I'm expecting the delivery of my Atoll IN200 evo (said to be much better / closer to the IN300 sig sound that ABA loved in his review) with the DA100 card in it to help consolidate my system also (audio refinement / yba separates). Fingers crossed that the new IN200 evo sound improvement is that significant and is enough with my 91db efficient ProAc Studio 148 speakers...
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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- 131 posts total
I may be late to this party, and my thought is not an integrated but... You could get a benchmark LA4 Pre and Pass Labs XA 25 for less than $8,000. The construction looks and feels bulletproof. I have these driving my Rockport Atria IIs, sourcing from an Esoteric K-01xs. You can probably find these available for home auditioning - also the reviews of these components are consistent and match my experience. If you just want to LISTEN great, but there is nothing to tweak or play with or tubes to roll! I bought SS components these a few years into my retirement - but then got the "fiddling" bug and built an SET kit and then designed and built a PP fully balanced 6SN7-300B amp. The XA25 is often back in the system though! |
@ezstreams - I’m surprised it’s not been mentioned, but the Linear Tube Audio Microzotl 40 watt integrated could be a solution. The LTA is a tube amp but without a transformer. The tubes last a really long time because the Microzotl circuit is less demanding on them. The sound sort of bridges solid state with a tube tone. They are very musical. I’d recommend researching it as an option if you have not already pulled the trigger on something else. |
Yamaha AS3200 sounds tube like and if found in the 2nd hand market will cost you $3,000+. You'll like the look and will never look back. It will give you that warm sound with beautiful imaging and coloring. Happy retirment. With my kids getting older, I've been enjoying music on the weekends for 3hrs. Cheers |
- 131 posts total