Thread: Integrated Amplifiers

Originally Posted by Mike

I apologize, I can't see your gear list on my iphone. What speakers do you have?

As a side, I'm going to be testing the Hegel H300 here mid next week. David at Design Audio is loaning me one to try. By all accounts, it's a ridiculous good integrated for the money.

David is also testing the Devialet next week. What Devialet is doing with their new SAM technology is fascinating and certainly, leading edge. They will have over 100 speakers mapped by the end of the year.

Of your two choices however, I like the ARC best.


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Hi Mike and thanks haven't heard about the Hegal H300 and will be waiting on your comments of the Hegal.. The speakers I use in my 2 chl area are Kef 104/2 and/or Usher Be-718.
The Kef's which are still in great shape after all of these years ;

Frequency response: 55-20,000Hz +/-2dB at 2m on design axis

Efficiency: 92 db 1w/1 meter

Impedence: 4 ohms

The Ushers are a little harder to drive and I use a ATI 2002 for them,


Freq Response : 42Hz–35kHz, ±3dB

Efficiency: 85dB(B)/2.83V/m

Nominal impedance: 8 ohms

Originally Posted by Petro85

hahaha!!! your killing me mark!!! thats my dream integrated.lol.

That was the plan!

Originally Posted by Mark Jones

Originally Posted by Petro85

hahaha!!! your killing me mark!!! thats my dream integrated.lol.

That was the plan!

I'm starting to like you Mark, we got no chance against you and your toys .

And man you're in Canada too.

Originally Posted by RedSectorA

I'm starting to like you Mark, we got no chance against you and your toys .

And man you're in Canada too.

I'm jealous.

I like mine as well

Another pretty one Paul.

Originally Posted by BlueMcIntosh

I like mine as well

Ah show off , that's a great looking unit.

Originally Posted by RedSectorA

I'm starting to like you Mark, we got no chance against you and your toys .

And man you're in Canada too.

Thanks Dan.

I know its not an integrated but since we are on the topic of pretty, check this baby out

Originally Posted by Mark Jones

Thanks Dan.

I know its not an integrated but since we are on the topic of pretty, check this baby out

Major tease!


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What's funny is this wonderful sounding Canadian amp is not amplifying music right now, It's looking after the matinee hockey game, Habs vs Bruins.

Originally Posted by Mark Jones

What's funny is this wonderful sounding Canadian amp is not amplifying music right now, It's looking after the matinee hockey game, Habs vs Bruins.

Mark May I help you on that ?

I was told that the guy that did the original wood design on the Tenor was no other than the designer of the Black Beauty tonearm, André Theriault. Very nice guy by the way.

I need to establish a reference integrated for my shop. My question is where should the ceiling be on price. I have a Devialet D500 but that's 29k. Also a Constellation Argo coming but it's 22k. It seems maybe 10k should be the limit. Lots of integrated gear out there for that amount and below. I would like to get several around that price and establish one model to compare other models. Past 10k and your getting close to some entry level separates. Any thoughts?

Originally Posted by Mark Jones

Originally Posted by RedSectorA

I'm starting to like you Mark, we got no chance against you and your toys .

And man you're in Canada too.

Thanks Dan.

I know its not an integrated but since we are on the topic of pretty, check this baby out

I hate to see electronics standing idle, send it to me so I'll get it going. Now you see what kind of sacrifice I'm willing to make for a friend

I'm with ya Dan, and I'm also willing to help you out on your positive quest.

Originally Posted by RedSectorA

I hate to see electronics standing idle, send it to me so I'll get it going. Now you see what kind of sacrifice I'm willing to make for a friend

Originally Posted by NorthStar

I'm with ya Dan, and I'm also willing to help you out on your positive quest.

Lol

Originally Posted by Design Audio Video

I need to establish a reference integrated for my shop. My question is where should the ceiling be on price. I have a Devialet D500 but that's 29k. Also a Constellation Argo coming but it's 22k. It seems maybe 10k should be the limit. Lots of integrated gear out there for that amount and below. I would like to get several around that price and establish one model to compare other models. Past 10k and your getting close to some entry level separates. Any thoughts?

It's your own reference system; only you know your own limit, your ultimate goal, and your aspirations. The price you put is the price you target.

Originally Posted by Mark Jones

What's funny is this wonderful sounding Canadian amp is not amplifying music right now,
It's looking after the matinee hockey game, Habs vs Bruins.

Go Habs Go!

Not a dealer of, but very fond of the Devialet products.

I definitely know what my limits are but I think you misunderstood what I'm asking. What would be a reasonable amount of money to spend on an integrated? For the average person? Sure I could bring in a 55k Soulution but when someone asks to compare a 5500.00 Hegel that's not real fair. People have asked how the H300 sounds but I don't have anything to compare it to. At what price point is an integrated getting too expensive?

