.
For more information: Elipson Connect 2130 Xi
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Anton DeGaulle
April 30, 2025 at 7:33 pm
It’s interesting to note that Naim has a similar type of streaming amplifier that I believe you covered a few months ago. It’s almost double the price and doesn’t offer as many features or as much power.
Would be curious to know how this unit sounds. It’s boring as you noted. But something to hide inside a cabinet or under a desk.
Ian White
April 30, 2025 at 7:36 pm
Anton,
That is true. The Naim CI-Uniti 102 is actually very similar; in terms of power, inputs, and the size. It does have a more sophisticated and battle-tested control app that makes it easy to use the major streaming services. But I would agree that the $700 difference in price makes the Elipson a rather good alternative if the sonics are comparable.
IW