Integrated amp: Component weight

@fastfreight

No, it just isn’t a good fit. Now that GTT has sent me a price list, I find that a Mola Mola system would cost 50% more than what I’m looking to spend. And even if that wasn’t the case, I don’t see it satisfying the connectivity requirements I outlined in my original post. So I’ll have to pass, unfortunately.

I have to say that GTT was very responsive & professional. It seems like a great outfit to work with.  Wish we could have done business together this time.

Fair enough!  Again good luck!

i'm 78 and cannot manage any lifting any more. I got rid of my pass monoblocks and old B&W floorstanders and bought some devore O96 efficient speakers and a Nagra classic amplifier. I run my dac/streamer thru the amplifier direct. Lightweight speakers- amp is only 39 lbs .. the sound is great headroom, soundstage as good as I had before. 

My thought is with the other guys--get some efficient speakers, and your choices for lightweight amplification are endless.

A few people asked me to post when I came to a final decision. Well, I’m not there yet, but I think I’ve finally checked out every suggestion that’s been made in this lengthy thread. Wow, it’s been complicated!

My completed spreadsheet tells me:

A list (at most one failure to meet my list of requirements, but no dealbreakers):

Ayre EX-8 2.0 (#1 choice, but hard to find, which makes me nervous) Benchmark Benchmark LA4 pre + AHB2 pwr + DAC3 L
Bryston B135cubed
Hegel H590 (too heavy, but o/w second only to the Ayre)

Plan B
Devialet Expert 220 Pro (configuration nightmare)
Naim Uniti Nova PE (brand new, not yet reviewed)
Pass XP-12 (paired with what amp? Not sure where I’d go with this great pre)
Simaudio Moon 340i X (maybe for amp/preamp only, not phono or DAC)

As for DAC/transports, if I don’t go with an Ayre, I’d have to come up with some sort of outboard DAC/streamer/transport. I still like HiFi Rose’s streaming UI a lot, but am less enthused about the company’s DACs and quality control.

Anyway, I think that’s progress. If any has any other suggestions, I’m still open to new ideas.

A Pass Labs / Devialet combo would be interesting, eh? If only from an intellectual-curiosity standponit. I’m sure both mfrs would be horrified!

Oops -- one other suggestion was just made to me, and it definitely looks interesting: The Chord Ultima Integrated, $11,250.

Anybody have direct experience with this box?  Remember, I'm currently using Harbeths, a relatively low sensitivity, 6-ohm load that is reputed to have much higher real-world impedance.

I think it' just started to ship in North AmericaI a few months ago, so I can't find much in the way of reviews, other than a few YouTube clips. Those have been rave reviews, and one lengthy video compared the Ultima very favorably to Benchmark gear, played through a mid-range MartinLogan electrostat -- a very revealing speaker.

So I'm intrigued.  Throw in a couple of T+A integrateds that had previously slipped through the cracks and it looks like this melodrama is still far from over.  Three more products to check out...