Integrateds: Why do they all SUCK?

The whole thing is only done while we all ride cetaceans.



That way, when someone asks, we can say, "we did it on porpoise".

Remember, it’s a conspiracy started up by cable manufacturers.

We have a collective of a multibillion dollar secret slush fund that is partly used to pay off high end audio manufacturers of hardware, so they don’t make integrateds.

And to make sure everyone never sees what is going on..., we pay them to make horrid sounding integrateds.

Then we paid off the op to start this thread and misdirect everyone... all while we laughed uproariously in our secret cable boss lair. Where we keep all the perfected integrateds in a deep dark dungeon, never to be heard by any human- for all of eternity.

And to get to the integrateds, you have to cross a moat..filled with CD players with frikin’ lasers mounted in their sleds.

Any fool can find a quality integrated amp that will satisfy the requirements - what's your problem?

Everyone else - take a breath - without energy, the bad mojo in our world cannot survive.  Onward !

^^^

• Synergistic Research HFT's
  
• OP seems like an astroturffing shill. There is 0 chance these little pieces of metal changed anything significant in the accoustics of a room.  
  
• 
  
•   Synergistic Research HFT’s
  
• Okay time to put money where the mouth is. Are these offered with a no-questions trial return period?
  

Time to step up to the plate, dude. What happened when you ordered the HFT's based upon the 30 day return policy??? Inquiring minds want to know.

Frank

Madavid0 ...

You seem to have a penchant for calling everything a "scam," and me in particular a "shill," and when questioned, you fall off of the end of the earth. In your thread where you accuse Synergistic Research's HFT's of being a "scam," you asked if there was a return policy. When answered in the affirmative, I asked you if you ordered a set using the 30 day return policy and to please report back with your results. To date, you've never gotten back to me. Is that your style, Madvaid0? You just raise controversy just for the giggles? What's up with you man? Are you still a teenager, or what?

Frank 

It would be nice if the mods would just lock this thread and ban the troll. 

I have mostly separates but do have a system with the Naim Supernait.
The original, DAC is quite good, have the outboard phono stage also quite good. A terrific buy used.

I owned the Pass Int-60 and it beat out everything till I spent almost 3x the price on a Gryphon Diablo 300.    Strengths of the Pass....a delicious tube like sound.....the Diablo 300s strength is that it has a more live presentation.    Pick your poison.

All of the OPS threads need a warning sign...
Do not feed the trolls.

I have a All in one Intergrated that really SUCKS,
the bad sound right out of the listening room.

The computer audiophile folks are really getting tired of a certain person also.

Happy Listening,
Kenny.

I went from Gryphon Pandora + Mephisto seperates to Pass Int-250 to create more living space in my living room and not missing them a bit.

Accuphase. 

Definitely loving  my MA7200!

No phono stage, but, I don't need one...and it definitely DOES NOT suck.

https://www.audiothesis.com/evolution845

If a Mcintosh MA2275 sucks then I'll take sucks all day long!

I'm listening to my bedroom system as I write. The ugly old NAD 3020 definitely does not suck, sound wise.

@jburidan
You are correct and there are a great number of delightful integrated but as always its horses for courses.
However in this case you only have to examine the ops track record on antagonistic threads.........

That has not been my experience. Integrateds can be wonderful.

Look look at the cover of Stereophile  this month:  Bel Canto Black ACI 600. 

Rogue Audio integrateds sound wonderful

I have two outstanding integrated amps (both were Stereophile Class A stock) that I would not trade for any combination of separates that I've heard.

My Pathos TT RR has upgraded capacitors (Mundorf Silver-Gold-Oil) and resistors (Audio Note).  I have the new Sophia Electric blue EL-4-ST power tubes in my Unison S6.  Performance from both is so good in my system that I am off the upgrade merry-go-round and can find nothing to criticize when I listen to them. 

Free will led me to Sonus Faber; Providence led me to Magnepan and a Ducati 916

@ps   Funny and nice! 

Wow, so madavid wins again by stirring it up. He has zero interest in this thread or our responses. His MO and turn on is to throw the hot potato in the middle of the room and then run.

We all know that integrateds can sound wonderful and have a place at the audio table.

Free will led me to Sonus Faber; Providence led me to Magnepan and a Ducati 916.

Providential guidance? Free will. Period. However, I was listening to some stuff at an audio geek friend's house last weekend (he produces and I mix a successful concert series), and I was musing about the fact that people who otherwise appreciate artistry don't do any "active" listening to great sounding audio. A mystery…I also don't understand why people don't all have motorcycles and play electric guitar. 

S-U-C-K is a four-letter word.  Feel free to apply it to the OP.

@stargazer3

So true.

PS
" The life of an audiophile is never easy and is almost always fraught with pain. Most of us are forced to make significant sacrifices. The road is strewn with toxic shards; we dare not venture forth shoeless. But we must never lose sight of the greater good, and with Providential guidance, we ultimately shall do what we must do. "

Our cause is often misunderstood and complete mystery to all other non audiophiles......

@ps VERY POETIC, VERY TRUE.

@jtweed
"if I wasn’t married, and didn’t have 2 girls in private school...... oh the gear I would have......."

