Sugden A21SE Signature.
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
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- 88 posts total
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Well, you might really enjoy a hybrid integrated that used tubes in the preamp section but solid state amplification so you get the best of both worlds and the tubes last a long time and are relatively cheap — best of both worlds. Here are a couple just as an example, but they have other more powerful models you can explore as well. Best of luck. https://verdantaudio.com/products/unison-research-unico-90-integrated-amplifier https://upscaleaudio.com/products/pathos-logos-mk-ii-tube-hybrid-integrated-amplifier Here’s a powerful used Unison amp… |
I don't buy tube amps that need 8 tubes. Then too, my speakers are 93.5db efficient Joseph doesn't list the efficiency of theirs. But from my memory I believe they used to be about 88. IOW you may need the extra 4 tubes. Rogue makes an ST-100 that uses 4 KT 120's. which has 100 wpc. It is an A rated amp from S'phile and other good reviews. I have never heard it so take it FWIW. Also your speakers only go to 35 hz. You may want to consider a (or 2) subwoofers. I am very fond of Rel. A sub does more than just give added bass. It effects the whole spectrum and makes your main speakers sound better as well. You may consider the sub before moving from the Primaluna |
- 88 posts total