@freediver Word!!  I kinda wish I never had heard that high end system one fateful day in the hifi shop…. But, it’s also true that I want the music to wow me every time, and it only sometimes does. Is the the amp? The recording?  The streaming quality?  I like you was hoping this thread would have suggestions on how to get there for less than the cost of a mortgage. It has been helpful though because you can get most stuff used. For me it’s not about getting the very best but trying to get consistently good sound. 

Heed Audio Elixer.

@gride,a dog?NOT by a long shot..I have a 240i driving Harbeth M30.2Xd speakers & if I had never heard REALLY REALLY expensive gear I could live happily ever after with this system,clueless to the possibility that I might be able to squeeze a bit more imaging & staging out of my speakers with a different amp...
IMO,one of the biggest problems we face in this hobby,and for that matter,life in general,is that we as humans are conditioned from the time we are able to be plunked down in front of a boob tube is to NOT accept anything less than "the best"..We are told to never accept anything but "being"the best at anything we do,to never accept "owning" anything but the best..You rarely,if ever,see commercials extolling the virtue of simply being as good as you personally can be(except for maybe U.S.Army commercials hahahaha),to accept that anything not considered by society as the absolute pinnacle of consumerism is not only acceptable but ,in reality,so near the quality & performance of so called TOTL that in a lot of cases the difference can be considered laughable...
When I started this thread,it was my hope that we would hear about the pieces on the more budget end of things that members on the road to finding perfection,found offering enough overall performance,quality & value so as to be considered "end game"...Unfortunetly the overall opinion,born out by most replies in this thread,seems to be that nothing is ever "good enough" & that change for the sake of chasing some elusive mountain peak,is the game...

Nobody has mentioned so far the Simaudio Ace, which can be had right now used for $1500. Is it a dog?

Well, I could be part of the "no such thing" group, but, having been a part of the state-of-the-art club back in the late, late, late 20th century (it sounds very odd to type that, as though it was waaaayyyy back in ’The Dinosaur Age’!!), I’ve found components in the past 15 years that are quite good at their price level. There are some great amps that don’t cost and arm and a leg (but still are not 'cheap').

The LEAST expensive would be - as Tomic601 has noted - the Aesthetix Mimas integrated. And you could get it used from some dealers, so that’s ideal! (Circa 5k). I haven’t heard it myself, but reviewers I trust found it sublime. And it’s dual mono (ultra wide soundstage if that sort of thing matters to you), tubed linestage, and the amp side is solid state.

Also, an Odyssey Khartago amp. Under 1k ($995, and Klaus hasn’t changed the price in 10 years. I owned one of these already and they are fantastic! And 130 watts, too!).

@freediver i thinks it’s the budget issue that’s causing his lack of participation. 

@johnread57 he's not even in the same zip code as most all the amps listed!

Wondering where's the OP in this amazing list...

Although not an integrated, Valvet A2SE. Single ended solid state, beat out SET tube amps, FirstWatt and Pass Labs, plus a whole slew of high end and much higher power amps. Only way I can describe it is that it pulls you in and just lets the music flow. It simply disappears.

I am really impressed with the Michi 8 build and sound quality. Way underpriced IMHO.

ozzy

First Watt SIT 4.  Despite being no substitution for a first hand experience, read 6moons review or Stereophile (Herb Reichert).  A brilliant amplifier unless you require fancy casework.

Low budget would be an Outlaw 2160 MKII Receiver.

Musical Fidelity A1 or any of the M Series Integrated amps.

Budget would be an Outlaw 2160 MK II Receiver.

A Musical Fidelity A1 or any of the M series.

I’m surprised to be the first to mention the Van Alstine (AVA) M225 Monos - the pair can be had for under $4k and are amazing. 225W@8 ohm, superb bass control, great delicacy, nice tonal color. Great depth of presentation. These little dynamos got great reviews when they came out and have been a staple in one of my systems (driving a pair of Dynaudio Heritage Specials, 4ohm). If more power is needed, there is a bigger option (M7700), but that would be a very large room with inefficient speakers. I would make these the first stop for anyone. The only caveat is that they are internally bridged, so very low impedance speakers could be a problem. For anything else, they compete with the best of the best.

My Cayin A-88T Integrated Tube Amp (Mine: Original MKI Version)

1. it has Remote Volume and Remote Mute (wish it had remote balance)

2. it uses 6sn7 and 6sl7’s instead of 12’s.

3. it uses KT88’s (mine, used, came with 6550’s, I changed/prefer the KT88’s)

4. MKII Version better for most people, it has external bias meters and adjusters, I have/need MKI Version, the only one with 16 ohm taps, my vintage speakers are 16 ohm.

worst feature: internal adjusters for power tube bias. the later versions with external bias meters and adjusters do not have 16 ohm taps.

