Aric Audio
Purely analog pre or intergrated amps
Do they even exist any more? I'm looking to eventually replace my current Emotiva preamp and power amp. I'm still on the fence on whether I'm gone to replace them with separates or an integrated amp.
When searching online for something in my desired price range (below $2000 each for separates or <$4000 for an integrated), it seem just about all of them feature built in DACs and/or streamers. The only manufacturer that seems to make purely analog amps these days is Rogue Audio.
Please note, I'm not implying that digital amps are a deal breaker, but it's just features I don't need, since I already have a streamer and am planning on buying a DAC in the future.
Sure, there are lots out there that are pure analog. The Konus Audio Integrale 2000 is a particularly nice all-analog integrated option in that budget.
|
You might be surprised to learn that most amps and integrateds are still fully analog. “Class D” is an amplifier topology. The “D” does not stand for digital, and does not indicate any conversion of the incoming signal to 1s and 0s. Some class D amps do convert the signal to digital but the majority do not. The newer NAD integrateds do that if I’m not mistaken, but not the class D Marantz or Cambridge Audios — those are analog. Yamaha makes some very high quality and great sounding, fully-analog class AB integrated amps within your budget. Check out the A-S2200. Also, Belles, Sugden, and LFD immediately come to mind. There are many others as well.
|