Tube Integrated Amp recommendation ?

**Paul** · July 17, 2014, 12:25 AM

Only tubes. No SS.

What was the best sounding Integrated amp you ever heard ?

**Spla'nin** · July 17, 2014, 01:41 AM

Melody I2A3 with the right speakers & usual caveats .. the right sources .. the right room .. the right power .. I am sure there are others I have yet to hear ..

**KeithR** · July 17, 2014, 02:01 AM

For push/pull, Vac Sigma 160

For SET- Melody AN845 and KR Audio 350i

**Mike** · July 17, 2014, 08:35 AM

Check out the Unison Research S6. Anyone heard it?

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**soundqcar** · July 17, 2014, 01:01 PM

For me it was the VAC Phi Beta 110.

**rbbert** · July 17, 2014, 01:46 PM

Anyone heard the Viva SET (845's)?

**dlb2** · July 17, 2014, 03:09 PM

The best sounding Integrated amp you ever heard? The one I have now.

**joeinid** · July 17, 2014, 04:13 PM

I heard one of the Viva 37 wpc amps on Magico S1 and S5. It was VERY nice. Loved it. I don't remember the model number or what tubes it was using.

Originally Posted by rbbert

Anyone heard the Viva SET (845's)?

**Mike** · July 17, 2014, 04:21 PM

I would love to hear about any killer 300b SET or PSET integrated amps folks have heard.

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**Paul** · July 17, 2014, 04:44 PM

Any one heard this one ?

Swissonor AM6441 300B Integrated Amplifier

**Spla'nin** · July 18, 2014, 12:22 AM

Originally Posted by Mike

I would love to hear about any killer 300b SET or PSET integrated amps folks have heard.

Mactone MA300B .. again with the right speakers & usual caveats .. the right sources .. the right room .. the right power .. was great !

6moons audio reviews: Mactone MA-300B

**Mike** · July 18, 2014, 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by Spla'nin

Mactone MA300B .. again with the right speakers & usual caveats .. the right sources .. the right room .. the right power .. was great !

6moons audio reviews: Mactone MA-300B

Thanks....but only one input?

**AJ Soundfield** · July 18, 2014, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by Mike

Check out the Unison Research S6.

I ran a Unison Sinfonia at LSAF last year, very nice but a bit fussy about source and load. Love the look of the S6.

cheers,

AJ

**Spla'nin** · July 18, 2014, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by Mike

Thanks....but only one input?

I was willing to change the source end interconnect if needed as it was not used for just background music. To me casual listening & burning 4 300b tubes was a luxury I would only occasionally indulge in .. ! I love background music also but have casual equipment for casual listening.

**Petro85** · July 18, 2014, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Mike

Thanks....but only one input?

i like the one in your avatar Mike. Melody seems to have nice stuff, but the closest place to me to hear one i think is in ohio. they make a nice 2a3 integrated also. gotta be someplace in nyc to go find one.
of course i always recommend allnic integrateds but thats because ive heard them and like them.

**volks** · July 18, 2014, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by Mike

Check out the Unison Research S6. Anyone heard it?

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Ive be heard this amp many times and it's a real gem......actually I like the sound of the whole UR lineup.

**KeithR** · July 19, 2014, 05:37 AM

Originally Posted by rbbert

Anyone heard the Viva SET (845's)?

Heard them at shows which confirmed the reports on them - a pretty warm, golden sound amp.

best looking SET amp out there as well...

**AudioSalon** · July 19, 2014, 08:40 AM

I had the Viva Solista integrated, pure heaven in the midrange with outstanding dynamics and very good well defined bass. At 22 watts it had it's limitations but it drove my Verity Amadis beautifully. Tried it on my Tannoy Canterbury with great success at moderate levels but bass got wooly and started breaking up when pushed.

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**Katoomer** · July 21, 2014, 09:28 PM

It may not be the best integrated available but I love my little Leben CS300XS. Well balanced, musical and luscious sound

**Paul** · July 22, 2014, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by AudioSalon

I had the Viva Solista integrated, pure heaven in the midrange with outstanding dynamics and very good well defined bass. At 22 watts it had it's limitations but it drove my Verity Amadis beautifully. Tried it on my Tannoy Canterbury with great success at moderate levels but bass got wooly and started breaking up when pushed.

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What a beauty!

**Paul** · July 22, 2014, 12:16 AM

Originally Posted by Katoomer

It may not be the best integrated available but I love my little Leben CS300XS. Well balanced, musical and luscious sound

I do like the Leben a lot. Very good products.

**Mike** · July 22, 2014, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by BlueMcIntosh

I do like the Leben a lot. Very good products.

But no remote.....

**Spla'nin** · July 22, 2014, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Katoomer

It may not be the best integrated available but I love my little Leben CS300XS. Well balanced, musical and luscious sound

.. with excellent headphone capability also ..

**dlb2** · July 22, 2014, 11:47 AM

Paul, I've been looking at these amps lately. They are in the Toronto area. Have you heard of them?

Finale Audio

IMG_7018.jpg

**Petro85** · July 22, 2014, 11:59 AM

mmmm i been looking at that too Doug. 8w and with 12ax's and 6sn7's which i have good ones of both. its cool how the rectifier is in the back. thats a snazzy integrated. all for $3995. id love to hear one.

