Pros & Cons of Buying an Integrated with Built-in DAC?

georgelofi;

As it happens, I demo'd a Halo but it didn't move me. I'm going to try out a Peachtree nova 150, which also has a sabre DAC, next.  

Thanks to all for your input. Clearly, the consensus is that I should not go the "Swiss Army Knife" route. 

onhwy61: no- I have no reason not to go with an integrated. In fact, I prefer it.  

hgeifman: my original rationale for considering an integrated with a built-in DAC was that I wouldn't have to buy a DAC in the future, should I be compelled to switch from CDs to downloads/streaming (not a change I want to make at present). However, your post has revealed the fault in my reasoning-- the fact that DAC technology is constantly changing strongly suggests any  DAC bought today will be outmoded by the time I might switch my source format-- the very outcome I was hoping to avoid! Thanks for setting me straight. 

I'm thinking back to when I was a kid, in bed with a transistor radio, listening to "Love Me Do" on the Cousin Brucie Show, broadcast from WABC in NYC. Enjoying music sure was a lot simpler back then!  The fact is, there aren't many audio stores in the Sacramento area and as a rule, they don't keep demo units on hand. I learned the hard way that a unit that sounds good in a showroom can sound very different at home. Personally, my idea of fun is listening to music, not buying and re-selling gear, although many audio hobbyists do seem to enjoy the latter. In the end, however, I may have no choice. The Peachtree nova 150 arrives today from Music Direct. If that doesn't, as mesch says, "float my boat", I will, in all likelihood, have to purchase something used that I haven't heard and keep my fingers crossed. The Rogue Pharaoh, for instance, although the reviews are all over the place when it comes to describing its sound. The Rogue website touts its "organic midrange and sweet top-end that only a tube amp can provide" but to others, it apparently sounds more SS than tube. At this point, having read through all the comments, I'm most inclined to find an amp I like, and not worry about a DAC.  many thanks to everyone for your input. 

bcgator; I can't argue with your logic. To clarify, I didn't mean to suggest I'd become opposed to integrateds with a DAC; simply that I would no longer be limiting my search to such units, exclusively. What you say makes a lot of sense, especially given the fact that my finances are limited and getting the most bang for my audio buck is always a top priority. 

glennewdick;
 The LIO is too pricey for me. 

I sent back the Peachtree  nova 150 today. It yielded more detail than the Jolida but the tonality, overall, struck me as very "dry" and "flat". Don't know if these are audiophile terms, but it sounded to me like all the sensuality and depth had been drained from the music. Not my cup of tea. I'm going to try a demo unit Wells Majestic, next, (considerably more than I'd planned to spend) and if that doesn't please me, I will probably resign myself to staying with tubes and go with something like a Rogue Cronus Magnum II, which would presumably be an improvement over my current Jolida 302B. Luxman might be just the thing, but even used, they're more than I want to spend. As my audiophile buddies with high-priced systems have reminded me, audio is an expensive hobby. 

I have ended up with a Wells Majestic integrated. I don't miss tubes at all with this amp-- it sounds incredibly musical to me-- very engaging in a non-fatiguing way yet more dynamic and dimensional than my tubed Jolida. Yes; in the end, I had to spend considerably more than I'd originally budgeted, but my goal was to buy my "last integrated". It's upgrade-able and built in USA-- only a couple hour's drive away from me. All concerns about DACs have evaporated since the Majestic has been in my system. Jeff Wells even burned it in before shipping it. He's a real pleasure to deal with. I'm really happy. Thanks to everyone that contributed to this discussion. 

mesch;

It's sure made me appreciate my Silverline monitors !
I enjoyed my Jolida integrated; it was great for Jazz and other 
types of acoustic music, but the downside was that I ended up
largely limiting my listening choices to those genres. The Wells
lacks the euphonic mids of the Jolida-- it doesn't do the 2nd order 
harmonic 3D thing that you get with tubes-- when I used the word 
"dimensional" I meant each instrument now has more presence/solidity
in the mix and that the soundstage, which was formerly quite "flat", 
has much more depth. But, the Wells is enabling me to enjoy All
the music in my collection. I listened to "Blow by Blow" by J. Beck,
this morning-- just the ordinary remaster-- and it was like hearing it 
for the first time. The usual caveat re: the downside of increased resolution with poorly recorded cds applies, needless to say. 
I realize there's  a lot of hype and I also understand that each person not only hears differently but has a unique conception
of what constitutes "good sound", but I think Jeff Wells' gear deserves 
to be much better known. 

mesch;

I'd e-mail Jeff Wells and ask him.