Unitra WSH-805 Dual Mono Amplifier

Introduction

My first encounter with Poland’s Unitra was at Munich 2025, although the brand’s roots trace back over 60 years to its 1960s origins in classic Polish consumer audio and electronics. Like many manufacturers, it faces the challenge of adapting its expertise to today’s economic climate. Building on its heritage, Unitra is now moving further into audio with a range of classy products.

Design

The Unitra WSH-805 is a flagship, fully analogue stereo integrated amplifier inspired by the classic 1970s Unitra WSH-205. Recognised with a Red Dot 2023 Design Award, it combines vintage aesthetics with modern audiophile engineering.

Core Circuitry & Architecture

The WSH-805 features a dual-mono layout: The left and right channels are completely separated, each utilising its own dedicated preamplifier and power amplifier stages. This provides channel separation and reduces crosstalk, thereby enhancing the soundstage.

The WSH-805 also features a current feedback topology: Rather than typical voltage feedback, the WSH-805 uses a current feedback design. This delivers a uniform feedback response across the frequency spectrum, which reduces distortion in the amplifier.

Most intriguingly, the 805 has a switchable Class A/Class AB function: A front-panel switch allows real-time toggling between Class A (for maximum linearity and tonal purity) and Class AB (for higher power efficiency, delivering 80 W into 8 Ω and 125 W into 4 Ω).

The 805 is all analogue and is built without any digital signal processing (DSP) or onboard DACs; the signal path relies entirely on discrete components (1,586 parts in total, claims Unitra) rather than off-the-shelf IC modules.

Feature & Specification

The 805 has an array of analogue inputs: 1× Balanced XLR pair, 5× RCA line inputs (called CD, Streamer, Tuner, Aux 1, Aux 2), Direct In, and Phono + GND. The phono stage is integrated with a front-panel toggle for both MM (Moving Magnet) and MC (Moving Coil) cartridges.

It also has a switchable headphone amplifier with a low-impedance 6.3 mm headphone output stage designed to drive high-end headphones directly.

Tone controls at the front adjust bass, treble, and balance. A linear bypass switch defeats the tone controls.

Outputs are dual speaker output pairs (A / B / AB selection) and a stereo pre-out.

Quality

The 805 is a solid 18 kg metal chassis with retro-styled illuminated VU meters and automated bistable toggle switches. A slim metal remote control flicks the solid/tactile relay switches remotely, which is an interesting take.

Specification and Price

Performance

Review Equipment

I’m using the Unitra WSH-805 with the flagship iFi Audio iDSD Phantom fixed-output source, driving the stand-mounted Kudos Audio Titan 505s with Kudos KS-1 loudspeaker cable.  I’m using a balanced input to the 805 from the Phantom, and the same with an OPPO BDP-105 CD player. I’m also increasingly using the new dorpo DMP-A1 as a source for its ease of use and clean delivery.

Physically

The Unitra WSH-805 is heavy and needs some thought in placement, but otherwise, the rear is well spaced out and logical. There’s enough heft to cope with a bit of cable manhandling at the rear, which is great.  The metal remote is tactile and fully functional, flipping the toggle switches  and sources without delay.

The clunk of the switch when you turn it on is great fun, and it reminds me of my dad’s old school Akai amplifier from the 1970s.

Class A

The 505s are exceptional loudspeakers, but they do need a bit of pushing to get the best out of them. However, the 805 does a decent enough job of showcasing Joe Webb’s jazzy piano-based Neath Beat (Qobuz, 24-bit, 96kHz). The sound is smooth and definitive with an easy-going lilt to it.  For quieter late-night listening, the Class A output, using the super-clean Phantom, has a nice texture.  My standout track on this album is James P, and this track has a lively, jazzy, vibrant delivery with lovely detail. It reminds me of Harry Connick’s glorious Lofty’s Roach Souffle.

Class A/B

Turning to Lana Del Rey’s A&W, I was seeing where the bass is with this amplifier, since I’m used to Moor Amps’ heft and defined low-end weight with the 505s. Whilst not night and day, the Class A/B toggle offers a fraction more in the lower end of these 505s, with the weight coming into the room with the increased output from about 10 or 11W to 100W (If we interpolate linearly between 8 ohms (Class A/B 80W /Class A 8W) and 4 ohms (125W / 16W)).

