2. amps-preamps
  3. 133870-76532

Integrateds: Why do they all SUCK?

I’m trying to find a HIGH QUALITY integrated that has:
1. A no-corners-cut real class A - A/B power stage.
2. A real, high quality analog preamp line stage.
3. A good phono stage.

Aside from a few very high end products, the above described integrateds seem not to exist. Why can’t I find a quality integrated? Do we just have to accept having a pile of boxes?
madavid0

Showing 1 response by byang12

byang12's avatar
byang12
39 posts
 
Good Integrated tube power amps are hard to design and make, except cost no limit amps.
The reason behind this is any power amp with variable gain stage need ladder resistor network or multi section input transformers combined with switches, they are big and expensive. Also, any real highend power amp with high gain stage should have shunt voltage regulator to sound good, which is expensive and takes space due to heat dissapation requirement.
All in all, for optimal cost effective production,it is desired to have seperate preamp and power amp manufactured.


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