Why the facination with integrated amps?

For another lesser used setup in my basement. I replaced a very reknowned vintage receiver with a modern Fosi Audio Class D integrated amp with bluetooth. $80 on amazon.   It is about the size of a pack of cigarattes and has  drive limits accordingly with only 50w/ch but sounds very good within its limits with vintage Boston A40s.

I have a Bel Canto c5i Digital Integrated amp in my family room. it is the bees knees. Dead quiet....amazing piece of modern technology. Integrated amp technology has come a long way. Many might be surprised. Rogue Pharoah is another really good one I have heard recently that I could easily live with.

I might not have said this just a few years back, but these days I believe sound quality is not a good reason to not go with a good integrated amp. Solutions to the old problems of sticking too many circuits and large transformers in close proximity to each other in a single box seem to have been solved. Efficient Class D amps do not utilize traditional large power transformers to do their thing and in recent years it also appears the RF noise issues associated with the switching circuits have been resolved. My newer Class D integrated amps, both the Bel Canto C5i and the $80 Fosi are both dead quiet, easily among the quietest I have ever owned or heard.

I still run separates in my main rig, but when the time comes to replace that, I will most likely take the opportunity to downsize and go with a good modern integrated amp, very possibly another digital one like the C5i, but with a few more watts if needed. Definitely a Class D amp section. Maybe a tube pre-amp section, like a Rogue Pharoah, but leaning away from any tubes at all at this point.

erik most of the world is with you on that desired lifestyle description including me these days, especially as I head towards retirement years and more downsizing and fewer hassles. I will probably keep my big OHM F5s around as long as possible but pretty much everything else is already on the downsizing path.  The $80 Fosi helped open my eyes to what is possible in a small package and on a limited budget,  though I tend to think I would still find it hard to settle for just a single $80 integrated amp the size of a pack of cigarettes alone.