The bass response from the 505s improves in Class A/B, and using the very effective tone controls, I was able to get the sound and bass weight I was searching for.

Tone Controls

As I have just mentioned, the tone controls are very impressive.  There is a Contour feature that lifts the bass and treble extremes; this is useful at lower volumes (and works by the way).  There is a Linear switch to bypass the tone controls completely(bass and treble), if preferred.

MM/MC Input

As mentioned, this is a lovely late-night amplifier, and introducing my Rega RP3 with a moving magnet Elys2 cartridge was a very pleasurable experience.  Since I have the AVID HiFi Ingenium SE, the RP3 suddenly feels like a rather modest turntable, but a full run-through of The Stone Roses’ debut album in Class A/B affirmed the credentials of the MM input, which was clean and smooth.

Headphone Output

The 6.3mm output is user-selected using the speaker output selector.  This selector directs output to Speaker pair A or B, A+B (when you want to use a bi-wired speaker connection, sending separate signal paths to the high-frequency and low-frequency terminals of compatible speakers) or headphone output.  Incidentally, this makes speaker A/B testing a breeze, as the selector appears to be silent when switched in or out.

With a pair of planar OPPO PM-2s, the built-in headphone amplifier is excellent and certainly fit for purpose. My Meze Audio Elite headphones were a bit underwhelmed, but ordinarily I would use a dedicated headphone amplifier and the 805 has an analogue pre-out if I needed it.

Martin Logan Foundation F1

I happened to have received, towards the end of the review period, a pair of new Martin Logan Foundation F1 floorstanding loudspeakers.  They are terrific and a bit more affordable than the ESL Xs I had a few months ago. After running them overnight, they feel like a better partner with the 805.  They are much more sensitive than the Kudos Titan 505s, with a 92 dB rating compared to the Kudos speaker’s 87 dB rating.  This 5dB difference, Google reminds me, means the F1s need less than half the amplifier power for the same volume output, as they are more efficient.  In practise, this means they offer a little more than the 505s, with Class A output of about 16W at lower volume levels. There is a lovely warmth and hug from John Coltrane’s Say It (Over and Over Again) (Qobuz 24-bit, 96kHz).  This is perfect, ‘grab a whisky jazz’, and offers the ‘flow of air’ detail from Coltrane’s reed.

Direct In

Finally, the 805 has a direct input feature which, when you flick the relay switch at the front, turns it into a power amplifier, effectively.  Your source needs a preamplifier function, and for me, the streaming iDSD Phantom does the job.  Output and drive are terrific, with the soundstage staying warm and present.  The volume dial is disabled, and you’ll need to swap the RCA inputs to the rear RCA Direct inputs.

Thoughts

These integrated amplifiers are sooo good these days. Like the Trilogy Audio 921, pure analogue focuses the HiFi builder’s mind on the best digital sources without compromise, and the same with turntables.

This WSH-805 has the retro looks, and it is soft, not clinical. Speaker matching feels like a key consideration as discussed above, though the extra headroom of the Class AB mode will not leave many loudspeakers wanting more.

The key attraction of this amplifier, though, remains the Class A option, offering super-smooth, detailed delivery with the right speaker combination.

What Three Words

Late-Night* – Smooth – Retro

*Late-Night is one word!

Overall

The Unitra WSH-805 is a triumphant blend of nostalgic industrial design and serious modern audiophile performance. By taking the iconic aesthetic of the 1970s WSH-205 and powering it with a fully discrete, dual-mono current feedback architecture, Unitra has crafted an amplifier that feels genuinely special to operate and listen to. The switchable Class A/Class AB operation offers real versatility, allowing intimate, highly linear listening sessions without sacrificing the headroom needed for demanding tracks.

It is a beautifully built, uncompromisingly analogue hub that honours its heritage while standing tall against today’s integrated amplifier competition.

Music

Here’s the playlist I came up with on a later night of reviewing, maybe with a whisky in hand!

Love 

• Class A midrange intimacy
• Class A/B headroom
• Retro looks
• Ssolid/tactile relay switches (clunky!) switches
• VU meters (always)

Like 

• Remote control
• Build
• Balanced inputs
• Bi-wiring option
• (Great for A/B testing loudspeakers!)

Wish

• I quite fancy the Unitra CD player