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Integrated Amp Upgrade-itis hitting....

Hey all. Put together a system with GoldenEar Triton 3's, a Marantz CD6005 and Musical Fidelity A3.2 integrated. Lately, been getting the itch to "upgrade" the amp though while excellent in function and aesthetics is getting a tad long in tooth. So, my mind has been wandering about something different. Top 2 options right now are a Marantz PM 8005 and Rogue Sphinx. I'm open to suggestions based on the above. I listen to a lot of electric blues and classic rock. A phono section is important as I do spin some vinyl as well. Just looking for some input from some fellow audio nuts....
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Showing 2 responses by richamor

richamor
4 posts
 
I would suggest a new Bryston 135B SST3. Expensive but a foundation piece that will be good 10 years from now. For a little less the SST2 can still be had as closeouts. I think either would make those Tritons sing. 
richamor
4 posts
 
A lot thoughtful replies on here. I will agree with most that you will need the spend some cash to better that MF. Tubes are different, better at some things, not as good at others, and rubs rolling is a never ending process. Which, while fund, can get into more money than the amp. The Bryson integrated, whichever model you find be, can be fitted with an internal DAC and phono pre. If you want to get serious about vinyl I would recommend a separate phono pre that is adjustable for gain and load. The Emmaline Nighthawk is very nice and adjustable on the fly.

It sounds like you're looking for a "long term" center piece to build a system around. The MF you have now would be sufficient but  3 to 5 thousand will buy you an improvement that you could live with for several years. I don't think you'll see much of an improvement for much less cash.
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