The Rogers EHF-200, which I've actually listened to, is a crazy great sounding thing with a lifetime warranty (I think it's YOUR lifetime, because otherwise they would say, "Sorry man…its time was up."). There's a cheaper 100 watt one that I've heard that has many of the same qualities. Note that I use a 12 watt per side SEP so I should just shut the hell up.
Opinions on best integrated under 10k?
Father Christmas has been early and left me a very sizable bonus check!
So time to spend it before the other half can....
Looking at building another system but thinking of just a very high power integrated amp.
Wish list...
200w or more.
Balanced inputs
Digital inputs
Phono inputs
A quick look shows items like McIntosh ma7900 and Mark levinson ml585 which both seem to fulfill all or the majority of my wants.
Sure there are others.
So thoughts and any current or previous owners of suitable candidates please chime in
Thank you in advance
So time to spend it before the other half can....
Looking at building another system but thinking of just a very high power integrated amp.
Wish list...
200w or more.
Balanced inputs
Digital inputs
Phono inputs
A quick look shows items like McIntosh ma7900 and Mark levinson ml585 which both seem to fulfill all or the majority of my wants.
Sure there are others.
So thoughts and any current or previous owners of suitable candidates please chime in
Thank you in advance
154 responses Add your response
@uberwaltz Not really if you are open to used units. $10k is a pretty generous budget for used units. The listening experience from these ‘elite’ integrated is in a totally different league is all I can say. The challenge is not many of them show up on the used market very often. If you only want to buy new then yes, many of them are way above your budget. |
Give the bonus check to "the other half". That's not enough for you. You need $16k for Gryphon Diablo 300. If you want to take some risk and ready to deal with European voltage, you might be able to find previous generation Diablo 250 watt/ch with phono stage in Europe. I see them available from Germany from time to time for about $6k. Not sure about onboard dac. |
What efficiency are your speakers ,very important. Pass labs makes s great class A 60 watt integrated, Also their new 250wpc with meter shoeing both models Reno hifi demo, are within a year old and save several 1,000s of dollars. Vacuum tube , Ayon- has a very nice integrated.gorgot model a mk-3 version 100 wpc, Tube USA I don't care for your service but sell s very good product. All models can be bought around $7500 or less. |
Speakers are Wilson witt series1 Not the most low power friendly units out there..... On one aspect I am going to be firm, it will need to have digital inputs which does rule out a lot of aforementioned items I know. Yes I can add an extra DAC I know but if going for an integrated it may as well have everything..... well integrated! Phono stage not so important as have a good phono stage I can use. |
I think your making a big mistake only considering amps with a built in DAC. as digital is currently the most volatile music source, as in changing the quickest. and there are some very good DAC's out there for not much money that will inevitably be way better then what most manufactures add in at your price level. I highly recommend you reconsider amp with out an internal DAC as DAC's are relatively small and could be concealed if necessary if that is a concern. Hell for a grand you can get one hell of a great DAC that will make most DAC's inside a 10k amp sound inferior. |
I think your making a big mistake only considering amps with a built in DAC. as digital is currently the most volatile music source, as in changing the quickest. and there are some very good DAC's out there for not much money that will inevitably be way better then what most manufactures add in at your price level. I highly recommend you reconsider amp with out an internal DAC as DAC's are relatively small and could be concealed if necessary if that is a concern. Hell for a grand you can get one hell of a great DAC that will make most DAC's inside a 10k amp sound inferior. +1 I agree with glennewdick despite having recommended the M6si (which I have). |
While I do not disagree that desiring an onboard DAC may compromise my sq a little do not forget this is for a second system. Appearances with no extra boxes and cables is also high on the radar for the WAF ! My main system in,my room I can do as I like, this application is high visibility so her who must be obeyed has given her thoughts on the matter..... Possibly I could add a DAC and hide it as you say....food for thought. Main listening will be from 2 sources, Tidal streaming and Amazon Prime streaming with possibly an analog source if I can wrangle it! |
@uberwaltz I can see why you would like a built-in DAC module and having one makes perfect sense. AND ESPECIALLY since this is for a secondary system. I would go ahead with the ML 585...it checks off on all of your needs. At some point, I think it is useful (and wise) to let go of the uber critical pursuit of our choices and just enjoy what we have. Happy Holidays. |
@twoleftears 200w is not an imperative, but was part of the "wish list" @david_ten You could be right and that's how my preliminary research narrowed it down to the two main protagonists I mentioned, ml585 and ma7900. It just may come down to which I get the best deal on for those pair. BUT I also know I do not know every option out there and always welcome valuable input especially from actual owners or prior owners. |
@uberwaltz I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Hegel H300 or H360 for the prices you see on Agon now. The reviews on TAS and other magazines match my impression. But keep in mind that Hegel is still not Gryphon, Dartzeel or Vitus. That’s an honest feedback based on my personal ownership and audition experience of these brands. |