Great question David. I would say ~$15,000. Some would argue $10,000 or less. The little an integrated lacks it can make up for in space savings, cable savings, etc.


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Originally Posted by Mike

Great question David. I would say ~$15,000. Some would argue $10,000 or less. The little an integrated lacks it can make up for in space savings, cable savings, etc.


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Mike
I am currently auditioning the D'Agostino Momentum Integrated amp in my system for a few days. I like the idea of getting his wonderful pre-amp and his stereo amp in one box. The unit lists somewhere in the mid $40k range I believe. I will have a better idea in a few days whether it is worth it.

Very nice Jim! I'm with you on the simpler solution.


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Originally Posted by Design Audio Video

[...] What would be a reasonable amount of money to spend on an integrated? For the average person? Sure I could bring in a 55k Soulution but when someone asks to compare a 5500.00 Hegel that's not real fair. People have asked how the H300 sounds but I don't have anything to compare it to. At what price point is an integrated getting too expensive?

For the average person I would say up to $10k. Yes, some will pay $20k or even $50k but they are right at the end of the bell distribution curve.

Ah, I was thinking closer to 5K.

Because higher is more the domain of splitting the duties (separate amp and preamp). ...IMHO.
Then you can go the full monty; 50-100K.

David,

I think 10k as well. Rowland, Ayre, and with a bit of a stretch, Vitus have very good integrateds in that range. Is the Soulution integrated really 55k? 5 series?

David...given your home market of Texas, which is booming relative to the rest of the country with the oil shale boom, my guess is disposable income is on the rise, but I still have to believe that the bulk of the audiophile buying public (forget the non-audiophile consumer who has been conditioned to buy A/V receivers at big boxes in the $500-$2K range) in your market would think $5-$10K for an integrated amplifier is the max they would go for. I know it's a gross generalization but among the audiophile community, if you are going for a 2-channel integrated amplifier, you are either starting out or taking the next level up from your first starter integrated amp (think a move up from NAD or Cambridge Audio or Musical Fidelity or such) to the next level of performance but before committing the dollars to separates, so I think $5K is probably the sweet spot and $10K is the max.

Some integrated amps to think about that achieve very good performance for the price:

Ayre AX-5 ($9,950): 125wpc into 8ohms/250wpc into 4ohms; review: Ayre Acoustics AX-5 integrated amplifier | Stereophile.com

Boulder 865 ($12,500) 150wpc into 8ohms/300wpc into 4 ohms; reviews: SoundStage! Hi-Fi | SoundStageHiFi.com | SoundStage! Hi-Fi | SoundStageHiFi.com, Boulder 865 integrated amplifier | Stereophile.com, 6moons audio reviews: Boulder Amplifiers 865

Simaudio 600i/700i ($8,000/$13,000): 600i is 125 wpc into 8ohms/250wpc into 4ohms and 700i is 175wpc into 8ohms/350wpc into 4ohms;
reviews (600i): Simaudio Moon 600i (TAS 210) | The Absolute Sound, SoundStage! Hi-Fi | SoundStageHiFi.com | SoundStage! Hi-Fi | SoundStageHiFi.com
reviews (700i): simaudio, SoundStage! Hi-Fi | SoundStageHiFi.com | Simaudio Moon Evolution 700i Integrated Amplifier, Simaudio Moon Evolution 700i integrated amplifier | Stereophile.com

Hegel H300...you already know and is probably right up there for bang for the buck

Bryston B135 ($4,695 without DAC and $6,090 with DAC): 135wpc into 4phms/180wpc into 4ohms; reviews: Bryston B-135 SST2 Integrated Amplifier | The Absolute Sound, SoundStage! Hi-Fi | SoundStageHiFi.com | Bryston B135 SST2 Integrated Amplifier

Rega Osiris ($9,995): 160wpc into 8ohms/250wpc into 4ohms; reviews: Rega Isis CD Player & Osiris Integrated Amplifier (Playback, from TAS 213) | Hi-Fi+

The JRDG Continuum S2 which Mike is trying out looks like a killer integrated at $10Kish and is getting some positive reviews as well.

I think this gives you a good smattering of very well received integrated amps in that $5-$10K range (except for the Simaudio 700i) which is $13K. By the way, Vitus Audio's RI-100 is a killer $13K integrated amp that puts out 300wpc into 8ohms and 600wpc into 4ohms.