6 Moons Review A-88T, MKI

Their amps are switchable, triode, or (typically double the power wpc) ultralinear. My extremely efficient horns don’t need the extra power, but I prefer the sound of the ultralinear circuit, so I’m using 45 wpc.

They make, I’ve never heard, A-50T Integrated a 16 triode/ 35 wpc ultralinear using EL-34’s and 12’s, some come with MM Phono built in, here’s one

Mint Cayin A-50T with Phono

Well, that SABAJ is even on sale for $449 instead of the normal $499!

About 2 months ago I replaced my 20+ yo PSAudio GCC250 it stopped making any sound. though the lights came on. Considering shipping and repairs I asked a audio friend, who HIGHLY recommended this. I am very happy regardless of it’s low price

HTH

Amazon listing

SABAJ A30a Integrated Professional-Grade Hi-Fi Power Amplifier

Sounds like 4k is way above what the OP considers affordable. People, please lower your bar…….

Schiit Kara preamp + Tyr Monoblocks (made in the USofA) will keep you right at $4000

Jason Stoddard is the ’Andrew Jones’ of amps.

Preamp: a well-kept, used VAC Renaissance Mk V
Amp: for end-game (it could compete with $50k+ amps if using the right accompanying equipment, one needs to spend a bit more. If using a tube preamp - Parasound JC1+ monos (lightly used)

Here is one you should highly consider, the new "Unico Primo" made in Italy, has one tube with a Mosfet output stage and is being raved about. Retails for around $1,500.00.

The best for price ratio/S.Q.  is without doubt for me the Sansui of the alpha series...

Ever since I sold my venerable tube separates i’ve been searching for a "least expensive" or at least moderately -priced ’endgame’ (that’s a rather awful term IMO)

After trying various components, too many to mention, I’m now thinking Accuphase Class A integrated but it’s hardly the "least expensive" option.  Synthesis A40 was a contender but I found it much too forward sounding in my modestly-sized room.  Conrad Johnson is still in the running but I'm trying to get off the "tube roller coaster."

So many choices, all it takes is patience, curiosity, a priori reality,  and money.

I'm sure there are some good integrateds out there and they can be space-savers but your options will be limited unless it has preamp outputs and power amp ins.

Since I have rarely had opportunity to see or hear, or hear of , most of the amps or speakers referenced in this string, I don't have a real opinion to proffer. I was going to go to Reno a few months ago to hear Pass gear while on my way to see family but found RenoAudio no more. I can say that a few years ago I heard a series of integrateds from Belles in NJ with John Rutan and was totally blown away especially by the Virtuoso and Signature units at $4-7k. I could easily live with either assuming their quality has held even. At the same time  the Vandersteen Treos the amps played thru made me tremble with some kind of feeling of audio lust I had not experienced before. I'm actually on the East Coast now and buying a new amp and maybe speakers is high on my list...with my end and the game in sight. This string is just messing me up....

When I purchased my Daedalus speakers, eight years ago, I flipped my entire system to a tube based system.  After an extensive search, I purchased a Viva Solistino SET  I.A. The Viva, is  is my long-term hold, with  no plans to replace it. 

Class D Audio Mini Gan 5. $800 & fits in your hand. 5 lbs. I own two. Try to beat the sq for 5x the price. Good luck.

I’ll be trying a Class D Audio mini GaN 5 very soon. We will see.

My end game usually only lasts until something new , different and cost effective comes along.

Been running mainly Class D for a number of years.   Currently have more recent Hypex Ncore and older Icepower. 

I am thrilled with my system and my amp is an integrated Primaluna Evo 300 (all tube). The tubes made the difference though. Up front I have two sets of Radiotechniques and 1 set of Brimars. In power I have a set of KT-150s and a set of GE 6L6GCs. With 4 KT-150s I was missing out of quite a bit of "mid range magic" and with for 6L6GCs the mids were a little shouty and didn't have enough power. Mixed they are incredible together. 

Speakers are Volti Rivals.

With the right record/recording/pressing, I truly want no more out of my system. There is always better but I'm more than content with my setup.

I don't know about end game but I quite like my Gato AMP-150 AE

Though not an integrated amplifier, I'd throw in the CODA S5.5. 50 WPC pure class A, and more in A/B; 100 amp current capable. An end game solid state amp for me, drives all of my speakers easily (even vintage Infinity RS Kappa 7s).

Doug Dale at CODA found a supply of hard to find "high bandwidth" transistors, and upgraded the S5.5 with those......somewhere mid 2023. I'm not sure why they didn't indicate a different model, like the S5.6 or some such; but it is a great SS amp.

Although I mentioned the Coda S5.5 above (my main stereo amp), I agree with the fellow who recommended the Rega Aethos integrated. A real sleeper.

