Spec
My last Integrated Amp: $5-10,000?
I would like to hear recommendations regarding integrated amplifiers costing between $5-10,000. This will be my last amplifier for quite a while. I prefer to buy used when I can but also prefer no older that 2-3 years. My speakers are likely to change every couple of years and I may keep more than one pair.
I like a detailed and transparent sound with air and the ability to easily to pick out the location of the instruments/singers. I have liked the class A that I’ve heard and I’ve liked the tubes that I’ve heard but I don’t want to mess with tubes. Also, I do not want a streaming device and I’d rather not have a built in DAC but I can live with it.
My music preferences are vocals and 70-90s rock.
So far I have identified the following possibilities that are available.
Mark Levinson: No 585 at $8400 and ML-5805 at $6550. The latter is a new model and I have read that there have been teething problems. I don’t know if ML have corrected this situation.
Luxman L-590AXII $7250 has a good reputation and longevity but is relatively low powered.
McIntosh MA5300, Coda CISB, and Gryphon Diablo 120 are also possibilities if available.
I have a Krell K300i with the integrated DAC and I love this amp! However I use an Audio Mirror Tubadour III SE for my music DAC as that combination is magical. The Krell has great power and I understand the first 92watts are Class A. The weak point is the remote, but that does not affect the sound! |
Without question theu.s.a made Coda imo best under $10 k pit has 120 amps on hand the biggest potted transformer in class ,3,000 Va super quiet all others open core ,and 3 power choices ,and doubles down into 2 ohms lowest power is 18 first watts into class A , then 150,300,600 wpc from 8 to 2 ohms ,10 year warranty. ,1st year they will even pay the shipping if it broke which is Very rare, stereo times 2020 product ofthe year, and a great review vs pass labs a very natural sounding integrated amp and also 2 higher power choices at no extra charge I think retail around $7 k Mike at Audio Archon is a very good guy to work with and get a break in pricing off retail. |
As what Celestial Sound has suggested, the rated output numbers on paper as published by few manufacturers are conservative and do not reflect the actual output in real life, particularly Class A designs. This applies to the Luxman L-590AXII as well. The test bench of the Luxman L-590AXII performed by Hifi News shows that the power output is more than triple the official quoted figures in the specification. Official on paper = 30W (8 ohms) / 60W (4 ohms) Actual test bench results = 95W (8 ohms) / 165W (4 ohms)
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You might like the Circle Labs A200. Check out the owner's thread here on Audiogon: https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/circle-labs-a200-integrated-amplifier-review-it-will-appeal-to-both-t
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