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Recommend Affordable Integrated Amps (Solid State or Tube)

Looking for an affordable, good sounding integrated amp costing no more than $3500. It must be able to play CDs and Vinyls as well as digital music from iTunes (some 30,000 songs) stored in AIFF format. Currently have an Accuphase E 307 integrated amp  using Kimber Kable interconnects and speakers cables with jumpers. Current speakers are KEF Q700. Analog is Linn Basic with an Akito tone arm and Rega Exact 2 Cartridge. CD player id a Marantz 5004. I listen mainly to jazz, R&B, Pop, world, etc. at moderate listening volumes. Room size is about 17 x 24 feet with 8 foot ceiling.
Would love to have suggestions. 
  
joscow

Showing 2 responses by helomech

helomech
1,805 posts
 
Yamaha A-S2100. Has the best performing built-in phono stage I’ve encountered - better than that of the Halo Integrated by a considerable margin. I haven’t heard it’s built-in headphone amp but by most accounts, it’s stellar. Meters are icing on the cake. They can be found for $3K. Spend the remainder on a Yamaha - MusicCast WXC-50 with Apple Airplay and you’re golden.
helomech
1,805 posts
 
@adn_abdat,

The Hint 6 and E-560 will sound fairly similar - both very neutral but I imagine the Accuphase is a little warmer, which would be my choice with your speakers. It will hold its value well and is more of an heirloom piece as it has higher grade parts, and is hand-built in Japan, in small quantities, vs mass produced in Taiwan.

I had the original Halo and it had some transformer hum along with an issue with the volume pot. It began to distort and Parasound replaced the pot under warranty. Excellent customer service to their credit - best I’ve experienced in this hobby. The Hint 6 uses a resistor ladder volume control - superior to any Alps pot, so at least they addressed the problem in the redesign. The Accuphase very likely uses a similar volume control, as do Yamahas. The Yamaha amps have greater channel separation than the original Halo, so I wouldn’t doubt Parasound’s claim that the Hint 6 benefits in that regard.
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