Integrated Amps


I'm debating whether to upgrade my Marantz integrated with a better performing and higher powered integrated or simply add a separate amp and use the Marantz as a pre-amp. I've looked at stepping up to the Marantz model 30 or 40n, PS Audio Stellar Strata, Music Fidelity M5si/M6si. But then the Heaven 11 Billie caught my eye.

Has anyone had any experience with the Heaven 11 Billie integrated amp? It's a hybrid class D amp w/ a tubed pre-amp. The reviews I've watched seem to give the unit high marks for sound quality, presentation, sound stage, and because of the tubed pre-amp, an analog warmth to the otherwise "cold" sound of a class D amp. 

https://heaven11audio.com/billie2-amp-features-specs/?v=7516fd43adaa

 

bipod72

The Heaven 11 offers a compelling value and feature proposition: integrated with good power, tube preamp, DAC, headphone amp, phono preamp. Peachtree used to offer a similar integrated, but in a less visually-appealing package. Vincent Audio also has hybrid integrateds with tube preamp section in a couple of their amps, but they are at higher prices. I don’t know how recent ICEPower class D modules compare to other modules. I had Peachtree's Nova 300 integrated which was a powerful class D amp with ICEPower modules, but that was a much older design. I have been using a combination of a ProJect PreBox RS2 Digital (selectable tube section) preamp/DAC/headphone amp that has bluetooth and a phono preamp with a separate NAD C298 class D amp with Purifi modules which is a very good combination, more power (185W/8R) but more expensive and without the visual appeal of the Heaven 11 Billie Mk II.

 

I also must agree that Hegel integrated amplifiers are excellent, but from the H190 and up. I've not particularly liked the H120 (which is more expensive than the Billie amp), but the H190 (now H190V) is excellent and offers a ton of value....but at $4,200. The H390/H400 are better still (and a friend just upgraded to the H400  which is really really sweet), but again at $6,500......where are we in the budget?

Dear @vuch : " I upgraded to the A3’s in regards to what it would take to bring the sonic level of my rig up to what I heard in the demo. "

 

You said that upgraded almost all what you owned and in other thread I read that a friend of you is offering to listen a SS phono in your room/system.

I wonder and I would ask if you can share your today system ( other than the TA Zeus. ) surrounded those very good A3’s. Could you? Thank’s in advance.

 

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.

@rauliruegas Yes, I have upgraded my entire rig except for the CD player, which I really don’t use anymore but keep it in the rack for nostalgia purposes.

The rest of my rig: NAT Audio Symmetrical Balanced Line Stage, NAT Audio Magma M mono blocks, Herron VTPH-2A phono stage, Verastarr power cords on the mono blocks, Triangle Art Maestro TT with Horus 12" tonearm, Verastarr speaker cables, Cardas Clear cable from the phono pre to preamp. Audioquest Cobalt Dragonfly DAC and cable, Audioquest Dragon power cord from preamp to Transparent Powerbank 6 power conditioner.

My buddy has a 6k SS phono stage that he wants me to try. I love my Herron but now I’m open to trying it just to see how it sounds.

I took a demo Billie MK II home from my local dealer to try with some Harbeth P3ESR after reading some fantastic reviews. After 2hrs of listening at home I called them and ordered a new one in gold finish no less, lol. I swapped out the JJ ECC99s for some NOS Sylvania 12BH7s and the amp is now as great as anything I've owned at 2x the price. Interesting side note, the guys I got it from are the US distributor for Heaven11 and have #3 in their loft showroom. They are maybe a tad overly enthusiastic about the amp but I gotta say, the proof was in the demo with a set of LS50s. It was amazing in their showroom and even better at home with better speakers. The Billie could be $2500 and still be a great value. Just my experience

I owned the latest Heaven 11 Billie MK2, just sent it off to TMR for consignment. Lots of reviews online, but some important points.

a) It’s buried on their website, but Heaven 11 says DON’T use the amp with high-sensitivity speakers (10+ ohms). I tried the amp with some Zu Audio speakers and found it fatiguing and not a good match. This was before the warning was added. A tube integrated was a much better match for those speakers

b) Volume control bug. This KILLS me. Even with the latest firmware, if you lower the volume, it momentarily gets louder before the volume decreases. With the older firmware and the latest, I would occasionally flinch when lowering the volume because it gets louder and it’s not what you’re expecting. This "little" issue alone kinda killed the amp and as a standalone preamp.

Lots of features, it’s beautiful. The owner (Itai) is very nice in emails. I had some issues with the headphone, so I don’t recommend it if you plan to use headphones. You can change the sound a bit with different tubes, but their Gold Tubes are quite good. It wasn’t bad with Buchardt S400, but it wasn’t my favorite amp/speaker combo I auditioned.

In the last 5 years I’ve been through a Yamaha A-S2100, Sugden A21SE, Pass Labs INT-25, Rogue Pharoah 2 and after it was all said and done I bought another Yamaha, a A-S2200.

 

 

@ivickery I think what speakers you were using would be very telling in your journey. Your profile is showing a completely different system. 

For the Music Fidelity owners, since the MF M6Si does not have an internal headphone amp, have any of you used the line level out to a separate headphone amp? I'm wondering if that would work.

 

@tkrtrb125 Current speakers are Revival Audio Atalante 5’s for the past year and a half or so, and before that were Cornwall IV’s.

@michaelalan I am interested to learn about your Billie, and I don't see it at TMR yet. I will message you....

@gano, I have the first dibs on that Bille amp since I asked about it to begin with!!!!! Just kidding. 

I'm curious when the Mk3 will come out and if it will address the minor issues @michaelalan highlighted in his response. 

Dear @vuch   : Thank's. There are several " things " to comment down there.

Please sendmea:Hi or Ok to :

 

rauliruegas@hotmail.com

 

Then I can share about. Thank's in advance.

 

R.

@gano should call these guys at Holt Hill in Andover. They are the distributor for Heaven11 in the US. I think they would be the guys to reach out to 1st 

@bipod72  - being the main Billie guys in the US I'm sure they can get you one too. And the place is Holt Hill Audio smiley 

@bgross the new price is way out of my budget. But I would definitely go to Andover to listen to them, maybe they will have a used one.

Another brand to consider that clicks all your boxes is Emotiva. They have a full featured integrated that even has an FM tuner. 135/200 wpc into 8/4 ohm.

I bought the separates With a Pre (PT2) and amp (A2) that has all the features and a little more power, 160/250 wpc. The pre has FM, DAC, full (hi-lo) bass output management, mm/mc phono and headphone amp.

I know the brand doesn't get much love here, but they are definitely steps up from box store brands. Prices are lower because they are direct to consumer.

They have been trouble free for me and do an excellent job of driving my KEF R3 Metas.