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.
@ezstreamsCONGRATTULATIONS 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.
I recently upgraded my system for retirement. My SQ goals similar to what you describe. I finally chose Burmester. The house sound is clear, true timbre, light fast transients and solid dynamics, dense images, and excellently staging with tube-like liquid treble and midrange. New would be above your budget but you can find a use 082 in, or possibly an 032 (more power) just above your budget. Highly recommend adding both models to your audition list.
Look no further! Ayre Acoustics AX-5 Twenty. Zero feedback fully balanced is the solid state which sounds the most like tubes. I own full R Series and QX-5 Twenty for dac after selling my dCS Bartok Apex.
Aesthetix Mimas should be on your list. Retired myself in Feb 2024, bought Mimas on June 2024! Very nice sounding Integrated. I added the built in DAC which is also very nice sounding.
If you want to buy one time and really find your end game amp give Mike a call at 11 stereo….otherwise it’s all guess work…I too am loving retirement and at our age with time going by so fast we don’t have time for mistakes….no one here can give you the best advice.. he won’t sell you something you don’t need…his customers like me belong to his tribe, he takes a personal interest in our systems and has never sold me anything that didn’t match my system and make it sing..
Atoll. I just auditioned an Atoll 200 and orders an IN300 EVO as my retirement amp, replacing 15+ year old Bel Canto monoblocks and Pre5. The IN400 EVO is supposed to be a big step up, and it’s still in your budget. Check out the Nritish Audiophile on YouTube.
Congrats on your retirement!!! 42 years in one company …wow!
Integrated amps around $8,000
Boulder 866 analog version, should be around $8,000 on a used market - resolving, full sound, vibrant. Downside - only XLR inputs, no subwoofer out, no preamp out. Optional USB wireless remote is functional but crappy looking (amp can be controlled via wifi thru Boulder app)
Coda CSiB - used should be under $4500. Class A for the first few watts, amazing clarity, extended top end without brightness, fast and articulate bass. Has both RCA and XLR inputs, subwoofer output, great universal remote.
You have a lot of good suggestions above as well. Good luck!!!
Choose wisely. I happily upgraded my system right before and after retiring. Both were upgrades and musical with more tubes. One thing you really don’t want to do is make your system more flashy sounding (I’m thinking Luxman as an example)… make you focus your attention on the system. That is great when you are working because you have only a small amount of time to listen. But after retirement you may have more time, it’s likely you want the music to be pulling you to your system. You probably will want your system more musical. It would be easy to run away from tubes and find you also don’t want to listen to the music.
I have nearly fifty tubes in my system. They require changing every 3,000 hours. That’s over three years. If you have a spare pair your set for six years… that’s a long time. Maybe wait until you retire and start listening and determine your actual fiscal situation. I was extremely conservative the first couple years and then happily realized I could do the biggest upgrade I ever did. I could not be happier. I have to drag myself away from my system after listening for two or three hours each day.
Accuphase has some excellent integrated amps in your price range. McIntosh has several as well, some with autoformers and others direct coupled as well as hydrid tube and SS.
"I’m not looking forward to replacing power tubes every couple years with my retirement bonus listening time"
I've use the same model for 8 years. Naturally, YMMV always applies, but good power tubes(USA NOS) have lasted 5 years in mine- that's with extended daily driving.
"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"
That's achieved with recording quality,room and speaker placement.
I'd reward myself with something from Audio Research, VAC or similar pedigree to get that last bit of refinement.
Agree the Belles Aria Signature is awesome...there are also many threads about combining tube preamps with solid state amps or using low powered tube amps...BAT makes some great integrated amps that are SS amp and tube preamp...
Belles makes outstanding integrated amps. I have owned the Aria and it was as good as some separates that I have owned. It is a high current design with a high damping factor of 2000. Check out the many positive on line reviews!
Luxman make some great solid state amps that I would consider retirement amps. Also Hegel, but I think I like Luxman more since the reputation is very good..
I owned that same Prima luna amp for a short while. I would agree that replacing 8 power tubes could get tiring.
Before suggesting options to consider, I have a question for you. Did you ever find the pairing of this amp with your speakers to be a bit bright or have any edge on some recordings??
that's a nice $ for an integrated. I could only tell you what's good (great) for a third of that. Simaudio, Hegel, Moonriver, Van Alstine would be on my list
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
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.
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