Class A solid state (my Musical Fidelity Class A is _very_ close in sound to my OTL tube amp)
OR one of the well reviewed newer Class D amps where the filtering occurs after the feedback loop.
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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@ezstreams Congratulations on your retirement! Eat healthy and live as long as the good Lord allows you too! My buddy had the same thought process as you have concerning his desire to decrease the number of tubes in his search for an integrated amp. He bought a Rogue Cronus Magnum III integrated amp. It sounds really good in his setup with his floor standing Fyne speakers. It replaced his Audio Research LS2 preamp and Quick Silver mono blocks. The Rogue integrated performs well! Godspeed to you! |
Atoll. I recently auditioned the SDA 200 and ordered an IN300 amp for my retirement system. The IN400 is supposed to be even better but out of my price range. Check out reviews by the British Audiophile. I also listened to the Bel Canto E1X all-in-one (long time Bel Canto fan and owner)—wow! Bested the Atoll but at a higher price point. Good luck — there’s a lot to choose from. |
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