Canor Virtus I4S + Verto D4S: “Excellent” Ratings from Audio Test

In its issue 7/2026, published in September 2026, specialist magazine Audio Test features a review of the Canor pairing consisting of the Virtus I4S integrated amplifier and the Verto D4S D/A converter:

Sound – Virtus I4S
Paired with the refined Epos ES-7N compact loudspeakers and the larger Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G floorstanders, the Slovakian bronze duo gets the opportunity to demonstrate what its circuit design is capable of. From the very first bars of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, the converter and integrated amplifier demonstrate genuine multitasking abilities. The lightning-fast, powerful orchestral impulses drive the Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G effortlessly, projecting them into the room with pinpoint timing. Even at tremendous volume levels, the Virtus I4S retains full control of the woofers thanks to its generous filter capacitance, without the sound becoming soft during complex tutti passages or tipping over into harshness.

With Pink Floyd’s Money, the spatial presentation is convincing across the board. The opening clatter of cash registers and coins completely detaches itself from the Epos ES-7N and is positioned in the room with razor-sharp precision. This is where the circuit concept, designed around uncompromising channel separation, audibly pays off. The electric bass that follows rolls through the listening room with depth, grip and dryness. The Virtus I4S’s integrated phono stage also deserves special praise. Vinyl playback during the test sounds outstanding, detailed and airy. The amplifier preserves the characteristic enveloping warmth of the analogue groove while simultaneously delivering finely structured high-frequency detail. The headphone output on the front panel is equally pleasing. It is by no means a token addition. It mirrors the outstanding quality of the loudspeaker sound one-to-one through headphones – with powerful drive, an extremely quiet noise floor and excellent spatial reproduction.

Sound – Verto D4S
In the listening test, the Canor Verto D4S provides impressive proof that ultimate measured precision and musical smoothness do not have to be mutually exclusive. While many modern D/A converters become unforgiving or even analytically cool in their relentless pursuit of detail, the Slovakian digital flagship takes a refreshingly different approach. Although the Verto D4S processes digital data streams with surgical precision and effortlessly reveals even the smallest nuances, it transforms the signal into a remarkably organic and tangible soundstage. At no point does the presentation sound synthetic or technically cold; instead, it possesses natural body and a tactile, almost tangible smoothness.

This engaging character is the result of the interaction between the uncompromising dual-mono separation of the ESS Sabre chips and the fully discrete analogue output stage. Signals sound time-coherent, fluid and breathe with effortless naturalness. Spaces are not merely mapped precisely in terms of width and depth, but are filled with a genuine acoustic atmosphere.

One interesting practical detail concerns the eight selectable digital filters: their sonic effects are extremely subtle in the listening test. The nuances between the different characteristics are so finely judged that listeners may frequently find themselves smiling and wondering whether they are actually hearing a change in sound or whether it is simply a product of their imagination.

The Verto D4S removes any sharpness and hardness from digital music without softening or blurring it. It provides a lively, emotionally compelling sonic foundation that enables hours of fatigue-free listening at the highest level – refined, surprisingly analogue in character and consistently assured.

Conclusion – Virtus I4S
The Virtus I4S impressively demonstrates that first-class Class AB amplification by no means requires a bulky enclosure. Thanks to its genuine dual-mono architecture and enormous filter capacitance, the integrated amplifier maintains effortless control even over demanding loudspeakers. Its combination of excellent transient response, an outstanding and flexibly adjustable phono stage, and thoughtful features such as “Input Relay Cleaning” makes it an exceptionally durable and sonically powerful control centre for discerning music lovers.

Special Features
• circular touchscreen display
• Input Relay Cleaning
• Class AB dual-mono design