The Chord Ultima integrated has me intrigued.
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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- 96 posts total
@ezstreams CONGRATTULATIONS on making it to the light at the end of the tunnel! That's an awfully lovely TT to let lie fallow! I also have a record collection predominantly from the 60s through the 80s which are in great shape. I'm in the process of slowly cleaning them, again, using an ultrasonic cleaning system this time around. If you haven't done that with your collection, I strongly recommend it. With regard to equipment, I tend not to recommend anything I haven't owned and can vouch for or have spent a serious amount of seat-time with in serious auditions. On this note, I can unhesitatingly recommend McIntosh, Simaudio Moon and Luxman SS amps worthy of your serious consideration. These will have the sound signature you're after. Now, if you want a wood stand-up bass to sound as real as possible when the musician(s) play notes below low E, a sub-woofer would definitely help with that. Helps with piano and other instruments, as well. |
Congrats on retirement! I did so about 7 years ago and am more into my equipment and music than I ever have been. You may want to look into the Modwright KWH 225i integrated. I bought one used at a significant discount, and The Music Room carries the Modwright line, new and used. It has a tube-based front end and SS amp section, the first 25 being Class A. Its 225w will drive about any speaker. You can roll 6922 tubes and equivalents and not have to worry about power tubes. This may be worth your time for a look. I am in no way associated with Modwright or TMR. Hope this helps. |
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