Budget integrated amp needed

I think that you will have to buy used.  I'm putting together a system for some very un audio friends for about a thousand bucks.  When talking to a few local dealers about something at your price point, there wasn't much but one dealer, while we chatted, was checking out Craigslist and pointed out an Outlaw Receiver that's only available direct from the company otherwise he would carry it.  The salesman waxed poetic about this company. Three hundred bucks.  I checked it out and bought it. It's nothing short of fantastic, phono mm/mc is dead quiet, with plenty of power with features that a NAD owner could relate to.  I could recommend this over or at least as musically inviting as some much more expensive gear that I compared to over a month of listening.  And when I installed it in my reference rig over the holidays, I just left it in place.  Keep an eye out for one of these.

For the bedroom, you’re probably not critically listening and the cheapest best option is an Aiyima A07. At 2-3 hundred, there are ChiFi options also at a smaller and lighter footprint than the larger traditional options.

At 5-6 hundred, a few more good options. I use and can recommend a Keces E40 integrated with 2 RCA inputs, a phono stage and a usb should you want to stream (CD quality only but competent). You can easily add a dac. It has a remote.

This is an alternative and in my opinion a better one than the two budget Rega offerings. Spend the extra money and get a nicer amp that performs better than most integrated under a grand, IMO. There are a couple of ChiFi options around that price as well, but perhaps a bit less power opting for a more class A bias, supposedly. One reviewer thought it sounded a more towards class A, it really is that good.  It has a smooth but detailed sound, reminds me of my Hegel h160 and I listen at non ear damaging levels, low to moderate, it can drive most speakers just fine and with authority. Company states low distortion and up to and if needed 15 amps per channel which is impressive.

Read the reviews. I think it’s great.

Rega. They respond well to minor tweaks and often impress.

lavadio

1 posts

01-18-2022 12:23am

What Hi-Fi:
The three-time Award-winning Onkyo A-9010 is excellent value and one of the most musically satisfying budget amplifiers we've heard in recent years

So I bought it and it is incredible 

Yes! I have one in my bedroom system and it is excellent. I even tried it on Maggies and it drove them!

It’s great that there are so many good choices in this price range 

Congrats on the 316BEE. 

@wturkey if only a relative I loaned a lovely silver pioneer receiver to- a 50 series, hadn't trashed it. 

@60decibels good suggestions!  no tuner for the bedroom (for now). 

Found an open box NAD 316 EEE V2 for about $380- works for me

@larry5729 - I think I have my main system well sorted out!

NAD's Class D amps from the last few years are excellent. A used one should be available within or close to what you are seeking to spend. I have a C 268 and have been very pleased with it. 

SAFEANDSOUND sells refurbished NAD Amplifiers.

I have an Audioengine N22 ($199) that works very nicely in my bedroom system. Unlike most amps in this price range, it is NOT a class D amp but rather an A/B design. It is not as powerful as many others at this price point, but if you have reasonably efficient speakers, a smaller room or simply don't listen at higher volume, it may well be more than enough. I certainly enjoy its sound. (They even have refurbed units for $159.) They have a 30 day no-questions full refund return policy. No restock fee, just the shipping cost.

I +whatever the Yamaha A-s301. The NAD 316BEE can be found used at your budget. I am familiar with both and can recommend.

Th VR-2020s are a 10" 3-way with a 91dB sensitivity, and are a relatively easy load to drive. And while you could go off into any number of esoteric rabbit holes, your budget is best served by a high-value integrated amp. And right now the King of that Hill is the Marantz PM-7000N. At 60 w/ch, 80 into 4 ohms, you will have plenty of power. And you will have the full connectivity from a very good phono stage, 3 more analog inputs,  to built-in 24-bit/192kHz PCM streaming across the digital inputs (USB, coaxial and two optical) and music servers, and 5.6MHz DSD streaming across the USB input and music servers. Plus the HEOS remote. I stream 256K AAC regularly, and I'm very impressed. Dont just believe me, read the Absolute Sound ("50 Greatest Bargains In High-End Audio"), What Hi-Fi, and other reviews. Sure, there are better integrated amps, but they're all multiples of the cost - the Hegel H95 is often compared, but it's $2000 and lacks all the flexibility of the PM-7000N. Luxman, Mcintosh, and Rogue Audio (Tubes) all make great, if very analog-centric amps in the $3-5,000 range. There's always used, with all the attendant benefits of cost, offset by lack of warranty, and lack of current technology. If you were interested in going vintage, then that's another discussion entirely. But for your budget, nothing will get yo farther down the road than a PM-7000N. 

I personally wouldn't dump a lot of money into a bedroom system.  What about a living room?

Buy a GT102 from Dan Joffe at Akitika. You can get one for about your budget with optimization for either 4 or 8 Ohms. I can’t think of a good reason to not get the Z4 for versatility. This is an easy kit to build if you have some spare time. The Node is a preamp/ DAC/ streamer/ HPA in one so power is all you need. 

Topping PA5 for $349! Advanced Class D design with 48/83 wpc@8/4 ohms @ .1% distortion! It will clip at over 100 + wpc.

used, I go to hifishark, sort by ’first seen, new first’ see if there is a great new listing no one else beat you to.

next, put your max price, I put $305.

after that, re-sort by price

caution: many do not have remote if that matters

Sony TA FB940R- old and cheap but rock solid and surprisingly good sound

A friend of mine paid $150+shipping for a NAD C 326BEE integrated last year, to be used for a similar application.  It's 50w/channel, but if you need more, I'm sure there's a NAD to suit.

I have a lot of respect for PS Audio as well, but you probably won't have the range of price choices you will with NAD.  You're pretty safe either way.

Perhaps an old silverface receiver would work for you. Some sound very nice for pennies on the dollar.

Yamaha A - S301 is an easy recommendation.

What Hi-Fi:
The three-time Award-winning Onkyo A-9010 is excellent value and one of the most musically satisfying budget amplifiers we've heard in recent years

So I bought it and it is incredible 

I picked up a used Yamaha A-S301 integrated for my office for$301. It's a great amplifier. Look into the reviews. It might suit your needs.

PS Audio Sprout is in budget, tiny footprint, tremendous versatility, and will sound as good as you need it to sound.

zavato… Though you asked about an integrated, you wrote “Suggestions please”. In that spirit l offer something additional that may help with the $.

Since this post was for your bedroom system, I presume that space is also important. Reading your system details & that you don’t mention a tuner, I’m thinking that the bedroom setup is only streaming.

1) There is a current Agon listing for a used Powernode ($250) that’s a similar version to your current Node. You could then flip your current Node and end well under budget.

Or

2) Again if streaming only, moving to an amp alone (vs an integrated) may help to insure the budget is not exceeded.

In either case, the Bluesound app would eliminate the pre-amp portion.

Good luck with your hunt.

The Yamaha A-S501 retails for $550, so if you are patient you can get it for around $400. Or you can drop down to the A-S301 in the Yamaha series.

NAD makes a couple of mini integrateds that sound great.  The 3020D and it's sibling are great candidates for tiny great sounding integrated amps.

Cambridge AXA35...often $229 factory refurbished direct from Cambridge...I've purchased 2 for friends and they sound and work great...

Up your budget a bit, the very low-line products just are not worth the money.