Integrated Amp comparison

It's not surprising why you don't have any responses to your post. I can give you this: (sorry about taking your thread to another place, but it's the 'gon way) the YBA Passion Integre beats the M3 and the JRDG. Have no listening experience with the E-407. Actually, I preferred the Passion over the Concentra II. Something for you to consider. You can read my review. peace, warren

Although it is no longer in production, I bought a Joule VAMP integrated used. I have it on my Merlin VSMs now and I love it. I am partial to the Joule stuff as I have a VZN80. It is an absolute steal at the price you can get it for used. Don't let the fact that it is not in production fool you - production was not halted because of a lack of performance.

Jim

Warrenth, I am a little confused as to your comment about a lack of posts on this thread. Are you insinuating that no one would want to consider these models when the passion integre exists, or just that this thread is pointless? If the ladder, then why comment at all?

As for the real business of the thread, I am a little concerned that the YBA would not have enough balls to drive a current hungry pair of ribbon speakers (piegas). The stereophile review also commented about some problems with fuses as well...can you comment on that?

The best integrated amp I've ever heard (and I've owned over 20 of them including the Red Rose 5) is the Mistral LE. For $1495 you simply can't beat it. The best giant killer system available is:

Naim CD5
Flatcap2
Mistral LE
Quad 989

That system will be the last one you will purchase.

Coreyman. Relax my friend. Please don't feel that I was discounting the validity of your post. I meant nothing negative by it. I sent a post, but they must have disallowed it because of the word b...s. You've got some great things there, but it's hard to find people who've listened to exactly what you're interested in buying, in an a b comparison. You never posted anything about the speakers you're going to be driving. In the case of b...s, the MF is the one. As far as sound. Well, that's up to you, but the Passion did it for me. peace, warren

Warrenh,
upon further review, your enthusiasm for the yba is to be lauded. I ended up buying the e407, so I will let you know how it turns out.

good luck with thay baby.

TAKE THE ACCUPHASE....YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!!

Best I ever heard was the Tandberg 3012; sorry I didn't buy it.

I own the BAT 300x and love it. I compared the BAT vs. Rowland and like the BAT in my system better. Both products are great and most will be very happy with either.

Try to listen the Accuphase E-530 in your room.I've tested the MF NUVISTA and E-407 in my system, and i preferred the Accuphase sound(and build quality, of course). When i tried to listen the E-530, i realised that this is much better than Nuvista and E-407. They sounded lean, weak, without impact and musicality next to this class A design. Its power is 30 watts/8ohms according to the manufacturer, but the reviews of most European magazines speak about 47w/8ohms, 92w/4ohms, 184w/2ohms and high stability at 1ohm.Just avoid to use low efficiency speakers(<87db) into a large room, in case you play loud. Using this amp, i was always concentrated and listened to the musical event. Using the other amps(especially the NuVista), i realised that most of the times i was listening to the amplifiers. This comment says everything, i suppose. The E-530 was more natural and full bodied from the lowest bass to the extreme highs. For my ears, this amp sounds very close to a "small" A-50V(the best ss amp i've ever heard together with the ML 33H) but at a much lower price.The build quality is uncomparable.By the way, from the amps you referred, IMHO the best amp is E-407.