Class A integrated amp recommendations

Perla S50. It’s not Class A, but AB, however it sounds very organic, very class A. Single ended inputs only.

I’d compare it to a Pass INT60, but more visceral, present, lifelike. One of those times I walked into a little crummy hotel room at a show and couldn’t un-hear it. Played on Perla’s 2 way speakers. The only other times (years later) I’d ever heard a two way speaker sound so good were Audio Note AN-E/SPe HE’s (? model names get confusing) driven by their most expensive gear, Ocean Way Eureka’s (which I bought) driven by AGD Vivace GanFET’s, and the big QLN Signatures driven by a Gryphon Diablo 300 Integrated.

I am a Pass owner, btw.

Good luck finding one.

Firstly, that’s one of the finest thread questions I’ve read in a long time. Well done!

I’ll get to the point - Another vote for tubes. I own a pair of Martin Logan Summit’s. The price you pay for their mid range brilliance are power requirements. But the fairly new Summits aren’t nearly as difficult to drive as their early predecessors. So that’s where I chose to purchase a pair of used KT88/EL34 monoblocks. That’s some 80 watts total of glorious tube power. That’s much more power than is necessary for these speakers.

I too, if you’ve not guessed from my username by now, possess a penchant for vinyl Blue Note releases. In fact, they’re a must!

Bottom line. I purchased a fabulous used tube preamp, and used tube monoblocks, for about $1500 less than the going price of a used Pass Integrated. Would I switch if I had the opportunity? No, I wouldn’t. Fact is, I’m done acquiring audio gear after some 40 years in this hobby. And I’ve not quite reached my golden years. But they’ll be experienced with tube gear. For, sooner or later, one has to stop chasing the rabbit, and simply chill in the moment.

Enjoy!

Thanks Coltrane1 for the kind words on the thread question.

After much wrangling, almost pulling the trigger on subs, I found a very reasonably priced used Sugden IA-4, which brought me back to my original intention when I opened this thread. It's been in my system for a few weeks now. 

I must confess that I'm infatuated with this amp. My first impressions is that this amp is certainly a level up from my Sim Audio I5. The soundstage appears a little wider but more significantly, deeper, more 3d. The presentation seems richer, more saturated to use a color analogy. I was looking for was more detail, a more vibrant presentation at lower volume levels. The Sugden has given me that!

Will it be an end game amp for me? I can't say just yet. I would still like to audition other Class A integrateds, especially the INT-60. And I haven't discounted adding subs. In the meantime, I'm setting my system up so that I can A/B test the two amps.

Again, my thanks and regards to all who took the time to comment.

Cheers

Never heard a negative word about Sugden amps — only positives so not surprised.  Congrats and enjoy!!!

Hello,

I don't know if you still need advice but let me give you my 2 cents...

As I've mentioned in another thread, I think that Grandinote makes some of the best integrated pure Class A amplifiers I've ever listened to. 

Even the entry-level Shinai with its 37wpc can really shine with most of the speakers available and they make several better version, even in dual chassis version! 

https://grandinoteusa.com/collections/grandinote_integrated_amplifiers

The new Solo, that I've had the pleasure of listening to Axpona 2024 it's a true GEM!

It's beautiful (to my eyes 😉 ), customizable, extremely compact for the wattage/performance (60 wpc) and it can includes or the phono stage or the streamer DAC in one single unit... 

I think that IT will deserve a try if you are looking for a very uncompromised integrated.

To conclude...all the Grandinote electronics use a patented technology, are completely designed and hand-made in Italy!

On the website there a LOT of extremely positive reviews...

https://grandinoteusa.com/pages/reviews

and the entry-level Shinai it's used in Stereophile Robert Schryer reference system!

Have a good listening!