Gato Audio DIA-400S NPM Streaming Amplifier, Custom Colour High Gloss

The Gato Audio DIA-400S NPM is a streaming integrated amplifier that combines power amp, D/A converter and network player in a single housing – here with a high-gloss lid in your custom colour.

On the images: the orange-finished unit in the first photo is Gato's sample piece for the custom-colour option, not a fixed delivery colour. You choose the shade freely – from a muted grey to the exact tone of your sideboard. Technically the unit is identical to the standard finishes: 2× 400 watts at 8 ohms, a Roon Ready network player and a 24-bit/192 kHz converter, built in at the factory.

Why the Gato Audio DIA-400S NPM?

Because you get three devices in one and still lose none of the power. The Class-D power stage provides 2× 400 W at 8 Ω and doubles to 2× 800 W at 4 Ω – reserves you don't need constantly, but hear at the right moment. The Burr-Brown converter runs with upsampling up to 24-bit/192 kHz, the network section is Roon Ready and brings Tidal, Qobuz and Deezer into the shelf via LAN or Wi-Fi. On the analog side, two RCA pairs and one XLR pair are ready and waiting.

What you get

A system hub that stays clean and controlled sonically and looks exactly the way you want it visually. The high-gloss lacquer is applied by Gato in Denmark; the aluminium housing, the dot-matrix display and the connection panel remain unchanged. A unit you put in the living room instead of banishing to a cabinet – and that's exactly what the custom colour is for.

Who is the DIA-400S NPM suited to – and who isn't it for?

Straight talk: the custom colour is worthwhile if the unit stands in view and needs to match your decor, and if you also need power for large rooms and demanding speakers. If you're putting the unit in a rack anyway, black, white or walnut are the more affordable route. If 2× 250 W is enough for you, the smaller DIA-250S NPM is the more sensible purchase – it's also available in a custom colour.

How does a custom finish work?

You tell us the shade you want, we check it with the distributor, and confirm before you order what's feasible and how long the finishing will take. A unit in your custom colour is made specifically for you – which is why we'd rather discuss the shade once too often beforehand than once too little.

Our verdict

The most powerful all-in-one solution in the DIA series, plus a housing that adapts to your living space instead of the other way around. At HD Zürisee in Wädenswil we accompany you from choosing the colour through the speakers to a fully set-up streaming experience – so that in the end both the look and the sound are right.

Technical data

• Type: streaming integrated amplifier with D/A converter and network player
• Output power: 2× 400 W at 8 Ω / 2× 800 W at 4 Ω (Class D)
• Recommended speaker impedance: 4 – 16 Ω
• D/A converter: Burr-Brown PCM1794, 24-bit/192 kHz with upsampling
• Network player: Roon Ready, app control, DLNA/UPnP; Tidal, Qobuz and Deezer built in
• Network: Ethernet (LAN) or Wi-Fi
• Supported formats: MQA (via Roon), FLAC, WAV, AIFF, Apple Lossless, WMA, MP3, AAC, OGG, Monkey's Audio; gapless playback
• Digital inputs: 1× USB-B (asynchronous), 1× coaxial (RCA), 1× optical (Toslink); USB and coax up to 24-bit/192 kHz, Toslink up to 24-bit/96 kHz
• Bluetooth: aptX HD, 24-bit/48 kHz (Bluetooth 4.2)
• Analog inputs: 2× RCA stereo (unbalanced), 1× XLR stereo (balanced, gold-plated Neutrik)
• Analog outputs: 1× RCA stereo and 1× XLR stereo, factory-configured as pre-out
• Output level: line outputs in RCA and XLR; volume controlled at the unit and via remote control
• Headphone output: none
• Speaker outputs: 2 pairs of gold-plated binding posts (one pair per channel, banana-compatible)
• Additional connections: 3.5 mm link jack for system control
• Display: white LED dot-matrix display, dimmable
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (–0.5 dB); 2 Hz – 70 kHz (–3 dB)
• Total harmonic distortion (THD): < 0.01% at rated power
• Signal-to-noise ratio: > 110 dB
• Gain: 26 dB (+10 dB headroom)
• Input impedance: 20 kΩ (RCA) / 40 kΩ (XLR)
• Power consumption: standby < 1 W, idle 35 W, max. 1600 W
• Dimensions (W×H×D): 32.5 × 10.5 × 42 cm
• Weight: 13 kg
• Finish: Custom colour high gloss (individual finish made to order)
• Origin: designed and built in Denmark
• What's included: amplifier, power cable, Gato Audio RC-3 remote control with battery, antennas for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, user manual

Frequently asked questions

Is the orange unit in the photo the delivery colour?

No. Orange is Gato's sample finish used to show the custom-colour option. You choose the shade yourself, and the amplifier is delivered in your custom colour in high gloss. Technically it matches the standard finishes in black, white and walnut exactly – only the look changes.

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

The power-amp output. The DIA-400S NPM delivers 2× 400 W at 8 Ω and 2× 800 W at 4 Ω, the DIA-250S NPM 2× 250 W and 2× 500 W. Dimensions, converter, Roon Ready streaming, Bluetooth and connections are the same on both. The 400S is meant for large rooms and demanding speakers.

Can I connect headphones to the DIA-400S NPM?

No, there's no headphone output. For headphone use, you connect your own headphone amplifier to the line outputs; in the Gato lineup, the SDA-1 fits well here, combining a converter and headphone amplifier and speaking the same visual language. We'll tell you what suits your headphones.

Do I need a streaming subscription for the DIA-400S NPM?

No. Tidal, Qobuz and Deezer are on board if you want to use them – none of the services is required. Music from your own network arrives via DLNA/UPnP, plus USB, Toslink, coax, Bluetooth and two analog input pairs. Even with no ongoing costs at all, you have a fully-fledged system.

Why buy the Gato Audio DIA-400S NPM at HD Zürisee?

Because a custom finish needs advice before it's ordered – and a streaming amplifier needs advice afterwards. We clarify shade, lead time, speaker match and network with you, deliver and install on site, and take care of service with our own technician. Get in touch by phone, email or WhatsApp.

Goes well with

Colour-matched floorstanding speakers or bookshelf speakers, decent cables and – if vinyl is part of the picture – a turntable with a matching phono stage.