I for one am a fan of the 866 design, especially the tilted front portion that makes the touchscreen actually usable not just a gimmicky nice to have.
in some ways it’s design is why it’s also number one in my list.
but of course everyone has their predilections. |
@sidekick_i
What, in your opinion, would be the best speaker pairing with the 866?
@hedwigstheme, thanks, will keep that in mind. BTW which unit are you referring to with regards to the 4ohm dip? |
Not sure if you understood my query.
Has nothing to do with finances, or getting better deals, its about what integrated amps that are out there that I am missing to audition or consider.
If you really want to make snarky remarks about pricing, why don't you hang out in whitecamaross thread where he's buying $60,000 amps by the dozen :), I am sure they will appreciate your constructive comments as much as I do.
Found two more: Dartzeel LHC 208, and AVM CS8.2
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@onhwy61
thanks. Didn’t realise it read like that. Still don’t think there was a need for those comments.
what I meant was my budget was 10-15k and it could be lower of course but didn’t believe I could get something as good as a boulder 866 for a lower price than 10k.
but who knows, hence the whole point of the post.
if I can Spend less why wouldn’t I? It doesn’t make sense that anyone would think like that.
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@david_ten
agreed. That’s why I found the Boulder 866 very intriguing because according to the only review out there for it. The DAC within it is not a compromise. Whereas with other all in ones, you might compromising on the dac/streamer big time.
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@maxwave, Thank you so much for the link. This review provides so much rich information about the 866. |
@ghasley
Thank you for your detailed post about your experience. It was your enthusiastic post on audioaficionado that brought the 866 in my radar view. Also I saw your posts and feel like we have similar tastes, I am mostly a tube guy, and a big fan of Nagra. Own the Nagra 300p that is powering a Devore O/96 in my primary system.
@thyname
lol, you might be right, I might have already made up my mind to purchase the 866, before even writing up this post. I love its looks and that solid metal feel. Sigh!
But feel it remiss to spend 15K without doing any research and enjoying the hunt as well.
@roxy54 I wasn't aware that esoteric had an integrated all-in-one with DAC/streamer built-in. Which model?
@gestalt Isn't the LHC-208, 18K retail. I have a hard 15K limit.
I might be okay with trying a DAC/streamer + integrated but hard to think any combo within 15K (other than Luxman + DAC, but it has no streamer, that makes it 3 boxes) that might come close to 866. But then again I haven't heard 866 yet, only one Whathifi review and one actual user review so far. So I am just extrapolating and imagining things based on reviews, I am sure.
Will checkout Vitus, thanks for the pointer.
DAG Progression is way out of budget but would have been perfect, but like you said not sure about how good the DAC is. Dag isn't known for DACs.
Yes, I agree I should choose a speaker first as well, but speakers are very personal and need to be auditioned and almost pointless to discuss compared to amps or DAC. IMO.
I am looking for a speaker/amp system to be exact opposite of my first system (tube + high efficiency rich and "coloured" speakers).
High powered SS driving maybe an electro-static or panel speakers like a Maggie 20.7 or Soundlabs OR a neutral beast like Magico A1/A3 or YG (way out of budget tho). But that will be a separate thread or not. But hope it helps narrow down my amp search.
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@fastfreight, The Mola Mola integrated amp, Kula, with DAC/streaming module seems to be listing at 22K. Wayyyy outside my price-point! |
Yes! Mimas was on my list as well. It's class D, but has tube pre stage so might work. I will check it out.
Isn't the Gryphon 300, 22K? Might have to look at used.
Yes, if I look at Hegel it will be the 590. So I won't have to wonder what I am missing out on. |
@heshfran, Thanks for your helpful post. Pass would be ruled out for now, since it's not an all-in-one, but will keep it in mind if I move away from my "all-in-one" mentality.
ML 585.5 I will add to the list. Thanks.
@jperry Thanks for the clarification. I am not sure why I thought Mimas was class D, Stereophile said something about FET stage something, so I took it as class D. My bad.
