Integrated Amps - another thread...

Nothing wrong with the Brio, per se... this system was mostly a background system until recently. My children have moved out of the house and a bonus room opened up for me to have a 2-Channel system again.

Over my years, doing this audio thing, I’ve owned a bunch of stuff including Cary Audio, Audio Research, Conrad Johnson, Macintosh, etc...

Being that I’m going to go the integrated route (and really don’t want to deal with tubes), leaning on my old friend to make me something unique is not an option. I really don’t want tubes again. put 2+2 together and you will know my friend.

I’m going to replace the DAC as well. Patrick, I agree, I’m going to replace the MacBook; however, I want that to be my last piece in the chain. Maybe I’m doing it backwards; however, I have a plan, so, the streamer is last in line...

Budget - around 3K for the integrated...

Thanks for the feedback...  I read a review on Rega Elicit R and, although, the sound was very good, they mentioned it being lean sounding.  Compare that to the Brio that I have.  Are they really similar voicing with Elicit R having more detail, focus, soundstage dimension and depth?

Guys, thanks for the feedback.  Funny enough, one of my friends that has been in the industry for a long time came over.  He hadn’t heard my system since I moved it into my new room.

he’s not so quick on changing the Rega...  first of all, he said, it’s going to take a small fortune to get better sound.  He’s installed many systems at 30K + and, his opinion, I’m getting sound as good as any he installed.  He says, sometimes you just get the right combination of equipment, tweaks, and room...

BTW, he provided me with many of the mechanical isolation pieces as well as help me make my Helix Image cables.

That being said, as we always do... what more can we get by changing something?  It’s the quest, I guess...

I have some Rega dealers, in my area; however, I’m not sure I want to do business with them.  I will not trial something and not buy from them.  I’ve always thought that’s the ethical thing to do.

The Naim integrated interest me as well.  Some of the others do to.  The Quicksilver Integrated interest me as I’ve always been a fan of their products.  BTW, one of the esteemed manufacturers, in the audio space, began using my Quicksilver Monos with 8417 tubes.  They were taken and modified as a test case before the business started.

I know this one is out of left field...  has anybody heard the Marantz Ki-Ruby integrated?

rafevw, thanks for the response...  I am changing the DAC as well.  I do not want an integrated with an onboard DAC, because, if anything that might change for the better, it’s going to be DAC’s.

I know I can bypass the DAC on an onboard integrated; however, it just seams right to not have it.  Perhaps I’m wrong.

Larry, I’ve owned a ton of speakers going back some time ago,  they range from ADS, Acoustats, Magnepan, Celestion, Vandersteen, B&W, Theil, and others...  for some reason, I keep going back to ADS.  Do some of the newer speakers have better resolution, extended top end, tighter bass, etc... yes, they do.  Again, I come back to ADS.  Now, mine are modified with updated cross-over parts, wire, post, etc.

I can change speakers; however, I just don’t want to...

Tomic, I get what you mean by EL34’s.  When everyone was moving onto other output tubes, I stayed with the EL34’s...

My days at Cary Audio, I would have my amps created with EL34’s when everyone was using 805’s and other tubes at the time.

I appreciate all the recommendations.  Most everyone of them, I’ve done some type research to better understand features, etc...

at this point, being that I like the Rega sound, I’m going to spend more time on their products until I figure I need to go another way.  So, based on that, why am I seeing so many people say: the Elix R is as good, if not better, than the Elicit R?

For those that have heard them, what is driving this sentiment I’m reading about?