Integrateds: Why do they all SUCK?

Well, I'm glad to see there's serious answers to this question in spite of certain members trying to push this meme that I'm a troll.

I'm not dead set on the phono...I would just like not have to have another box to upgrade.

The Anthem may be interesting. I normally wouldn't consider them...

Modwright might be an interesting audition.

LSA is hard to approach because you can only get them from a junk dealer (Underwood HiFi).

VERY suspicious of the Creek. Will it really compete with field we're talking about?

I just really don't want to have to upgrade the pre (thousands upon thousands), upgrade the phono (more thousands), just to find out something doesn't mesh well with something else.

check out the new Rega Brio very good, i also have ARC separates btw, this little guy is tough to beat, and at a very attractive price point

Hey,


I thought, like you, that the all the integrated suck, up to the point I found Accuphase E-600 (then the E650). You can buy an add-on card for the phono stage, that is the AD-40 (or the new AD-50), You can also buy an add-on card for DAC, that is the DAC-40 (or the new DAC-50), They are all pretty expensive, but they are definitely worth it, IMHO. They have it all: look, extreme quality build and hard to match sound(pure class A), and they hold their price..
http://accuphase.com/model/e-600.html

Good luck !

My 1976 Zenith Allegro doesn't suck, it blows. 

My YBA Intege DT certainly does not suck. Find a slightly used one and be happy.