This review first appeared in the April 2015 issue of high-end hifi magazine fairaudio.de of Germany. You can also read this review of La Rosita in its original German version. We publish its English translation in a mutual syndication arrangement with the publishers. As is customary for our own reviews, the writer's signature at review's end shows an e-mail address should you have questions or wish to send feedback. All images contained in this review are the property of fairaudio or La Rosita - Ed.

Reviewer: Martin Mertens
Sources: Thorens TD 160 HD with TP250 arm & Benz Micro MC Gold cart; Antelope Zodiac+ DAC,Creek CD 42 MkII CDP, North Star Design Supremo DAC + CD-Transport
Amplification: Lehmann Black Cube SE II, Exposure 2010 S, Musical Fidelity AMS 35i
Loudspeakers: Gaithain ME150
Cables: Wireworld Starlight 7 USB, Vampire CC, Fast Audio Compact 6M biwire
Power delivery: Audioplan FineFilter S, PowerStar S outlet multiplier, PowerPlant S regenerator, PowerCord cables
HiFi rack: BassoContinuo
Review component retail: €6’290

I still remember it well – the presence of La Rosita at the 2014 Hifideluxe. Rather than overweight graylings following audiophile sounds with wrinkled brows, there danced a mostly younger audience. Aside from suitable choice of music, the most immediate cause for all that fun? Party levels! La Rosita were really rocking their newest Ipanema speakers in the Munich Marriott’s suite. Granted, big drivers and a coaxially sorted treble horn backed by beaucoup cubic volume were all proper party ingredients. Come hither dynamics of speakers and preceding electronics were impossible to deny. Given my own graying temples, I desisted to dance but even the seemingly endless wait of the shuttle’s return trip to the parallel HighEnd’s MOC event couldn’t squash my broad grin.


Such a sympathetic launch was clearly meant as a statement. I took away that on sonic priorities, La Rosita rate dynamics and spunk most highly. Hence I obviously wondered whether an equal dose of audiophile earnestness was on tap too. At La Rosita’s prices, that should be expected. In short, I had the Jones to audition one of their products in my own four walls. And in the fall of 2014, an assignment for their Alpha New network player rang that very bell. Binnng. Except that colleague Ralph rained on my parade by duly informing me that La Rosita’s designer Herr Dan Bellity had built that purely for Apple formats and Apple access. My publishers know well how my embrace of Apple products is weak to none. Being offered now their big integrated called La Rosita Maverick Mk2 then was greeted by great hoopla. An integrated sans DAC promised no apple, rotten or otherwise. Or so I thought. Yet here too the deck is fully controlled by an Apple remote which is obviously included and felt really lovely in my paws. Okay, the boys in Cupertino have such mechanical stuff down pat.

But to get going wasn’t all roses no thorns. At first the classy Apple wand said bupkes after I’d unpacked the amp from its traveling pack. Here I’d really have liked some actual fascia controls to be in the green right off. Now our domestic importer explained how remote and amp must first be paired. It's something they usually do before shipping and had simply forgotten with my loaner. Press ‘M’ and ‘back’ for a few seconds whilst aiming at the IR eye. After that handshake, it's a go. In general, La Rosita are far from loquacious about their wares. What I did manage to learn? The Maverick Mk2 goes after a purist circuit with much emphasis on a stout power supply. A look inside speaks to that with two power toroids and 100.000µF/ea. filter caps. A third smaller toroid hides beneath the central inner aluminium cover. All of that combines to goodly weight for a deck whose 43 width with a mere 30cm depth have it sized quite modestly.

There's a main toroid plus two big filters caps for each channel and the gain/buffer stages are fully potted inside.

The Maverick teaches in the class of AB. Class A bias must be very low since there isn’t one lonely fin of heat sink in sight. Key circuits for voltage and current gain tuck away in discrete fully potted metal modules. One assumes that either their casings or the bottom of the machine serve cooling purposes. A lot of surface there isn’t. Yet even in party mode the thing gets barely warm. And that at a rated 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms. But our contact did suggest to avoid highly demanding loads. Those with a pair of infamous Infinity Kappa 9 whose legendary low-blowing impedance curve has - er, retired a few amps should stay clear. The Maverick is meant for normal to easy loads including horns and other dynamically aspirated constructions. After the Munich Marriott game, I fully believe that latter lot.