Gato Audio DIA-250S NPM Streaming Amplifier, White High Gloss

The Gato Audio DIA-250S NPM is a streaming integrated amplifier from Denmark that combines a network player, D/A converter and a 2× 250-watt power amp in a single housing.

The abbreviation NPM stands for Network Player Module. This is the network module that Gato Audio integrates into the amplifier at the factory, turning it into a Roon Ready streamer – no extra unit, no second power supply, no additional tangle of cables behind the rack. This version's high-gloss lid comes in white.

Why the Gato Audio DIA-250S NPM?

Because three devices are packed into one, and none of them is a token gesture. The Class-D power stage delivers 2× 250 W at 8 Ω and 2× 500 W at 4 Ω, the Burr-Brown PCM1794 upsamples every digital source to 24-bit/192 kHz, and the Network Player Module brings Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer as well as files from your home NAS into the living room – via Ethernet or Wi-Fi. It's operated via the mconnect Control app, through Roon or with the remote control. If you'd rather work without a network, you use USB, coax, Toslink, Bluetooth or the two analog inputs.

What you get

An amplifier that can go loud without sounding loud. The bass stays well-defined, the midrange is open, and calm reigns in the background – you notice the signal-to-noise ratio above 110 dB mainly by noticing nothing at all. Add to that a housing of non-magnetic aluminium that still looks like new after years. And if you're wondering whether a subscription is mandatory for that: no. Internet radio and your own music collection on the network are entirely sufficient.

Who is the DIA-250S NPM suited to – and who isn't it for?

Straight talk: ideal for anyone who wants a high-quality system but has no interest in four devices, three power supplies and a dozen cables. It's less sensible if you already have an external high-end DAC or streamer in use – then you'd be paying for functions twice, and a purely analog integrated amplifier is the more honest choice. Turntable owners additionally need a phono preamp, since there's no built-in phono stage. For very large rooms or particularly low-efficiency speakers, there's the more powerful DIA-400S NPM.

Our verdict

Danish understatement with a decent amount of muscle underneath: the DIA-250S NPM clears out the rack and still delivers full-format sound. We at HD Zürisee in Wädenswil help you with the network, app setup and speaker selection, so the purchase doesn't turn into a DIY project.

"This is a remarkably well-sorted and extremely flexible amplifier, with a sound treading a confident path between power and poise, drama and delicacy." – Hi-Fi News, 2019 (Sound Quality 88%)

Technical data

• Type: streaming integrated amplifier with DAC and network player (NPM = Network Player Module)
• Output power: 2× 250 W at 8 Ω / 2× 500 W at 4 Ω
• Power stage: Class D
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (±0.5 dB)
• Total harmonic distortion (THD): < 0.01% at rated power
• Signal-to-noise ratio: > 110 dB
• D/A converter: Burr-Brown PCM1794, upsampling to 24-bit/192 kHz
• Network player (NPM): Roon Ready, DLNA/UPnP, Tidal, Qobuz and Deezer built in; controlled via the mconnect Control app (iOS/Android)
• Network: Ethernet (RJ45) or Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz)
• Audio formats: FLAC, WAV, AIFF, Apple Lossless, AAC, MP3, WMA, OGG, Monkey's Audio, MQA (via Roon) – up to 24-bit/192 kHz, including gapless playback
• Digital inputs: 1× USB Type B (asynchronous, up to 24-bit/192 kHz), 1× coaxial RCA, 1× optical Toslink (up to 24-bit/96 kHz)
• Bluetooth: 4.2 with aptX HD (up to 24-bit/48 kHz)
• Analog inputs: 2× unbalanced RCA (20 kΩ), 1× balanced XLR (40 kΩ)
• Output level: line outputs 1× XLR and 1× RCA (75 Ω), volume-controlled; input 1 switchable to fixed level via Direct/HT mode
• Headphone output: none – connect a headphone amplifier to the line outputs
• Speaker connections: 2 pairs of gold-plated binding posts (banana-compatible)
• Power consumption: < 1 W standby / 23 W idle / max. 1000 W
• Housing: non-magnetic aluminium housing, high-gloss lid
• Dimensions (W × H × D): 32.5 × 10.5 × 42 cm
• Weight: 10 kg
• Finish: White high gloss
• Origin: designed and built in Copenhagen, Denmark
• What's included: amplifier, power cable, RC-5 remote control with CR2032 battery, Bluetooth antenna, user manual

Frequently asked questions

What does NPM stand for on the Gato Audio DIA-250S?

NPM is short for Network Player Module. That's the network module Gato Audio integrates into the DIA-250S at the factory. It delivers Ethernet and Wi-Fi, Roon Ready certification, DLNA/UPnP as well as Tidal, Qobuz and Deezer. A DIA-250S without NPM remains an integrated amplifier with a DAC, but doesn't stream.

What's the difference between the DIA-250S NPM and the DIA-400S NPM?

The power. The DIA-250S NPM delivers 2× 250 W at 8 Ω, the DIA-400S NPM 2× 400 W. The converter, network module and connection panel are the same on both. In normal to large living rooms, the 250S has plenty of reserve; the 400S is worthwhile for very large rooms or speakers that are hard to drive.

Can I connect headphones to the DIA-250S NPM?

No, the DIA-250S NPM has no headphone output. For headphones, you connect a separate headphone amplifier to the controlled line outputs, balanced via XLR or unbalanced via RCA. You can mute the speaker outputs with a long press on the standby button, so only the headphones play.

What finishes is the DIA-250S NPM available in?

Gato Audio offers the DIA-250S NPM with a high-gloss lid in white, in black, or in genuine walnut veneer. There's also the custom colour option as an individual high-gloss finish. This page shows the white version. All four variants are technically identical – the colour changes nothing about power, converter or connections.

Why buy the Gato Audio DIA-250S NPM at HD Zürisee?

Because we don't just sell you a device, we get it running. We discuss network, Roon, streaming services and the right speaker combination together with you – as an authorised dealer with an experienced team and our own technician in Wädenswil. Get in touch by phone, email or WhatsApp.

Goes well with

For 2× 250 watts you'll find matching partners among the floorstanding speakers and the bookshelf speakers. If you listen quietly in the evenings, connect a headphone amplifier to the line outputs – and the right cables belong there anyway.