Best value in integrated amps at a moderate price?

Hi, Take a look at the Qinpu A 1.0X int. amp sold new here on Audiogon. It's a 100 wpc solid state @ $695. with remote control volume. I have tubes and liked this unit alot. Good luck, Jerry

Baroque_lover,

Yep, no doubt which speakers he chooses will have an impact on the amp he chooses. But I do think that the Blue Circle NSCS is a significantly better integrated than the CS...

Rogue Cronus 55 Wpc $1795
Vandersteen 2Ce Signatures $1600

Accuracy, detail, imaging, extension.

PhilNYC,

Again, it depends on the speakers he will be pairing it up with. I would personally take 50-70 BC, YBA, SIM watts over 100-150 Rega, Parasound, etc.

If I were buying an integrated, I'd look at the Portal Panache and the Plinius line.

at a very powerful 18 watts, my Audio Note Soro SE is easily the best $1300 I ever spent and another excellent choice would be a Manley Stingray with 50 watts.

I would rather have the sound quality over power and do not think you will get both at a moderate price - whatever that means to you, to me it means about $2000 or less

Baroque_lover...the Blue Circle CS is a nice integrated amp, but I don't think I'd consider it to be a powerful amp. The Blue Circle NSCS, on the other hand, has a good amount of power and is IMHO a great value...

(disclaimer, I am a Blue Circle dealer)...

First off, what is you budget?

My suggestion would be decided on the speakers first. This will dictate what you will need out of an integrated. If you buy a lower powered unit and then fall in love with some inefficent speakers, you will will have a bad combo.

Blue Circle CS

A budget is very important. Without that, we don't know what to recommend. If it's truly power you are after and can fork over 2 grand, the Krell 400xi may be the way to go. If you're trying to do it for under a grand, the musical fidelity A300 has about 150 watts per channel. In the middle, I would take Classe CAP 151 for about 1200-1400 on the used market.

If you're able to go over 2K, the Musical Fidelity KW500 might be all you need. 4500-4700 is a reasaonable going rate for these 500 wpc monsters.

I'm very happy with ASL AQ1001DT 50wpc (30wpc in triode).

nad/creek/bryston(in $ order)......b&w/castle/totem..(in $ order

The LFD Mistral is a winner and, at 50wpc, should handle most reasonably efficient speakers. No remote, though.