2. amps-preamps
  3. 1136848549

Is There any Truly "High End" Integrated Amp?


I'm a reasonably well experienced audio nut and have tried a number of "good" integrated amps. I wonder, though, if there are integrated amps that are good enough for the "best", most revealing speakers. (Think Avalon Eidolon, Verity Parsifal, various JM Lab Utopias, and a variety of other fine speakers that do not have mammoth power requirements.)

People talk about the Levinson, the Musical Fidelity KW-500 and the lesser MF amps, the BAT integrated, The Rowland Concerto, etc. etc. etc.

I would like to hear from people who have actually tried the top tier of integrated amps and would be very interested in learning of their findings.

Don't need to be the most expensive. Could be the YBA Passion, Classe, MacIntosh 6900, Krell 400i, or any of a number of integrated amps that are supposed to sound good.

Hope to hear some good feedback.

Thanks very much.
jprice

Showing 1 response by hedgehog

hedgehog's avatar
hedgehog
188 posts
 
I tried to scan most of the posts, has anyone not recommended the Cary SLI-80? It has been out for a while, and isn't the latest rage in the audio rags. It is quite nice right out of the box, but with the insertion of some vintage NOS tubes, amazing. My room is 14' x 18', speakers rated 88dB by manufacturer, and it drives my speakers to very satisfying volume levels (ultralinear and triode modes).

Of course, everyone has different ideas of what sounds good/right. After deciding to get out of megabucks hifi (with "help" from the wife"), I ended up with the Cary...after trying about 6-7 of some of the other amps mentioned above. Is the 80 going to be the cat's meow for everyone, not a chance, but it is worthy of consideration.
More to discover