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Can't decide on Integrated Amp - Please Help

Hi, really trying to find the best deal I can on a used integrated amp. My current set up is

Monitor Audio RX6 speakers
Oppo 105

Looking for a strong integrated that if I wish to upgrade my speakers will easily handle the change.

Looking at spending no more than $3,000 for a used example and would love some help. I stream most of my music through the Oppo instead of CD's and listen to a lot of Pink Floyd, Dave Matthews, Sting etc

Few choices i have outlined and really hard to be able to audition anything and would like it to match the speakers and Oppo well

Rega Elicit - R
Krell S550i
Hegel 200 or 300 if can afford (is the DAC much better than the 105)
Stello ai500
Saw a PLINIUS HAUTONGA Intergrated A but don't know too much about company.
Modwright 200

My room is around 15 x 15 with wood floors

Thanks in advance for help
simonmorty
donjr
1,311 posts
 
Simonmorty, my apologies for not responding to you last month. I did not compare the H100 to the H200. I compared it to the Ayre AX7 and Luxman l505u. I loved them all but the Hegel worked out best for me at the time. I would have been happy with any of them, that's for sure.
ctsooner
2,104 posts
 
Dayglow, my point is that you can't make a statement that you think the Marantz is better than the Ayre when you have never heard the Ayre, let alone in the same system. That's the problem I have with your statements. I have heard the two amps vs each other. I like the Marantz unit...I like it a lot, but do yourself a favor and go listen to the amps side by side in the same system.
dayglow
708 posts
 
Unless the Evolution upgrade changes the overall character of the Ayre AX7(have demoed it)I stand behind my statement.
ctsooner
2,104 posts
 
the upgrades are huge. You're the only person I've ever heard say that the Ayre is hot on top, which is basically what you have stated. Many on this thread have disagreed with your statement also. Hansen just doesn't make products that are hot. That's why anyone who has his products or reviews them call them the most tube like for SS. Do yourself a favor and go listen to the products that we are discussing before making comments about how they sound. We are specifically speaking about the AX5 or AX7e, which should soon get the diamond stage in I bet, which will take it to another level again.
dayglow
708 posts
 
Ctsooner-Please don't speak for me I NEVER said Ayre is hot on top! The 4 Arye products I heard AX7/CX7/V1/K1 had a dry/thinness when used with a Thiel 2.3 Wilson Cub 2 and Magnepan 1.6. Pass Labs/Levinson/Rowland/Spectral and even Proceed have exceeded Ayre with various demos I have had over the past decade. Ayre like any other company is not immune to criticism, i'm sure someone out there thinks the Soulution 710 amp needs improvement.
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