Integrated Tube Amp approx. $2,500

In my systems, to my ears, the MOSFET-based Yamaha integrateds (especially the 2100 and 2200) outperformed all of the tube and hybrid integrateds I’ve owned, that includes the popular Rogue CMII and Pharaoh amps.

To my ears it has more of the tube strengths than most tube products I’ve heard/owned, without the typical drawbacks. 

The only tube amp I personally know of that gives them a run for the money (on balance) is the Cayin A88T. 
 

If you’re set on tubes, you might as well look for an integrated employing 300B tubes, since your speakers are quite efficient and don't do bottom octave bass anyway. 

@br3 

Yeah if it’s risk free then no good reason not to. I had an 1100 prior to my 2100 and enjoyed it for years. It paired pretty well with Heresy IIIs I owned at the time. The X200 series Yamahas are a little less “forward” than their predecessors so hopefully that will make for good synergy with your CWs. 
 

 

Yamaha is a pretty boring choice. Safe, accurate, flawless, but lacks musicality.

Having owned some pretty well regarded SS amps known for their musicality, such as Pass, Coda, and Exposure, in addition to tube products from the likes of Bel Canto, Allnic, Cayin, Quicksilver, AVA, and Rogue, I have to disagree. That’s not to mention all the higher tier models and brands I’ve auditioned from Luxman, Aavik, Gryphon and so on.

The MOSFET based Yamaha integrateds that were introduced around 2014 are not remotely lacking in musicality. Quite the opposite in my experience, especially when paired with >$10K speakers. They are not powerhouses, but most “musical” SS amps are <100WPC IME. I would never consider going back to the Pass XA25 or Coda 8 over my Yamaha 2100. The 2100 does practically everything better in my system. With decent enough speakers, the Yamaha’s have a “lit from within” sound that is matched by very few SS components.

that’s how I have heard Yamaha, my ears just didn’t want me to like them

The MOSFET transistor Yamahas have to go through a fairly lengthy break-in before they sound best. I didn’t believe in amp “break-in” prior to owning one. The difference between the first and ≈50th hour is drastic. They sound very different from Yamaha’s AVRs and considerably different from their BJT based integrateds.

 

I received the A-S1200 yesterday and within two songs I knew I was going to keep it. I've put about 10 more listening hours in since then, and I haven't heard anything to change my mind. One of my biggest concerns was that it would be too forward, but I've found the presentation to fill the room more than pound my face. I think that the instrument seperation is really good, and they sound more realistic and clear than the tube amps I had been using (this may be because I haven't ventured into high-end tube amps yet). Obviously, it's not as warm as a tube amp, but it's not harsh at all. It's kind of like a tube amp in ultralinear mode, but better (I'm not quite sure how to explain it). I've read that the sound improves after approx 50 hours. If that's the case, then it's just icing on the cake. I couldn't of hoped for better thus far.

Congrats on your new acquisition. 

FWIW, I compared my previous A-S1100 to quite a few tube products, both integrateds and separate pres/amps. The 1100 acquitted itself quite well against all of them. In most cases it bettered them considerably. Even when used solely as a preamp, the 1100 sounded better than all tube pres I’ve owned, even the $5500 Allnic L-1500 and $3500 Bel Canto SEP-1. It was laughable the first time I conducted an A/B between the 1100’s pre and the Allnic. I stand by the assertion I’ve made elsewhere that the Yamaha integrated’s pre sections alone are worth the retail price considering the performance of competitors. The only preamps I’ve owned that sound marginally better (and only in terms of outright resolution) are squeaky-clean measuring models like the Benchmark LA4 and Bel Canto Pre5. But those don’t do the tube-like lushness. In my opinion, the MOSFET Yamaha integrateds provide what most hybrid tube/SS products promise but fail to deliver. One thing for certain is that after having lived with the 1100, 2200 and now the 2100, I have zero interest in ever returning to tube-based products of any sort. 

It’s also worth mentioning that I’ve yet to own an amplifier that manages bass depth/extension as well as these Yamahas. With full-range speakers, the Yammies seem to add a whole half an octave of bass extension compared to every other I’ve owned, including powerhouses like the Parasound A21 and Coda No.8.