Father Christmas has been early and left me a very sizable bonus check! So time to spend it before the other half can....
Looking at building another system but thinking of just a very high power integrated amp. Wish list... 200w or more. Balanced inputs Digital inputs Phono inputs
A quick look shows items like McIntosh ma7900 and Mark levinson ml585 which both seem to fulfill all or the majority of my wants. Sure there are others. So thoughts and any current or previous owners of suitable candidates please chime in Thank you in advance
Thanks for the update. I've come close to pulling the trigger on that Ayre a few times, but a little underpowered for the speakers I had at the time.
I'm really interested in how the Esoteric sounds compared to the Lyngdorf for digital. Looks like the D-07 is an older DAC. I wonder how it compares to all the new technology digital has made recently. I'm looking at DACs now too, and there are tons of older models for great prices. Very tempting.
There are a number of things I have learned on this journey of integrateds. I really do not need to spend 10k to get what I need, heck there are some super little integrateds out there for peanuts, take the Vincent sv236 for instance, can be had for 1k used! Also if you truly do get a full all in one well then you are stuck with that house sound for every aspect, dac, phono, headphone etc. If you can live with that perfect, if not and you want to change one aspect well then you need buy that component , add it into the mix and then you defeated the whole object of that integrated...lol.
So not sure where I will end up yet, maybe I will just end buying a MA7900 or ML585 and be done with it all. Maybe I will keep the 2170 and ph10 and schitt magni as it works well. Maybe I will go back to all seperates again.
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So not sure where I will end up yet, maybe I will just end buying a MA7900 or ML585 and be done with it all.
" Yeah, you're about where I am in thinking about this whole thing. There is also the new(ish) Anthem STR integrated, which has DAC and also phono. Right now, the top of my list is the ML 585, after hearing it at AXPONA. The McIntosh integrateds include phono and are more versatile, but they just don't sound like the 585. The new ML 585.5 also includes a top flight phono stage, but will set you back a pretty penny.
There are a number of things I have learned on this journey of integrateds....if you truly do get a full all in one well then you are stuck with that house sound for every aspect, dac, phono, headphone etc.
To your point @uberwaltz .... which is why a 'classic' integrated (pre and amp) makes more sense to me vs. a 'super' integrated (all in one).
David. Think I am coming to that conclusion. Which is why it will be interesting to see how the esoteric DAC and Ayre ax7e fare in my setup. With that I can still run my headphone amp from the tape out and ph10 phono in on one set of balanced inputs. We will see
So my Ayre AX7E arrived this morning in one piece, quite an achievement considering it was packed by a UPS store and shipped from California to Florida, a hot subject in another thread! Connected it up to the Esoteric d07 DAC and my analog sources, cassette, cdp and phono. Have to say with the Triangle Altea ESW speakers it is just to bright. Changed out the speakers to my Scansonic MB2.5 and I would say the balance is just right. Now is it better than the Lyngdorf 2170? Hard call that will need time to evaulate but unfortunately this week I am back to work after my enforced "vacation" and in Dallas, Texas all week, just where I wanted to start again!
Sure these are infamous last words but... I am done for now.
Time to just sit back and enjoy the music.
Current system as it stands right now.
Ayre AX7E integrated Mytek Brooklyn dac Nottingham Analog tt Goldnote PH10 phono Pioneer SACD player Nakamichi cassette player Bluesound Vault 2 Schiit Vali headphone amp Audeze el-8 open back headphones. Triangle Altea ESW speakers All Nordost ic and sc. Homemade pc Equicore 1800 power.
Last couple of years has seen a lot of changes and a lot not always for the better but this combo in my room to my ears is sublime. Nothing stunning about any one item but the synergy just gelled.
Luxman L509X if you can live with an external DAC. 220 watts in 4ohms. I'd buy L509X used for 7500 and get their DA-06 DAC used for another 2500 and be done for a while. It's a sublime combination.
Mark levinson ml585 if you cannot live with an external DAC.
I would not touch MCINTOSH. Just look at the internals as compared to the above amps. MCINTOSH is all about the looks anymore.
The review is as senseless as most, I am not even sure he burned it in before listening for at least 100 hours. The most important thing he said was that Flemming Rasmussen had retired. That's bad, who knows what is going to happen with Gryphon. Diablo 300 is $5k more. If buying new I would not even think about Diablo 120, the difference is not just power. Also, you can have both phono and dac in Diablo 300. If you can afford $11k for 120 you can afford $16k for 300. Just sell a few records that you will never listen if this difference matters. Go people, go.
I am afraid I do not agree on what one can afford. If one has a budget of 10k, they MIGHT be able to stretch another grand, might. Very doubtful they could go to 16k though. If I say I have 10k to spend then that is what it means,not 14, 15,16, 17k etc.
I do not think it at all reasonable to think someone who can spend 11k can spend 16k.
If so we would all have absolute top flight amps and drive Aston Martin's and all the Chevy Sonics would be sitting on dealers lots unsold. Or preferably just crushed. ☺☺
Yes, the used Diablo 300's go very quick once they are listed for sale. Some are 220V and/or selling from overseas, so they are no good for me. I would be interested to get a 120V one in good condition for around $7-8k.
@uberwaltz They are out there, but as RIAA mentioned earlier you will need to move quickly. If you go with a Euro spec unit (many more available, and lower prices) make sure Gryphon is willing to convert to US spec (I don't think you want to go the step-up transformer route).
I've also seen the Vitus SIA-025 (Mk2) close to the top of your budget range.
As you know, I have the T+A PA 3100 HV and am extremely happy with it. Their 3000 units can be had for close to the upper range of your budget, also.
These top tier integrateds are worth every dollar (and more) that you'll be investing in them, should you go forward with one. I encourage you to be patient and move accordingly. All the best.
It's easy to find out if Gryphon would convert to 120 V. Good step up transformer, not $50 Chinese, should be alright with Gryphon, I suspect. Overseas transactions would worry me more than this.
A Diablo 300 is on the Agon right now, located in Singapore, a 220v version and priced where I would expect at 12.5 k not in the 7 to 8k range. Course if it ever sells at that price in todays market is entirely another matter indeed! Plus a decent step up transformer is required.
uberwaltz, sounds like you are done for now but when, or if you get the upgrade bug again be sure to check out the new Ayre EX-8. It has a great built-in DAC and headphone amp and seems to meet most of your initial criteria. I too own the AX-7e along with an Ayre Codex DAC and the EX-8 sounds much better in my system. The AX-7e is no slouch and in combination with the Codex sounds really good. YMMV of course but in my system it is a dramatic improvement. Good Luck!
Some crazy Japanese audiophiles use two transformers to change voltage up and down and claim it sounds better. Acupwr.com transformers look good to me. No, he probably won't sell it to the US for $12.5k, $10k maybe.
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