Decided to save some dollars and have purchased a Hegel H300 for the princely sum of $2000 right here on agon. If i get 90% of the ml585 for 25% cost I am happy considering its role. It already has the WAF from showing her the pix so that is half the battle. Will report back on actual sq once it is here. Thank you for all your suggestions! |
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I have tried/tested a few of the so called high end integrated amplifiers. The best I have found : Gamut DI150. On the other hand, there is no such a thing “ the best “ in audio business. All depends on accompanying equipment, room acoustics and first of all, your preferences. I listened to Vitus, Hegel, Ayre, Moodwright and a couple more. I owned Mastersound 845 ... very good also, excellent. I didn’t like the power tubes longevity though. |
The Hegel arrived this morning and I wasted no time getting it set up and into play. Not sure if not been used much previously because the sq has improved by the hour( been on about 9 hours now). It compares very favourably with my Exogal/BAT combo in most areas except possibly imaging is not quite as well defined and the soundstage not as expansive. Plenty of horsepower and bottom end is tight and nicely defined, not a case of one note bass. The onboard DAC appears to be of fairly high quality, Tidal streamed through sounds very respectable. All in all I am very happy with my last 2017 present to myself |
Well I am stumped on the Hegel for now on how to get headphone output. I saw it had rca preouts so assumed to be able to connect a headphone amp to these outputs and should be good to go. Yes it works BUT music has to be playing through the speakers as well, which sort of defeats the point of headphones! When I hit mute on the amp it also mutes the pre outputs as well, something according to the sparse manual it is supposed to do ( yes should have read up first!). This seems to have been the only way I can see to have got headphone output out of the Hegel but cannot now be used. Any other Hegel integrated owners have a solution to get headphone output? |
I have no experience with this particular unit but almost every preamp or integrated I've owned with two pre-outs, both outputs were always active at the same time and at the same level. The only exception I've seen is one of my current preamps as a separate level for one of the pre-outs so the output levels can be matched if the two pairing amplifiers have different input sensitivities. Doesn't the Hegel have a headphone output jack? |
Unfortunately this earlier model does not have a headphone jack. Now it does also have a coax digital out but looks like that is meant for a DAC loop so not sure if that would work to take an output to a headphone amp that had coax digital input like the Aune or SOtM or similar. And before I wasted time and money on one would like to see if anybody knows for sure |
There is some info in this review of the h300 that may help. http://www.absumsystem.com/archivos/20150123183131_Hegel_H300_BG_Electronics_2013.pdf |
Go for the about to be released this March, the magnificent Belles Virtuoso Integrated. Puts out just over 200 watts per side and is about the closest you will ever get to the rich midrange tube quality from a solid state device. Unit sells for $ 6495.00 Theres minimal info on the Belles website and a picture of the unit. You can reach the site at powermodules.com Completely hand made in New York. Has very high quality Tiffany inputs. |
I read that as just what it says Making it a loop and having to bring it back into the dig in of the Hegel? What it does not explain is if the dig out will work direct just on its own. In other words take say my tt analog signal and just send it out to a dig in of a headphone amp and nothing coming back into the Hegel |
Here is a thread where the same question was raised, apparently the OP had some luck using the digital out to his CD player. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/troubleshooting-headphone-amp-integrated-amp-connection?sort_... |
Sort of confirms my fear that the Hegel will only output a digital signal, if it is getting one to start with expecting you to then loop it. As op of that thread stated he could get no output over the dig out using any of the analog aux inputs. Exactly my situation indeed. One suggestion was to have the pre outs internally modified so as not tied to speaker volume. Sounds simple enough although not sure how the next potential purchaser would view that modification...lol. |
Yes what I wanted to try and do was to output ANY signal I feed through the Hegel out into a headphone amp. So this could be xlr from my cd, coax dig from my Vault, analog rca from tt and tape deck. It just does not look like that is possible which is a bit of a bummer as every other aspect of this amp is near perfect. Maybe Hegel will reply soon with some words of wisdom...... |
Any other Hegel integrated owners have a solution to get headphone output?Not a Hegel owner. but you can make one of this: Headphone Adapter for Power Amplifiers |
Well I did end up selling the Hegel H300 as I did not want to modify it to give a full line out signal that could possibly effect its later resale value, some people are funny about stuff like that. But I was sufficiently impressed with the sq that I replaced it with another Hegel, the H160. This has overkill for headphones...lol, it has a headphone jack AND full line outs if I desired to use a headphone amp, now why could the H300 not have had at least ONE of these options....doh. Any way in the real world of my room I really cannot tell much difference between the H300/H160 250/150w power outputs. So for now it is just time to play music and listen and enjoy Now if can just find a buyer for my BAT power amp before I start looking at DAC/PRE units again...... |