Cabasse Abyss Streaming Integrated Amplifier, Black

The Cabasse Abyss is a streaming integrated amplifier that combines a network player, DAC and Class D power stages in one compact chassis.

Barely 25 centimetres wide, 3.5 kilograms light – and yet it replaces the classic tower of amplifier, streamer and converter. A coloured touchscreen with a volume ring and a headphone jack up front, terminals for passive speakers round the back: everything from TV sound to your hi-res library runs through this one unit. Internationally, Cabasse now also sells the same unit as the AMP 240 S – same technology, different name on the box.

Why the Cabasse Abyss?

Because three components, three power cables and two RCA leads rarely sound better than one properly matched unit. 2 × 120 watts at 8 ohms and 2 × 215 watts at 4 ohms are enough for practically any bookshelf speaker and most floorstanders, and the Class D power stages stay cool and quiet while doing it. The HDMI eARC input also makes the Abyss the most elegant solution for better TV sound – no soundbar needed, one that still looks like a soundbar on the shelf. And since the 2025 firmware update it's Roon Ready: if you manage your library through Roon, you add the Abyss as an endpoint with no detour.

What you hear

A sound that's more grown-up than the chassis size suggests: controlled bass, clean midrange, no added harshness. Cabasse adds two of its own DSP tools – DEAP for multi-band equalisation, DFE for bass control at low volumes. On top of that, you tell the app where the speakers stand and where you sit, and a two-band equaliser fine-tunes from there; the Abyss doesn't do a microphone-based room measurement. With Cabasse speakers, stored profiles kick in; with other brands it plays just as readily.

Who is the Cabasse Abyss for?

For anyone who wants a full stereo setup with passive speakers but not a rack full of boxes. For living rooms where the TV joins in. And for anyone who'd rather run their system from an app and a touchscreen than from a stack of remotes. Straight talk: if you already own a good preamp and a power amp, you're buying twice here. For vinyl you need an external phono stage – there's no phono input. And the Abyss doesn't have a full-range preamp output either – it's a destination, not a stopover.

Our verdict

A lifestyle device with serious technology underneath – the rarer of the two combinations. If you want to bundle amplifier, streaming and TV sound into barely 25 centimetres of width, you'll struggle to find anything more elegant. The more interesting question is which speakers to pair it with – and that's exactly what we're happy to work out with you at HD Zürisee in Wädenswil.

What the trade press says: "On the outside a seriously stylish lifestyle device, on closer inspection the Abyss reveals real technical depth and extremely serious sound quality." – Bernhard Rietschel, HIFI.DE, review dated 15.4.2023, overall score 8.4 out of 10.

Technical data

• Device type: streaming integrated amplifier with network player and DAC
• Model designation: Abyss, also sold internationally as AMP 240 S
• Amplifier principle: Class D, stereo
• Power: 2 × 120 W at 8 Ω, 2 × 215 W at 4 Ω
• Digital inputs: 1 × HDMI (TV input, eARC), 1 × optical S/PDIF
• Analogue inputs: 2 × RCA
• USB: 1 × USB-A (USB 2.0, 5 V / 1 A) for storage media
• Network: Ethernet (RJ45, 10/100 Mbit), dual-band WLAN 2×2 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2, AirPlay 2, multiroom
• Streaming services: Qobuz, Tidal Connect, Deezer, Spotify Connect, Napster, internet radio (vTuner)
• Roon Ready: yes, since the 2025 Cabasse firmware update
• Supported resolution: up to 24-bit/192 kHz, DSD64/128
• Audio formats: MP3, AAC, WMA, WMA Lossless, WAV, AIFF, FLAC, ALAC, Ogg Vorbis, DSD
• Outputs: speaker terminals (1 pair), subwoofer output (mono)
• Preamp output: not available (no full-range line output)
• Output level: adjustable – volume via the ring on the display or in the StreamCONTROL app; there is no fixed-level output
• Headphone output: yes, 3.5 mm jack on the front
• Phono input: not available
• Sound adjustment: DEAP (multi-band DSP), DFE (Dynamic Fidelity Enhancer), placement and listening-position selection in the app, two-band equaliser – no microphone-based room measurement
• Operation: colour touchscreen with volume ring, StreamCONTROL app (iOS/Android)
• Remote control: not included
• Dimensions (W × H × D): 24.5 × 9.7 × 22 cm
• Weight: 3.5 kg
• Finish: Black Satin
• Scope of delivery: Abyss, HDMI cable (1.5 m), optical cable (2 m), power cable, protective cover, installation guide

Frequently asked questions

Is the Cabasse Abyss a full-fledged amplifier?

Yes. The Abyss is a genuine stereo integrated amplifier with Class D power stages delivering 2 × 120 watts at 8 ohms and 2 × 215 watts at 4 ohms. That's enough to drive passive bookshelf and floorstanding speakers with no extra power amp. A network player and converter already sit in the same chassis, so a separate streamer becomes unnecessary.

Can I connect the Abyss to my TV?

Yes. Via the HDMI eARC input you connect the Abyss directly to your TV and hear the sound through your stereo speakers instead of the flat TV chassis. If you don't have an eARC connection, use the optical S/PDIF input instead. For a movie night, that's the biggest audible difference in the whole living room.

Can I connect headphones to the Cabasse Abyss?

Yes. There's a 3.5 mm jack on the front for headphones. That lets you keep listening late at night without disturbing the speakers – you adjust the volume as usual via the ring on the display or in the app. That doesn't make the Abyss a dedicated headphone amp, but the output is more than adequate for common models.

Does the Abyss measure the room automatically?

No, there's no microphone-based room measurement. Instead, you tell the StreamCONTROL app where the speakers stand and where you sit; DEAP and the two-band equaliser adjust the sound accordingly. That noticeably smooths out corner placements and TV-cabinet setups, but it doesn't replace an actual room-acoustics measurement. For tricky rooms, we're happy to take a look at the situation beforehand.

Does the Abyss have a preamp output for an external power amp?

No. The Abyss has a subwoofer output but no full-range preamp output. It's designed as a self-contained complete unit: speakers straight onto the terminals, done. If you want to keep using an existing power amp, you're better served by a separate preamp – just tell us what you already have.

Do I need a streaming subscription?

No. Streaming over WLAN, Ethernet, AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth is the convenient option, not a requirement. Via the optical input, two RCA inputs and the USB-A port you play a TV, CD player or a hard drive, and internet radio costs nothing anyway. A subscription remains an option.

Why buy the Cabasse Abyss at HD Zürisee?

Because we tell you which speakers really suit the Abyss – and which would leave it under-challenged. At HD Zürisee in Wädenswil we sort out room, placement and network beforehand, and our technician Mauri handles installation and setup on request. Call us on +41 44 680 22 00, email shop@hdzuerisee.ch, or reach us on WhatsApp at 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls).

Goes well with

Matching speakers, compact bookshelf speakers for small rooms, more streaming solutions, the necessary cable to the TV, and headphones for the front output.