Kinki Studio EX-M1 200wpc Integrated Amplifier

if you are in north America you have to order thru mike powell, the north american distributor. the price is now $2499 usd.
https://www.mikepowellaudio.com/shop/

here's one listed from mike on audiogon, you might want to ask if this the newer ones with a high/low gain switch on the rear.
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis93380-kinki-studio-ex-m1-integrated-dream-amp-of-the-decade-sol...

Reading the ad makes me want to buy another one. 😄

No, mine doesn't have the high/low gain switch as it was the first version. After living with my Marantz, which I had to turn up at least a quarter of the way before I could hear it, it's nice to have it come on with great resolution at around that first watt. 

Wasn't it some tube amp designer (Decware?) who said something like, if you can't hear/use the first watt, what good are the remaining ones? Or something like that? With a proper set up, you can get most of what you need with that first watt, and this amp does that, so why curtail it?

I can see if one has a super efficient speakers (98db or higher) since you don't want to blow something out, but I like having it come on early. I find it very refreshing. 👍

All the best,
Nonoise

Nonoise, to clarify a minor point, the gain of the amp affects the position of the volume control at which the first watt occurs. But the first watt is the first watt, and will produce the same volume with a given pair of speakers whether it occurs at a 9 o’clock setting of the volume control with a high gain amp, or at a 3 o’clock setting with a low gain amp.

On the other hand, of course, the first watt of two different amps can sound considerably different.

Best regards,
-- Al