'End Game'....It's or yours?

Pioneer SA-1000 integrated amplifier, purchased at a garage sale in Valley Village CA for $10.00.  The seller originally wanted $20, but it did not power up, so he took the ten.  Went to Frye's Electronics in Burbank and bought a couple of fuses.  I still enjoy the sound of the SA-1000.

With respect for akg_ca's response, my most musical mid-fi integrated was the Onix OA21 with SOAP. Old British amp with simple design and great phono preamp wasn't a power house, but worthy of consideration.

Rotel RB-1590.

Rotel RB-1590
 

Cheers,

Scott

The AGD monoblocks are fantastic but " if you can find one" ....The Aavik U-150 integrated 300 watt with world class dac AND  MC Phono stage is the best value in an end game amp...20K new...used around 9K......find one and buy it. Read Steve Huffs review.

My Sansui of the alpha series...

Being that no amplifier is load impervious its performance will always be contingent on which speakers it's mated with (and vice versa), which is mostly about the obstacle that is the passive crossover situated between the amp and drivers and which severely impacts the interfacing between them. To make matters worse: passively one amp channel drives the entire frequency range of a speaker, and thus the higher frequency bands are affected by the power requirements down low, which has sonic implications - not least at elevated SPL's with complex and LF-heavy music material.  

Once you remove the passive crossover between the amp and drivers for direct and dedicated amp channel connection to each respective driver section actively (out- or inboard) - the passive XO replaced with a high quality DSP/electronic crossover - you significantly lessen the load strain presented to each amp channel, which in turn means making more effective use of its inherent performance envelope with a more effortless and lower distortion sound to follow. 

With the better interfacing between amps and drivers/speakers actively one is to roam more freely in the choice of amp not only from a power and overall matching perspective, but also with regard to much more easily harnessing the fuller performance potential of an amplifier. This way a higher performance will be achieved vs. a passively configured scenario with the same amp, although one will need more of them actively and as many that are required to cover the driver sections. 

It would seem stupid (and yet for the industry self-serving, certainly economically) to produce massively overbuilt and astronomically priced amps weighing in at hundreds of pounds as a (partial) answer to inefficient, load-heavy high-end speakers with power sucking complex passive crossovers, when you could let go of such a system's severe bottleneck and be good, indeed better with much cheaper amps in an active context. 

Well, for an 'end game' integrated within a ~$10K system I would choose the Pathos Model One MKIII which sells for $3K. 

although I'm a little disappointed that the majority of choices are no where near inexpensive.

@freediver - wishful thinking.

For a component to beat box store sonics, from increased costs from engineering, better parts (capacitors, resistors, custom transformers…), casework, one would expect costlier components.  Sonic bargains are very rare, no short cuts to better sonics unless new discoveries like GanFet.  

I am very impressed with the Coincident Dynamo SE Mk.ll. I think it is now up to MK.lll status. It is a SET amp that uses EL34's instead of the usual suspects for a SET amp. If your speakers are efficient, the 8 watts seem powerful and also subtle. Lots of great musical textures and the midrange seems to have this backlit beauty that I really enjoy. It has a passive volume control, so you can use it as a integrated. It also has a nice headphone amp.  You can find these new for under $2,000, and used for around $1,000. 

A bit surprise no one has mentioned the AGD Audion monoblocks. Owners and reviewers alike touted these amps as pretty much end-game.

I haven't heard them so I have no opinion 😝

@samureyex If Benchmark ever upgraded the AHB2 I would think it would sound like the new SimAudio Moon 761 (have not heard the 861). I have owned the AHB2 many times and the 761 reminded me of a better AHB2. More power and a bit tinge of warmth and maybe as detailed as the AHB2.

These new amps are from the North Collection.

The very best sound quality is from single-ended amps.

@imjerrys They don't really make proper bass- most SETs that make 7 Watts or more can't make full power at 20Hz. The output transformer simply lacks the inductance to allow it. If it did have the inductance it would be much larger and then wouldn't be able to make the highs.

Distortion is quite high, which is part of the lush quality, but that distortion also obscures detail. 

You can have amps that are much lower distortion so are more detailed, but every bit as smooth, while also making proper bass. So SETs can be fun, but in no way are they the 'best'.

@imjerrys I know reviewers and friends that have long term experience with the AHB2 say the AHB2 sucks all the soul out of music. 

But others also really like them. I don't quite understand if this is a gear mismatch or what. But the AHB2 falls into my weird list.

BMC CS3 from Germany. 8,000 Euros. The catch is it must be paired with another BMC dac or source.

The very best sound quality is from single-ended amps. But they typically have too low power output for most speakers. The next best sound is Benchmark AHB2. 

Here's my review:

Benchmark AHB2 Power Amplifier – 10 Audio

Coda S5.5