Recommendations for modern integrated with tone & balance controls other than Mcintosh

Good to hear you are happy with the Lux. I too was looking to upgrade and looking at Belles Aria Signature. However, 2022 stock and bond market declines have put that on the back burner as I am focused more on just maintaining our lifestyle. Never working anywhere long enough for a good pension has me managing assets for income. Luckily I always invested bonuses etc so we will ultimately be fine but my income plan crashed with the market as bonds and stocks both went down. I will have to live vicariously thru others like you for awhile. Enjoy your new amp.

@ joekapahulu

Thank you sir.  I wish you success in navigating the world of finance.

The more I use the Lux 550AXii the fonder I grow.  I'm a visual and tactile person as well as as a "keen listener,"  and the Luxman delivers for me at every level.  What a pleasure it is to select either an LP or something via streamer, sit back, and simply enjoy the music. 

My suggestion is a Luxman 509.  I compared it to a Boulder 866, Esoteric F1, Gryphon Diablo 300, Krell 300i, Accuphase 380, McIntosh MA12000.  To my ears it was the best sounding of all the above integrateds.   Find one and demo it. 

@wheelndeal1099

Thank you for your comments. I purchased a LUX 550 AXii and am completely happy.

It’s one heckuva component and works beautifully when paired with either my Guarneri Homage or highly-modified Magneplanar MMG’s. I’ve never heard such excellent mid and high bass response from the small Maggies as I now do.

I have a pair of REL T5X waiting to be unboxed but for now, I’m just gonna listen to the system as is, with no bass augmentation. I’m quite astonished. I feel as if I’ve moved beyond "hi-fi" into simply listening to great music and not thinking about the usual audiophile stuff. And to think, I have all this with moderately priced components.  At least "moderately" priced for many audiophiles.

It is liberating, to say the least. :)

Congrats!