Let's hear which integrated amp surprised you and maybe even had you shaking your head in disbelief.
Watch the first response be, 'no $5k integrated is that good' blah blah blah. You know how it is, lot of old fogeys on here that are done censoring themselves and take it out on the thread.
Also, if I've missed the cutoff and there's just this $6k or $7k amp that is worth consideration, feel free to mention.
You will get many responses. The Hegel is the budget "sweetheart" to many I have not heard the current models but was not impressed with earlier effforts. Primare sounded better(at that time) but have not listened to Primare’s current class D offerings.
New-Belles Aria Signature
Used-Norma Audio Revo IPA-140
Budget Used-Krell Kav-400xi- Marantz-PM S 11/2 or 3- Pass Labs-INT 30A
I was a dealer when PS Audio introduced the GCC series (quasi integrated), some 20 years ago. I bought the GCC 250 which I still have in my TV system with AV123 Swan 6.1s. IF it ever dies, my first consideration would be for a GaN based with dif balanced in/outs (as does my GCC 250) And while either the Marantz 40N or the Technics SU-G700 MkII, are both based on GaN tech, and both under $3000, Interestingly the Technics matching SACD player has XLR outs, meaning it doesn't connect to its own integrated XLR to XLR. This may not be a concern to many, but dif balanced is how I roll: my audio only system is 100% dif balanced
IF you are exploring to purchase the PS AUDIO STRATA, I share my experience with you on this product:
I have owned the Stella Strata for about two months and to be blunt, it's been nothing short of a nightmare.
Basically the unit's streaming software does not work.
The unit repeatedly locks-up despite a few half hearted firmware updates released in May 2020:
Version 1.2.29
Date May 30, 2020
File image.bin
Description
Initial release.
Fixes for logo led blinking and unit lockup
Fixes for audio playing at zero volume
Fixes for factory reset menu
Fixes for no audio when playing SACDs via DMP hooked to Strata
Fix for buttons not showing on pop-ups
Fix for wifi enable
Space char added to password character set.
This issue was well documented amongst the beta testers. I naively trusted PS Audio had fixed the issue when released it mid-2020.
As of Dec. 2021, even PS Audio customer support no longer responds as they have no clue on how to resolve this issue.
Despite a decent SQ, I strongly advise avoiding the PS Audio Strata.
It's clearly not ready for primetime and is cynically released to the public.
*As a follow-up - I ended up purchasing a $400 iFi streamer to bypass the software of a $3000 machine.
Just a complete waste of time and money. If you're an international customer, good luck with after-sales support
The audio market in my area has shrunk. There really isn't much to choose from at all. I wound up with a McIntosh MA5300. I can listen to it ALL day long.
Agree with Jake123 (from State Farm?). Need more info like 1. the speakers you are using and 2. the space you are listening in. Small - Bakoon|Enleum. Large - Musical Fidelity NuVista 800. :D
Hegel H390 in my experience. I preferred it to McIntosh MA352 (overly saturated and flat soundstage) and LTA Z10 (a bit thin sounding but amazingly transparent). I would put it up there with Pass XA25 and First Watt SIT-3 power amps I had before (using digital volume control, so no preamp influence there). Not quite as sweet and dense as the Pass stuff, but a little more detail, significantly more bass authority and cleanliness, bigger soundstage. Overall the Hegel is a better all rounder with a lot more features. I got mine new for a good chunk under $5k.
I haven't heard the Coda CSiB but was looking hard at it before I went whole hog and replaced the Hegel with something much more pricey.
Focusing only on the amp or prioritizing the amp without regard to the rest of the system, as if the amplifier is the key to a good system, is a beginners mistake.
Linn always advised one to focus on the source: get the best source you can: put the bulk of your time and money into your source. The recording quality comes first in this. A poorly recorded LP, or dirty [well recorded] LP is going to sound bad no matter what the system. In fact the better the system the more you will be hearing the flaws upstream. The LP or CD player or system and its synergy comes second. A bad turntable support is going to 'make bad' a great turntable [support isnt an issue with CD gear]. The preamplifier quality is next in the 'Linn' hierachy. Next is matching the amp and speakers. Great speakers cant make a bad amp sound good. Oh well.
I have 2 - 22wpc integrated amps that I switch in and out of my main system , they easily drive floorstanders that are 97.5 db sensitivity and 6 ohm impedance
I’ve never seen an integrated amp or a preamp that was connected to a source component via optical cable vs XLR or RCA interconnects.
Perhaps audiophiles can correct my thinking on two or three counts:
(1) I thought power output was significant, thus the number of 250-400wpc amps on the market, but many of these integrated amps have 10-40wpc … are they designed for smaller speakers? Or to be used with a power amp (in which case what’s the benefit of “integrated”?) I listen to refurbished Ohm Walsh 4’s.
(2) I thought a high quality optical cable was one of the best ways to connect inputs but many of the recommended units lack that connection. As for “balanced” inputs the amp may accept them, but many input devices do not. What’s best?
(3) Many of these units have minimal controls, even on their remotes. For example, after volume and input selection, I want balance control (to adjust to where I sit in my 20’ x 30’ room, and subwoofer level control (since recordings seem to vary wildly in the bass range). Yet none (including the remote for my Parasound Halo) have them. Why not?
You’ve got to be nuts if you think you’ve got to spend $5k on an integrated simply to get great sound. There’s nothing worse in this hobby than throwing money at products. I spent $1300 on a new KT88 integrated that also does EL34 tubes and could not be happier. $1300. Welcome to sanity!
Under $5,000 the no longer made Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300 was the best integrated I ever heard or owned. The serviceability became an issue so I moved on. Now I think the Aesthetix Mimas is the best I ever heard but it’s outside the $5K price point. Under $5K today I would pick the Belles Aria Signature.
I’d have to say that for me (I’ve been an audiophile since the mid-1960s) it has been the Yamaha A-S801BL unit that I’m currently using. I especially like the chassis layout, the single subwoofer out jack and the access to the internal DAC features that let me hookup a Sony UBP-X800M2 Blu-Ray player that does not have an internal DAC and play SACD discs, and FLAC files that I can stream off my home network. If plays back nicely through a pair of KEF Q750 towers. The overall sound is sweet and accurate. Fell in love with Yamaha when I was a live audio mix engineer for several bands and started using the Yamaha PM-1000 console at live gigs. It blew the doors off my old Soundcraft Limited Edition 24x4 console.
Interesting question in that I am presently looking for a new integrated in the $3k range (now probably the $5k range after various demos). SS likely due to the heat though I did listen to some tubes just for curiousity, Listened to a variety of products but the ones that stood out were 3 Belles amps...Aria, Signature and their top of the line which was excellent but out of my range at $7k. The $2300 "entry level" Aria was superior to the Marantz PM 8005 I have now which is a nice but entry level unit. The Sig was definitely worth the incremental $2k step up. I also listened to the Rogue CM3... nice but not really distinctive as a tube amp. Listened to various Rega units from Io up the line and was very surprised how good they sounded....Still thinking about that line. Also, various Hegel amps which were good but to my ears maybe a little dark. Liked the McIntosh integrateds 5200 and another but not as much as I thought I would and vs their prices. Very curious about Luxman and Pass and hoping to get back to US to listen to those then make a decision. Biggest takeaway I had was that there are MANY really good integrateds these days and likely no "Best". It is likely a combination of sound, features, warranty, looks and availability that will do it for me and there could easily be a couple that fill the bill.
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