Seperates vs Integrated

Check out the Mistral integrated at about $1100...

Money is often a consideration in the decisions we make and so it was with this. Being relatively new to seeking the upper end in music I felt that small steps made better sense to me and went with a much cheaper amp than I had originally considered. The improvement was huge with my system and I am extremely pleased with the outcome. Cd's we have listened to for years came alive at all sound levels. Nuances that we had never heard or felt were clear and precise. My conclusion is that an amp upgrade even using a ht receiver as the pre is worthwhile in most systems. I had believed for years that speakers were the secret and they would always be the best bang for initial upgrade. Was I ever wrong. Having demoed the B&W Matrix 805's and been very disappointed I was unsure if anything would achieve the results I had hoped for. The amp achieved my goals and even went beyond. A clarity and feel of the music is present. Better recordings have become an experience. Anyway, just wanted to thank the people who responded to my questions and gave the encouragement that I needed.
Steve

Once again great info. Much more to research. Have to make a decision. So many options.
Thanks
Steve

After having tons of seperate gear over the years I have moved into integrated with a Krell KAV 300i and most recently a Musical Fidelity Nu Vista M3. All things considered, I much prefer the integrated route and feel it actually gives me better sound. It just makes sense to eliminate the extra amp/pre-amp connection and not have the extra cables, cords, etc. to deal with (and buy).

With regards to the integrated amps you have mentioned above I have the Anthem Int 2 for around 6 months which is driving Silverline Audio Panatella II speakers.
All I can say that I am extremely satisfied with the musical presentation of the the above combo. I have had some really expensive audio before I downsized it and do not hear much difference.
After havinf replaced the 6922 tube in the Anthem with some NOS tubes, I can say its among the best integrated amps you can purchase at that price point.

Are you using just CD or some other sorces? if you just using CD only I suggest you take a look at CD player with volume and run direct to a good amp is much much better option! That's my personal exp!!!!! but if you need more inputs(tape, phono.........) other than just CD then one go ahead get integrated. (for limited buget)
That's just my Op.
Regards,
Rute.

Depending on your budget look at the various YBA models. The best is the Integre DT (For Dual Transformer; I believe Stereophile A, can come with built in phono), There is a regular Integre, but if you cannot afford a DT, go take a listen to YBA's Audio Refinement Complete about $1000 new and $600 to $700 used. For in the Really Cheap but excellent, look for a used Cambridge Audio A3i (probably $250 used and has pretty decent MM phono).

Another to consider is the Mark Levinson 383.

As to your question, "are there any that compare well to separates", here is a quote from Jon Herron, manager of product development at Madrigal, "Sonically, it's as close as we could make it to the performance of a No.334
driven by a No.380 preamplifier," "And if you fail to use the best interconnect, a No.383 will be better.".

B&K actaully has very good 2 channel sound, it has a pass through mode and also a 96/24 DAC. I beleive there are some threads around here that talked about it, I would take a look.

Two other integrated amps you should check are the Bryston BP-60 and the Musical Fidelity (sold by Audio Advisors). I have not heard either of them, but both have gotten excellent reviews.

Lower levels generally suffer when there's insufficient current flowing form the amp, beefier amps seem to do a better job at all listening levels. I'd suggest you consider a Classe integrated, perhaps the CAP151? Jeff