I hope this gives you some ideas to think about to further research. I will add one more that I personally think is a killer integrated amplifier with cool design and it's Version 2.0 is just coming out and that is the Pathos Logos integrated amplifier from the Italian designer (110/220wpc into 8/4ohms). When it first came out, pricing in US was $4,795. I think the V2.0 version will be in the $5,500 range. You can check out the older reviews: pathos logos, SoundStage! Hi-Fi | SoundStageHiFi.com | SoundStage! Hi-Fi | SoundStageHiFi.com, TESTED: Pathos Logos Integrated Amplifier and Digit CD Player | The Absolute Sound, and here is Srajan's current preview of the V2 at 6Moons.com: 6moons audio reviews: Pathos Logos MkII HiDac

Hope this is useful in some way...

That was an outstanding reply Cyril!

Originally Posted by kiwi_1282001

That was an outstanding reply Cyril!

Just trying to be helpful and thank you...

David...there is one more in the $13K range if you want to go up there that looks killer and that is Dartzeel's new LHC-208 integrated with DAC. Check out this thread on the specs and news on that one: http://audioshark.org/dartzeel-49/da...08-a-3986.html

Great post, #128.

Originally Posted by NorthStar

Great post, #128.

Thx Bob Hopefully it is useful to David as he thinks about what integrated(s) to carry for his shop.

On the more budget side, what about NAIM and NAD? Both make great little integrated amps.

Sim too. The Sim was a little dry for my taste ... but nice.

Bryston makes a nice little integrated too.

The VAC 160i is a great tube integrated and the ARC 60 too.

Loads of good choices.

I suspect that Dag would be tough to beat, sonically or for eye candy.


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Thanks guys. Yes the Soulution 530 just went up may 1st to 55k. I would like to find an integrated in the 10k range that I feel is the best to my ears as a reference to compare other brands. I have a shop full of high end separates but not integrated amps. I now have the Hegel H300 and the D500. I will order the Devialet 110 which will become the D120 with a firmware upgrade on the 15th. It will be interesting to hear the differences between various models. I'm interested in listening to one of the Mc integrated's as well. This is a category that is not discussed often and I know it's becoming more popular with manufactures. Mark Levinson is fixing to release a No585 that will have a built in DAC that will handle DSD files and I think 350wpc all for 10k.

All are great options and a reminder of how many great companies that are raising the level of performance and simplicity.

Pass INT-150. Like their X amps, nice bass control.


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ARC VSi75
Is another one to consider

If your talking about something to pair with Raidho, I would think hard about Simaudio Moon. Mike mentioned he thought it was a little dry, but that might prove to be helpful whem paired with Raidho !!

Right on Nelson.

The Vitus class AB is the one I want to hear.


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Originally Posted by Design Audio Video

Thanks guys. Yes the Soulution 530 just went up may 1st to 55k. I would like to find an integrated in the 10k range that I feel is the best to my ears as a reference to compare other brands. I have a shop full of high end separates but not integrated amps. I now have the Hegel H300 and the D500. I will order the Devialet 110 which will become the D120 with a firmware upgrade on the 15th. It will be interesting to hear the differences between various models. I'm interested in listening to one of the Mc integrated's as well. This is a category that is not discussed often and I know it's becoming more popular with manufactures. Mark Levinson is fixing to release a No585 that will have a built in DAC that will handle DSD files and I think 350wpc all for 10k.

Dave...you could have mentioned you just want to keep it within the lines you carry

I was not really asking for brands to start with , just an estimation on where the price point would be for the average guy. That being said I will definitely stay with my current lines. I do not have a lot of experience with integrated's but they have recently sparked my interest. I want to stay below 15k and just want to have a couple to compare. I originally posted on this thread asking about price points for the consumer. I'm not really concerned about brands but more with what an audio guy would feel is the limit for an integrated. Excluding the guy with very large amounts of disposable income.

I think as has been said, $5k would be sweet spot and the $10k to low teens would be the upper end. I think the $20k+ integrateds are prolly very niche because anyone willing to spend that kind of money and is a serious hobbyist is likely to go separates.

Originally Posted by Design Audio Video

I need to establish a reference integrated for my shop. My question is where should the ceiling be on price. I have a Devialet D500 but that's 29k. Also a Constellation Argo coming but it's 22k. It seems maybe 10k should be the limit. Lots of integrated gear out there for that amount and below. I would like to get several around that price and establish one model to compare other models. Past 10k and your getting close to some entry level separates. Any thoughts?

David...not a big deal and I was just teasing you above but I guess I was thrown off by the bolded above. I took it to mean you would like to compare to other reference integrateds. In any case, it's all good.

No big deal Cmalak, my bad. I think the Hegel is very good but I don't have a comparison. I think I will turn my D500 into the 240 and compare those two. It will still be about a $10,000 gap though

Originally Posted by kiwi_1282001

For the average person I would say up to $10k. Yes, some will pay $20k or even $50k but they are right at the end of the bell distribution curve.

It's amusing to hear that the "average person" would spent up to $10,000 on and (integrated) amp ... ah, well, around here that might be true.