Integrated Amp Suggestions


Looking to buy a new integrated amp. Needs to have home theater bypass and also ability to connect 2 pairs of speakers A/B. Rotel Ra1592 Mkii and Musical Fidelity M6si 500 are on list so far. Suggestions

128x128melbay

consider hegel...

you’ll artificially narrow the field if you insist on 2 pairs of speaker terminals

just do spades + bananas for the two pair, use the one set of 5 ways

I have 5 integrateds right now and not one has 2 pairs of speaker outputs. Def narrows the field.

I know it narrows field. Spade /Bananas set up will not do. Want to run speakers separately.

I think he is looking for A&B speaker outputs like Yamaha provides on some of the AS integrated.  

I know some Cambridge applications and Primare, Pass labs? 

@melbay you haven't mentioned your power requirements or budget.  until you do, this is what you get. 

One good choice would be Accuphase E-480

Attenuator button put the E-480  on Amplifier mode , if I understand it well.

I have once looked at this integrated with HTB  but I choose Soulution INT 330 instead.

 

 

REGA OSIRIS integrated amp.

Refined audio presentation with massive power supplies (56 lb beast) that cranks out 160W into 8 ohms, increasing to 250W into 4 ohms.

It also has the HT direct bypass.

https://audiofi.net/2012/08/rega-osiris-punching-heavy/

 

 

The new Hifi Rose RA180 has the A-B speaker taps and decent power. What speakers are you driving? 250wpc @8ohms is healthy. Also the RA180 doesn't have HT bypass. I would go with the Michi X5 if i was in the market for a new integrated and needed unlimited power.

 

Using Klipsch RF7 for home theater. Fritz Carbon 7 for 2 channel. Also Klipsch Forte for 2 channel. I know 250wpc is overkill. I like headroom and you never know what I will be driving in future,

100 wpc is plenty of power for any future upgrades. Typically you use about 10wpc.

Parasound Hint6 can easily do this all day but 180WPC

You have option to use RCA out or XLR out 

so I have Hint6 using internal amp on my bookshelf and XLR Output to my stereo amp

 

this is the video Simaudio for towers 

 

 

OP SAYS: Have A Rogue Chronus Magnum and I run it almost full volume a lot.

This is starting to smell shtinky. 

 

Kinki EX M1+ is very nice.  I have one and it stands up to the good things said about it in reviews.  

@carlsbad 

+1 

the Home Theater outputs  of the Kinki EX M1+   are  RCA.

If the Home Theater pre/pro  of the OP  has  XLR inputs only  , he will need adaptor, which is never very good.

I have almost bought this Kinki but all my input on my HT processor are XLR.

The Krell k-300i “only” puts put 150Wpc into 8 Ohms but doubles to 300Wpc into 4 Ohms.  I don’t know what speakers you might be planning on buying in the future, but I’d think this would more than adequately power just about anything. 

But, if you must go nuclear the Plinius Hiato puts out 300Wpc into 8 Ohms and 450 into 4 Ohms.  Best of luck. 

If you like the Rotel 1592mk2, then check out the Michi X3 and if you must the X5 (which is just overkill).  I have both the Rotel and the Michi and love both.  The Michi is neutral and a more refined 1592.  Better detail, more air, bigger sound stage and a lot more dynamic.  It's a real steal at it's MSRP of $5300 and easily competes with amps in the 7k-8k price range.  

@travisg 

 

100 wpc is plenty of power for any future upgrades. Typically you use about 10wpc

 

It's amazing how many people don't understand that. With high efficiency speakers, those "flea watt" amps get plenty loud on 5 wpc or even less.

The Creek Destiny has the A/B speakers.  I require this also as I use one system to feed either the speakers on my office desk or out in the shop.  I bought an expensive Luxman integrated that also does A/B. speakers and was very unimpressed with the sound.  It ran hot as hell and didn't sound any better than the Creek to my ear in this system.  I tried the Luxman for a little while in my main system and I thought it was grainy and unappealing compared to my tubes.  Creek Destiny runs cool and sounds amazing for around 1000 used if you can find one. 

Depending on your budget  the best balanced and  built under $20 ktheGryphon Diablo $17 k,    For$6500. Made in USA Coda CSIB integrated  it has by far most current capabilities a huge 3000 vs potted transformer very natural sounding 

and a 10 year warranty imo he best. Deal under$10 k.

I am running Klipsch RF 7IIIs with Audiosource Amp 300 and am VERY satisfied with this 150 WPC amp which has A +B speaker outputs. Might be worth a look. 

The new HifiRose RA180 integrated would be perfect! Lots of power, two separate switchable pairs of outputs, and super cool retro style.

250 wpc? With the speakers you have, that's like buying a Challenger to drive back and forth to the grocery store. 30 (class A) wpc with my Forte IVs is more than enough to drive you out of the room screaming.

@lordrootman 2 questions if you please:

1.Who is the guitarist. 2. What are the Sims?

This type of playback (video/sound stuff) is sometimes difficult to depict nuances of components but one has to be near deaf not to recognize the superlative music reproduced by the Sims. Presence appears to be outstanding along with sustain, decay and separation of notes. Timbres appear to be accurate as well.

That’s what makes things sound "alive" and dynamic imo.

Good stuff.

@arro222 

guitarist is Nils Lofgren track is Keith Don’t Go

Simaudio stuff here is Supernova CD-Player using it as DAC streaming Tidal from Cambridge Azur 851N to it digital input 

and two Sim amps are Moon W7 

the rest are Parasound Hint6 for preamp Epic CF4 dual SVS SB16 USHER 718 bookshelf speakers 

I love SimAudio so much so I did upgrade my Parasound Hint6 to SimAudio P8 preamp and W8 power amplifier change Supernova black silver to only silver 

 

current set up is here

 

 

 

 

@arro222 

the video above I was using Chromcast $35 streaming tidal to digital input of Supernova 

shtinkydog

393 posts

 

OP SAYS: Have A Rogue Chronus Magnum and I run it almost full volume a lot.

This is starting to smell shtinky. 

 

For sure. I have one that drive Maggies with ease. Selling only because I want room correction.

@secretguy yeah, the point i was making was the one that @fatdaddy2 made even more clear.   but hey, he says he likes it loud. "more power" to him. 😜

Hardly any manufacturers put speaker selectors on amps with that much power output…not even way back when. The Rotel or the NAD C399 might be the ticket. 
High end designers eschew speaker relays as a rule. 

$5000 -$10000 250wpc @8ohm minimum

That’s the Hegel H390 to the “T”!

All the best.

JD

@shtinkydog 

If you’re saying it’s because they only have one set of binding posts, most of the amps suggested don’t have multiples. Back in the day, I built a couple of A/B boxes because so few amps had more than one set of speaker connections. The OP can use spades or spade and bananas to connect more than one pair of they want.

 

@lordrootman 

If Sim makes an integrated anywhere near the production of the immediacy of the separates, the op should have a strong look.