The life of an audiophile is never easy and is almost always fraught with pain. Most of us are forced to make significant sacrifices.  The road is strewn with toxic shards; we dare not venture forth shoeless.  But we must never lose sight of the greater good, and with Providential guidance, we  ultimately shall do what we must do.

@facten  if I wasn’t married, and didn’t have 2 girls in private school...... oh the gear I would have........

jtweed

The Ayon is the amp in my 2nd system driving JM Rynaud Offrande Supreme V2s

The Line Magnetic, Finale Audio are in my main system along with Modwright separates - (LS100 tube pre & KWA100SE solid state amp ) , I alternate between each every 2 weeks or so  driving Daedalus Argos V2s. I alternate because I enjoy what each brings vs simply allowing myself only one listening experience. 

2 geese are flying up the sky
And only one of them is right.

@stargazer3


I believe the term you are looking for starts with a w and ends with a r.......

@facten The real question is, out of the 3, which one is your favourite? 
J.

I think the op is a wind up merchant (as it is called in UK), and has played everyone on this thread.

Have a : 

Line Magnetic 518IA (845 based 22 wpc set)  - doesn't suck

Finale Audio 7189 MK2 (7189 based 20 wpc push pull) - doesn't suck

Ayon Audio Spirit 2 (KT 88 60 wpc push pull) - doesn't suck

madavid0 OP78 posts02-07-2018 9:07pmWhat about PrimaLunas? Are these things really the giant monster-killers a lot of people claim they are?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have the PrimaLuna (PL) HP dialogue HP tube integrated.
For $4k, its a GREAT deal, as far as bang for the buck.

But after 1.5 years with the PL, I will say that the 6 stock preamp tubes, and the stock 8 EL34 tubes are good, but did not "knock it out of the park" for me. The BEST thing I did was replace the 2 main preamp input tubes with NOS tubes from Upscale Audio, and move from EL34 tubs in the amp section to a well-reputed KT-88 model.

So my last opinion of the PL integrated is that it is a great integrated to grow with,
to play with different tubes and even different speakers.

It is an awesome Blueprint of an integrated amp for you to build upon and customize to your own ears.
But this requires a process (love it and/or hate it, like me) to listen, tube roll, learn, tube roll,
get input from forums, try a different speakers, etc ... you know how the hobby goes.

In the end, I paid $4k for the PL from Upscale, $200 on NOS preamp tubes, and $500 on an octet of KT-88s.
Total = $4700.
best, let us know what you decide

I have had BAT, Pass, Bel Canto, Simaudio gear ... and would suggest, depending on budget:
.  BAT 300xSE (Ist version, used prices 50% of msrp, as stated above). hybrid tube/SS design. 150w, good bottom end, but not as much grip as Pass 150.5. Used = $2500
.  the next gen BAT 3000xSE 
.  Simaudio 150wpc, tried and true solid state Sim equipment. i think they still have a 10-20 year warranty. Used = $4000 or so
.  Bel Canto: the c5i is a good choice. if you can swing it, go for the bigger brother, the 7 series
.  What about Naim? I just sold my Naim Nait 5i (i in italics) integrated for $750, only 5 years old, and 1/2 the msrp. 

OP, we are actually in the golden age of audio IMO, meaning that there has never been so much good gear at such good used prices. The technology had to catch up to become equal to separates, and we arrived there about 10 years ago if you have a fat wallet, or 5 years ago if your wallet is a bit thinner (like me). 

Try TOL vintage Japanese. Lyman, Kenwood Supreme, Sansui, Accuphase, and Pioneer all have the things you desire. They will simply need a complete refurb. A good refurb should run $500 +. Enjoy.

+1 dadatl
Big fan of vintage TOTL Sansui and Kenwood here. I currently use Kenwood L-02A and have heard L-A1, Sansui alpha 907 limited and MR. Absolute wonderful pieces of
equipment. If money is not an issue, Accuphase E-600 is a terrific pure class-A amp. 

I just took delivery of a Viva Solistino IA, it will replace my Modwright
LS-100  PA and KWA 150SE amp. The Viva is an 845 SET with 18 W class  'A'. So far it's not lacking anything and is driving my speakers just fine. I am a big fan of Modwright gear, also had the KWI-200, and was nervous about replacing my MW gear with an all tube based IA system.  To be fair, I'm still getting accustomed to the Viva performance but glad  I made the move a good designed and built IA can and will compete with seperates. It comes down to individual personal preference. 

Uber c5i is MM phono only.  

Funny read, I think he confuses "facts" with his opinion.

The OP does the same over at Computer Audio as well. He has excellent click-bait skills: 

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/38458-electrostat-speakers-trash/http:// 

@mapman 
Is the c5i phono input configurable for mm and mc or just mm?
Not a bad price for it for sure

@ps 
Has been said a few times already , myself included but still on it rolls.
Now the actual thread material could be of interest and useful to some I am sure, always great to find out about equipment.
However it is the way the op approaches it that is so juvenile.
The majority if not ALL his threads ate titled in the same belittling, antagonist way and that just sets the mood for the majority of the following discussion.
So really they are doomed before they even start.
Now he has been told of this many times already so as he carries on in the same vein one can only assume he is out to deliberately annoy everyone here!
Something he appears to do exceedingly well!