Retirement integrated amp for a “fiscal conservative”


I’ve taken the plunge and am now enjoying the 2nd week of retirement after 44 years of work, including 42 years with the company I just retired from.  
 

One of the retirement goals I’m really looking forward to is spending much more time enjoying music with my main system!

I’ve pretty much gone digital (but do have a Linn Sondek LP12 to enjoy LPs purchased in the 60’s - 80’s). 

My system consists of a Rose 150B streamer/DAC and a Primaluna CD player for digital playback. I use a Roon Nucleus for Roon/Tidal new music research and listening. Speakers are original Joseph Audio Perspectives. 
 

I enjoy all types of music, but mostly listen to jazz (preferably smooth but am exploring all of the various forms of jazz). 
 

I’m currently using a Primaluna Dialogue HP Premium integrated amp which I’ve enjoyed for many years. Here’s where the “fiscal conservative” part comes in; this amp has 8 power tubes. Even with Primaluna’s great low tube stress design concept, I’m not looking forward to replacing power tubes every couple years with my retirement bonus listening time. Also, I’d like to get additional damping factor bass control than my current amp provides. I love the tube midrange and treble range sound, but would like an upright bass to sound more like a wood instrument (hard to describe in words) and hear more natural note attack and decay
 

I’d like to get ideas/advice from A’gon music enjoyment experts on a replacement integrated that still provides the acoustic sound of tubes, but doesn’t require new tubes every couple years/2,000 hours and is a great match to enjoy jazz on the rest of my system which I plan to keep. I’m open to used or new with a cap of say $8,000. 
 

Thank you in advance for your thoughts and suggestions. 
 

Eric

ezstreams

Showing 1 response by yyzsantabarbara

A lot of the suggestions I have owned, and I would not consider them a good replacement for tubes, except 1 which may have not been mentioned.

I can recommend the item but with a huge caveat. It is an incredible sounding Interated. Warm and buttery smooth with the first 90 watts Class A. It is the KRELL K-300i.

Krell K-300i integrated amplifier | Stereophile.com

Krell K-300i review | What Hi-Fi?

The reason I cannot fully recommend it is because today KRELL is a ___ show and maybe bankrupt and closing. There are used units that are 1/2 price online and maybe some dealers looking to unload their remaining stock.

If I wanted a tubey SS integrated I would get the K-300i and use these guys for any repair service. Krell Service and Repair | George Meyer AV

I used them to do a warranty repair on my K-300i for a pin that was stuck in the RCA connection. It was a cosmetic thing, but I wanted it officially fixed before I sold it. The repair shop said they can do anything on KRELL gear.

Krell k-300i integrated amplifier with digital board / DAC installed For Sale - US Audio Mart

BTW - I sold it to buy the KRELL DUO 175XD amp which is in the same lineup as the K-300i integrated. Never should have sold the 175XD amp.