ModWright KWH 225i Hybrid Integrated Amplifier

Some listeners want the tone and space of tubes. Others need the power and grip to drive serious speakers. The KWH 225i is built for the listener who wants both, in one box. Dan Wright has always believed the best system is a hybrid, and this integrated puts that belief on one chassis: a tube preamp stage feeding the solid-state output stage from his reference KWA 150SE amplifier, with the power pushed to 225 watts per channel.

The easy way to remember it:

A beast when it needs to be. A beauty all the time.

The Design

The preamp stage runs on two 6922 tubes. That's where the KWH 225i gets its tonal richness, its sense of space, and the natural flow that makes long listening sessions easy. The tubes are self-biasing, so they need no adjustment, and the 6922 family offers plenty of options if you enjoy tuning your sound.

The output stage comes straight from ModWright's reference KWA 150SE amplifier, scaled up to 225 watts into 8 ohms and 400 watts into 4. It runs Class A/B, with the first 25 watts in pure Class A. At everyday listening levels, the KWH 225i spends its time in that smooth, sweet zone, with deep reserves waiting for the moments that need them. There's zero global feedback from input to output.

Protection is thorough and stays out of the signal path. Transformer coupling at the input blocks DC, thermal sensors watch the heat, and ModWright's Total Silent Protection circuit guards against output faults. If the amp ever protects itself, the displays spell it out with a playful "OOPS."

How It Sounds

The KWH 225i is a beast when it needs to be. It plays very loud, drives any loudspeaker we've put in front of it, and keeps its composure at every volume level. And it's a beauty the rest of the time. Those first 25 watts in Class A, the holographic soundstage, the richness, the musical flow: this is an amplifier you settle into. For a lot of listeners, it truly may be all you need.

Reviewers hear the same two sides. Hi-Fi+ heard striking transparency and a soundstage with genuine, three-dimensional depth, the power stage carrying the character of those two tubes straight through to the speakers. Hifi Pig's Janine Elliot heard plenty of power in reserve, a sound that never strained, and a gentle touch with quiet passages and vocals. Tube refinement, with the drive to make big speakers come alive.

Connections and Controls

• Three RCA inputs and one XLR input.
• Home Theater Bypass input, which also works as a direct input from an external preamp.
• RCA preamp output, always carrying the selected source, ready for a subwoofer or a second amplifier.
• 5-way binding posts for each channel.
• Bright digital displays for input and volume, dimmable all the way to off.
• Remote control for power, volume, mute, input selection, and display brightness.
• Optional internal phono stage for moving magnet and high-output moving coil cartridges, with loading from 50 ohms to 47K. You or we can install it.

The Hot Rodded Version

Want to take it further? The Hot Rodded KWH 225i swaps the standard 0.1µF film capacitors in the input stage's signal and bypass paths for ModWright's own custom MWI capacitors. ModWright says the upgrade opens up the soundstage and adds transparency, finer detail, stronger micro- and macro-dynamics, and tighter, punchier, more authoritative bass. You'll find an "HR" suffix on the serial number of every Hot Rodded unit.

Where It Fits

The KWH 225i is the simplest path into the ModWright sound: one box, one power cord, and enough power for nearly any speaker you'd care to own. It's an ideal fit for listeners stepping up from a receiver or a smaller integrated, and for anyone with low-sensitivity speakers who still wants the warmth and space of tubes.

If you'd rather build a separates system, the LS 99 preamplifier with KWA 99 monoblocks follows the same hybrid recipe in three compact boxes. The KWH 225i delivers it in one, with more power per channel.

Home Theater Bypass sends a processor's front left and right channels straight to the power amplifier, so your stereo and your theater share the same speakers. Connect only a processor or preamp with its own volume control to this input.

Give the KWH 225i a shelf of its own with at least two inches of breathing room on all sides, and it will run cool and happy for years. Every KWH 225i is designed and handcrafted in Amboy, Washington, and carries a five-year parts and labor warranty when purchased from an authorized ModWright dealer in North America, like us.

Press Recognition

• Hi-Fi+ (January 2022), Jason Kennedy. Driving Bowers & Wilkins 802s, Kennedy heard striking transparency and a soundstage with remarkable depth and dimension. He credited Dan Wright with a fine marriage of tube and solid-state design, calling the KWH 225i well built and musically compelling, especially with revealing loudspeakers. Read the review at Hi-Fi+
• Hifi Pig (December 2020), Janine Elliot. Elliot found the KWH 225i always had power in reserve and never sounded stressed, while still playing tenderly when the music asked for it. She noted it was consistently excellent with vocals and delivered a clean, energetic performance. Read the review at Hifi Pig
• Steve Huff (May 2026), video review. Watch Steve's full take on the KWH 225i below. Watch on YouTube
• Positive Feedback, 2020 Brutus Award, David W. Robinson. After months of daily listening to the production KWH 225i, Robinson named it one of his Brutus Awards for 2020, the magazine's recognition of the best gear its editors heard in their own listening rooms that year. He praised its punch, quickness, and wide bandwidth, and how easily it drove his Focal Sopra Ones. See the award at Positive Feedback

Wondering how the KWH 225i will drive your speakers, or whether it or a set of ModWright separates is the better fit? Give us a call. We'll help you think it through.

Specifications

• Type: Hybrid integrated amplifier
• Preamp stage: 2 x 6922 tubes (6DJ8, ECC88, 7308 acceptable), self-biasing
• Output stage: Solid-state, derived from the ModWright KWA 150SE
• Operation: Class A/B, first 25W in Class A
• Feedback: Zero global negative feedback
• Power output: 225W into 8 ohms, 400W into 4 ohms (0.04% THD)
• Gain: 30dB
• Frequency response: 20Hz to 100kHz (-1dB at 100kHz)
• Input impedance: 20k ohms
• Input sensitivity: 2V rms
• Maximum input level: 6V rms
• Inputs: 3 pairs RCA, 1 pair XLR, 1 pair RCA Home Theater Bypass (also usable as a direct input)
• Outputs: 1 pair RCA preamp out, 5-way binding posts for each channel
• Remote control: Power, volume, mute, input select, display dim/off
• Optional Hot Rodded version: Custom MWI capacitors in the input-stage signal and bypass paths, "HR" serial number suffix
• Optional phono stage: MM and high-output MC, 1 pair RCA inputs, loading 50, 100, 500, 1K, 47K ohms and 100pF, user installable
• Protection: Transformer-coupled DC input protection, thermal protection, TSP (Total Silent Protection) output protection outside the signal path
• Dimensions: 17" W x 17" D x 6.5" H
• Weight: 64 lbs (70 lbs shipped)
• Ventilation: Minimum 2" clearance on all sides
• Finishes: Silver, Black
• Warranty: 5 years parts and labor from an authorized North American dealer, non-transferable
• Designed and handcrafted: Amboy, Washington, USA