Pure analog system with high power

One word of caution in a vinyl only system - pay careful attention to the input sensitivity of the integrated amps that you are considering.  In my analog system, I tried several different integrated amps, and some of them sounded dull and lifeless (which contradicted reviews and owners' experiences).  At times it was baffling - I would sit there listening and think, "This is the amp people have been raving about?"  After some investigation, I discovered that integrated amps with a low input sensitivity did not work well in my system.  The lower output voltage of a phono stage (compared to digital sources) can't drive some integrated amps to full power.  It was a good (but needlessly expensive) learning experience.

Cheers,
Scott 

@adversam Yep, still vinyl only.  It wasn't so much a problem to solve, rather than a specification that I learned to pay attention to.  I'll provide my (fairly limited) understanding on the issue, but I'm sure others can add to it.  The quality of the external phono stage is irrelevant for this discussion - a high quality stage and a cheap stage with the same gain and the same cartridge will put out the same voltage.  

To keep the math simple, the standard 40db/60db gain for MM/MC corresponds to 100x/1000x amplification.  So, if you have a 4mV MM cartridge, your MM phono stage will put out 400mv (100x4mV).  Similarly, a .4mV cartridge into an MC stage put out the same 400mv (1000x.4mV).  Of course, the phono stage will output more voltage on musical peaks.

I'll now use the example of two different integrated amps that I have demoed at home.  The first had a very low input sensitivity of 1.2v (note: higher numbers = lower input sensitivity).  So, my 40db phono stage wasn't even putting out half the voltage needed to drive the integrated to full power.  This amp sounded terribly dull with no dynamic punch.  The second integrated had a high input sensitivity of 125mV, so my phono stage was putting out more than three times the needed voltage to drive it to full power.  On this particular amp, I couldn't use much of volume control range - it got very loud very quickly.

I've found the most success in choosing integrated amps that have an input sensitivity a little lower than the output of the phono stage, but not significantly lower.  So, with a 400mV output from the phono stage, integrated amps with input sensitivity in the 200-350mV range have worked the best in terms of having good range on the volume control, no overloading, and still maintaining a full, dynamic sound.

I'm just sharing my personal experience and my admittedly limited knowledge on input sensitivity.  Others may correct some errors above, but I'm pretty damn certain about my experience :).  

Cheers,Scott
 

@adversam I think you're making a good choice by considering an integrated amp with high power - that approach will work well with Magnepans, Harbeths, and most other speakers as well.  It's a great foundation for whatever you decide to do down the road. 

I won't pretend to know the used market at your price point.  As far as new integrated amps, here are a few companies that make products that are generally well regarded by reviewers and people who have owned them long term:

-Parasound:  HINT 6 - Yes, you're paying for a bunch of other stuff (dac, phono stage), but by all accounts it's a very good integrated amp even if you aren't using its other features.

-Musical Fidelity:  M6si - This one is a powerhouse - 220wpc.  For some reason, MF doesn't spec their input sensitivity, so you might want to do some research to see if it's a good match.  The M5si is also well regarded and still has 150wpc into 8 ohms.

-Bryston - they only make one integrated amp now, and it's beyond your budget.  But Bryston gear lasts forever, so the used market might be an option here.

Hegel - Many people rave about Hegel.  I have tried two of their integrated amps (H80 and H200) over the years.  Neither worked well for me, but I'm in the minority.  In hindsight, I wonder if they have a lower input sensitivity, as they sounded distant and lacked dynamics.  To be fair, I haven't heard any of their more recent models.

Those are just some quick thoughts.  Ideally, you'd be able to hear them in your own system.  But, again, if you get a well designed, high powered integrated amp, then you can have fun experimenting with phono stages (tubed and ss), different cartridges, turntables, tonearms, and speakers, all of which likely will have a far greater impact on the sound of your system. 

Cheers,
Scott  

@adversam I've heard good things about Odyssey amps, but I don't have experience with them.  Rather than asking whether an amp is a good match for vinyl, I think the question is more whether an amp will be a good match with your speakers.  With respect to the Parasound A21 - yes, it will certainly drive your speakers well.  

And if you are looking at separates rather than an integrated amp, the preamp is likely to have more impact on the overall sound of your system than the amp will (assuming that the amp has enough power for your speakers, of course). 

In any event, if you are trying to get your vinyl system to sound as good as possible, I would probably worry least about the power amp - Bryston, Odyssey, Parasound, Musical Fidelity, etc. all make amps that will drive your speakers with good control and power.  It's far more important to get the cartridge, tonearm, turntable, and phono preamp working together well (and the preamp if you are going with separates). 

At least that's my opinion.  Others may differ, which is why this hobby is fun!

Cheers, Scott  

@adversam To be honest, I don't know too much about tube preamps, as I haven't used separates too often.  I can only mention a few manufacturers who have a reputation for producing good tube preamps:

1.  Aric Audio:  He's a small operation here in the US, but he is very responsive to customers.  His preamps are praised by nearly everyone who owns one.  His Transcend 6SN7 Linestage retails for $2165.  

2.  Primaluna:  Their new EVO series 100 preamp retails for $2100 here in the U.S.  There are also bargains to be had on the used market with Primaluna gear.  Their website is quite informative.  

3.  Rogue Audio:  An American company that produces a wide range of tube preamps.  They get good reviews, and their RP-1 retails for about $1800 here.

I'm sure others will share many more possibilities.  One quick note on compatibility between separates - the input impedance of the power amp should be at least 10 times the output impedance of the preamp.  For example, the Primaluna EVO 100 has an output impedance of 2800 ohms, so you would want a power amp with an input impedance of at least 28K ohms.  

Cheers,Scott