**dlb2** · July 22, 2014, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by Petro85

mmmm i been looking at that too Doug. 8w and with 12ax's and 6sn7's which i have good ones of both. its cool how the rectifier is in the back. thats a snazzy integrated. all for $3995. id love to hear one.

You and me both. I also like this EL84 based 5 watter. One input for my table and I'm set. That's probably way too much power for me though.

**Katoomer** · July 22, 2014, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by Mike

But no remote.....

Can you say "Couch Potato"?

**Mike** · July 22, 2014, 10:48 PM

Originally Posted by Katoomer

Can you say "Couch Potato"?

And a happy one at that!

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**nbrowser** · July 31, 2014, 11:32 PM

hrm this thread looks interesting, I'm considering a tube intergrated for my bedroom system with vintage speakers, heard one today but I'm fairly certain the speakers the store used for the demo were a drawback. Shall follow this one, I could learn a thing or four.

**Mike** · July 31, 2014, 11:44 PM

Check out the Line Magnetic 518ia.

**CDLehner** · August 1, 2014, 08:26 AM

+2 on Finale

**dlb2** · August 1, 2014, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by CDLehner

+2 on Finale

Have you heard any of their amps Chris?

**Petro85** · August 1, 2014, 10:44 AM

i love the looks of that finale, and the price is very resonable for what you get, but i searched around and have not been able to find one to go listen to. integrateds and i have a love hate relationship. i went from stereo amp to an integrated , then to monos the back to an integrated. then to another stereo amp then back to integrated. then ive now had a couple pairs of monos in. and i just ordered another integrated and sold off the monos. i really hope this is "the one" but im nervous because every time i get an integrated i find a pair of monos i want. and oh btw the swap from integrated to amps always add and subtract a new preamp. i dont spend as much as alot of people around here on gear but i now realize i do swap equipment just as fast, im really hoping this is my last amp purchase for awhile ,at least until i figure out what speakers i want. and oh btw this is only the 2nd of about 12 amps that i purchased new. fingers are crossed!!!

**dlb2** · August 1, 2014, 11:04 AM

Good luck Steve. I'm sure it will work out just fine for you. At least for a couple of months!

Sent from my mobile.

**Petro85** · August 1, 2014, 11:15 AM

thanks Doug from what i been reading about a ton of integrateds is they are getting the trickle down technology from their top of the line counterparts, and making the integrated the best value to sound in the line up. im not sure this was the case with alot of the integrateds ive tried in the past.

**Justlisten2** · November 18, 2014, 03:24 PM

The best tube integrated amp I've ever heard is the one I currently own, the VAC Sigma 160i.

**blackdog** · November 18, 2014, 03:30 PM

Without getting into anything too esoteric,
Copland 405 (or for KT120's 405a)
Unison S6 is a killer

I'm considering a tube integrated for my bedroom system with vintage speakers

Unison Simply Italy.

BTW - I'm biased (see signature)

**highEndguy** · November 18, 2014, 05:52 PM

vsi75 ARC
VSi60 ARC
GSi75 ARC
VAC Sigma

Kondo

**Penthouse-D** · November 18, 2014, 10:44 PM

Still no "love" for The Rogers EHF200MkII. Maybe because so few people have ever heard it. Google it and read the review in TAS. Pretty amazing considering they do no advertising there….

**sharkmouth** · November 19, 2014, 02:29 AM

Prima Luna Dialogue Premium for the money to me is a big home run for PL. You want effortless, drop some KT 150's straight in, EL34's, 88's,120's, they're all auto biased, couldn't be easier. Sure I may have a 30k preamp in bypass mode into the amps, but hey, I'm hi-end maintenance.

**Bobolaclune** · November 19, 2014, 07:15 AM

Originally Posted by Justlisten2

The best tube integrated amp I've ever heard is the one I currently own, the VAC Sigma 160i.

Have you ever heard the VAC Phi Beta ? Unreal.....

**CPP** · November 19, 2014, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by CDLehner

+2 on Finale

+3, you get a lot for a little $

**Elescher** · November 19, 2014, 01:03 PM

Zanden 6000 for sale.......by me��

**MacFly** · November 19, 2014, 01:18 PM

Question is Finale a premium brand for Triode labs ? just learning about tube amps/preamp wanting to get either mono's or one stereo amp/pre to drive either Volti , Bryston, or Verity speakers thoughts ?

**CPP** · November 19, 2014, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by MacFly

Question is Finale a premium brand for Triode labs ? just learning about tube amps/preamp wanting to get either mono's or one stereo amp/pre to drive either Volti , Bryston, or Verity speakers thoughts ?

"" Finalé Audio by Triode Lab Ltd" About US ? Finale Audio

**KeithR** · November 19, 2014, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by Bobolaclune

Have you ever heard the VAC Phi Beta ? Unreal.....

I owned it

**MacFly** · November 19, 2014, 04:21 PM

Chris thanks for the link

**Justlisten2** · November 19, 2014, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by Bobolaclune

Have you ever heard the VAC Phi Beta ? Unreal.....

Sadly, no, I've never had the pleasure.

However, I have owned a couple of VAC Avatar Super's in the past 10 years.....and almost bought a VAC Alpha a year or two back. I don't know anyone with a Phi Beta, and that is too rich for my blood.

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