@smer319 Not a fan of JR Continuum, but CH Precision i1 is interesting, but doesn't it retail at 50K something? |
I will add Krell 300i to the list. Thanks.
Ooooooo....Brinkmann sounds amazing. Thanks for the heads up. Will keep an eye out. This might be the first real competitor to the 866, in my mind.
This is turning out to be very very useful so far. Appreciate all the help... |
Okay current list in order of preference, top to bottom:
Boulder 866
brinkmann voltaire
Dartzeel lhc-208
aesthetix mimas
hegel 590
ml585.5
krell 300i
diablo 300 (used, I prefer new)
mcintosh ma9000
did I miss something?
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@highend666,
Have you heard the Bladelius? It looks intriguing and the price is right. How do you describe them, in comparison to some other better know brands?
Since I heard an Engstrom amp (the best amp I have heard, ever), I am now enamoured by small Swedish companies, so would like to know more. |
That's very interesting. Replacing an Dag Momentum integrated with something 1/5th its price. Did he say he liked it better?
Just looked it up, it weighs 60kgs, 60kgs!!
Totally removes it out of consideration, but am still interested in knowing more for sure. |
@sidekick_i
Thanks for your message. Appreciate your input, the Ypsilon sounds like an interesting addition but is outside my price point it seems. Unless I find one used.
@jamesdowningelliott Thanks for your message. Yes, I think I would love the 509X, heard so much good things about it, and do love the build quality. If my all-in-one plan doesn't pan out, it will be the first I would look at.
@joey54 Yes, will be auditioning the Mimas for sure. |
A few clarifications about my hunt, based on some of the questions people have asked. I was thinking through it and came up with these.
Why only Class A/B?
I tried a Class D all-in-one, it didn't work out.
Why the price point 10-15K?
The above mentioned all-in-one was in the <10K range, so am curious, what refinements I can get outside this price point. I am sure there are many <10K that would beat that all-in-one, I haven't tried any or all of them yet. But that was why? Perhaps, I think, and some concur, at the 10K level, the league is different. I want to find out.
What Speakers?
I don't know yet. But I want the opposite of Devore O/96, current candidates are: Vivid (cheaper ones < 15K), Magico A series, Magnepan, Verity Amadis S (used only).
So I need a lot of power. My amp should be able to drive any of the above speakers comfortably.
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@arro222 , it's not mentioned because it has no DAC/streamer built-in.
@freediver , yes for me SS typically beats tubes almost always at a far lower cost, but for a second system I would like to try SS for its other benefits. But thanks for the info on the H590. |
@ebm
are you just trolling as usual? Or can you find me an dac+streamer+amp+preamp+2 ICs +3 PCs under 15k retail that would beat a Boulder 866?
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What do you guys think about pairing a Boulder 866 with a Magnepan? Like maybe a 20.7 |
@riaa, Those are the only two data points we have in these preliminary stages of narrowing down choices. Perhaps when you get your E-800 you can give us another opinion that will help make or break Greg/WC's consensus. Until then.....
The dealers have been hyping the E-800 so much and I was thinking of buying one to try, and then to hear sobering assessments of it from experienced audiophiles is clearly a shock and raison d'etre for forums like this to exist.
@kren006, yes he does clearly state he likes 590AXII better in one of his posts.
@rdoc Thank you so much for posting your experience and affirming what I have in mind. I know this might be asking a lot but any chance you would be able to post a youtube video of your system playing. |
@caphill , speakers are tbd as well, but I am leaning towards a magnepan. |
@denon1, have you also heard the accuphase E-650?
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Just to update this thread.
I finally bought an Accuphase E-650. I got an home demo, and I was sold. It is the first "reasonably" priced SS amp that I really like.
It goes brilliantly with my Devore speakers, and at some point it might get another pair of speakers to play with (TBD, Fyne anyone?).
I did forego my pledge of an all-in-one, but if I get the DAC module (which I might, given how good the phono module is). It does become a proper all-in-one :), currently it is playing signals emanating from my Technics 1210gae and really killing it. |
