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
I also just retired....When I got up this morning I had nothing to do and when I went to bed I only had got a quarter of it done. I have been using this amp hard for over four years and have not replaced a tube. (a phone call and you could buy this in your price range..hint hint) I wouldn't worry about replacing tubes. Most tubes are not expensive landing in the $50-$100 range. An Accuphase new or used is another fine choice.
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Thank you ALL for your thoughts and suggestions and especially the congrats on retirement (its going to be an adjustment). Lots of suggestions … i can enjoy the thrill of doing research on then going to listen to! @corelli to answer your question, maybe, with age, I’ve become sensitive to the upper register instruments. An alto sax is like fingers on a chalkboard. That was the same with my previous Vincent integrated. As a result, i avoid listening to music featuring them. |
