Integrated Amplifiers

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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Mike said:
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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Design Audio Video said:
[...] 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?
Click to expand...


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.
 
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...
 
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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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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