Recommendations on integrated amps


Hello…..

Im looking for recommendations for some of the most generally popular integrated amps in the $500 to $1500ish range…new or used.

Ok before everyone gets all Andy Rooney on me here is the deal….Im looking to use this amp in our family farms workshop where we fix equipment and also maintain our pulling tractors and I need something a little better than the $50 boom box or whatever you’d call it from Wal Mart😁🙂…..basically I’m always busy with no time to spare so I’m willing to put my faith in my fellow audiophiles😊…. 
 

The $500-1500ish amount is my budget for new or used integrated amp…I have a lightly used pair of BW603 speakers that have a nice layer of dust on them in my storage room for years and to start I intend to probably hook up a Roon nucleus plus server to them because I currently have one of them on my home system and for me it seems easy enough and simple enough to easily navigate for the very basic functionality I need….basically I just pair up Tidal with my Roon and build up playlists from songs I seek over time..

I’d be appreciative of anyone who’s generous enough with their time who can give me some pointers on a good amp choice….no offense to any novices like myself but I’d prefer opinions from those who have some true knowledge and experience on stereo systems as opposed to someone like my neighbor Joe who bought his first ever amp and has claimed it to be the best amp ever made without any experience/knowledge of comparable amps…

Oh man…sorry…this is getting long winded….to put it in a nutshell I just want some popular and reputable recommendations for an integrated amp in my budget range new or used that kinda gives the most bang for the buck….I primarily listen to classic rock and a little old country music but I’ve been dabbling in other genres trying to expand my musical taste….keep in mind it’s just a system that I’d listen to while tinkering around and generally would be played at lower levels and I’m not super critical so just a relatively good clear crisp clean sound….please keep recommendations kinda basic….I don’t want to be overwhelmed and bombarded with too much in depth information where I come out of this more uncertain than when I came in☹️😁😁😁🙂….
 

PS

I have what I consider a descent home system…Mac C52…Mac…?..I can’t even remember….I think it’s the 452 quad balanced amp….pair of JL audio Phantom f12 subs and a pair of Jbl S4900 speakers along with JPS labs Superconductor 3 interconnects throughout and some isolators on subs and speakers….I forget the brand….Im pretty happy with it…granted I haven’t had the time or means to do a lot of research and comparisons prior to purchasing all this….just kinda went with what the local hifi shop had that was within my means and bought the Mac stuff partly because I just liked the look…but no regrets…its good enough for my ears…I’m sure there is a better sound I’d like but until I have the time and means to find it I’ll listen to my current system as music therapy to help cope with the fact that I don’t have the holy grail system that would blow away my ears in comparison to what I currently have😊😊😊

Thanks in advance for anyone willing to help!!

Much Appreciated

Boxler1066

boxler1066

Showing 6 responses by boxler1066

I currently have a Roon Nucleus Plus music server hooked up to Ethernet cable to my router and I subscribe to the Tidal streaming service for access to pretty much unlimited music….so I can pull up songs on Tidal and then have an option to add select songs to my Roon server library or make custom playlists….the Roon is hooked into my preamp via usb cable to usb input 

Music is one of the few things that soothes me so hence me getting what feels like overly delved into a decision on a simple entry level amp I’m going to use at work 🙂

I have been sorting through some of the recommendations I’ve received thus far trying to make a decision…I suppose I shouldn’t get too far into the rabbit hole because it’s tedious and time consuming…. I have plenty on my plate already🙂….I don’t imagine there’s a lot of difference in the brands suggested in this entry level price range….I don’t necessarily need new so perhaps I can get a better used unit in terms of quality and better sound than a new unit due to depreciation on a higher priced at the time it was purchased used unit if that makes any sense….although the better used units probably hold their value somewhat…. I don’t know….sometimes I overthink things like this and it leads me down a rabbit hole….problem is with one of the larger farms in ny state I’m overwhelmed with decision making every day to the point I wish I had someone make all my decisions for me just so I’m not constantly feeling the pressure….sorry…just venting a little and explaining how I’m processing my choices….😁🙂🙂🙂

If I were to get a unit without a dac and used an external dac what kinda price range are good dacs selling for? How much affect on the sound do various dacs on the cost spectrum have on sound quality?  I’ve considered a Musical Fidelity Tri Vista but it doesn’t have a dac

Thanks again for all who are chiming in…your suggestions have prompted me to do a bit of research which is helping me be a little more knowledgeable in regards to reading reviews and better understanding specs on amps….it seems the hi fi world is tough to hone in on a brand or model choice….it’s probably been said a million times that it all boils down to what sound you like and that’s hard to determine even if you have the time to physically listen to various stereo systems…taking into account what room or environment your system will be in and the endless potential pairing scenarios it’s just daunting…..I’m going to see a local wheeler dealer of used and vintage equipment and hopefully have an opportunity to listen to some various equipment and get some unbiased input and knowledge….seems it’s really the best way to go about it….I went into this thinking I could make a choice more easily but purchasing has generally never been so simple….I should’ve known better….the upside is at the expense of my time I am getting the side benefit of learning more about something I love…listening to musical sounds that sooth the ears, mind and soul…..music therapy!!!😊

Thanks to all who responded thus far….I didn’t even take into account a need for a dac….how do I best get around that issue?  Are there integrated amps with built in dacs? Or can I use an external dac and still stay in budget?