Integrated Amp -- $1,500 or less.

Denon PMA 2000IVR integrated amp $1,200. Yes, that's what I said too when I first saw it, a Denon? A freind of mine works at a local electronic shop in town and every time I came in I'd check out all the audio gear and was always drawn to the room with the Denon integrated playing along with a Sony 9000es sacd dvd player and set of Infinity speakers . The Krell/ Martin Logan room just sounded sterile and uninvolving in comparison. Finally after 3 months I bought one to try out at home. This integrated amp is built like a battle ship rated at 80 watts a channel of ultra high current (this thing is so conservatively rated its almost false advertising) with separate power supplies. But how does it sound you ask? Glorious! It gives my McCormack DNA.5 Deluxe /Conrad Johnson PV 12AL tubed preamp combo some serious head turning competition and in some ways I even prefer it to the separates. I keep saying, how can this thing be sounding as good as it does, after all its just a Denon and Denon is suppose to sound like cheap Japanese audio right? Well most all of the Denon receivers I've heard do sound terrible but something is totally unDenonlike with this particular piece. It may just be the best bargain out there right now if you're not too embarassed to let your freinds see you own a Denon.:)

Aronov LS960i has been a great favorite of mine. A tube integrated amp whose 60 watts per channel yield a wonderful sound which will surprise you, as it has my visiting listeners, over the years. If you do a current search on Audiogon, there is one offered for sale at $1250. The seller's advertisement is a bit over the top, and most owners are actually quite satisfied even with the original manufacturer supplied tube set, but the item is worth a long look. Full range sound is fine, and it brings out the best bass capability of speakers in a completely unexpected way for this used price. I am not related to seller or to manufacturer.

Blue Circle CS

If your speaker is easy to drive, than I vouch for the 47 Labs Shigaraki integrated that can be had for the stated price or even lower used. It has a separate power supply and 3 inputs only, but when it comes down to drive and sound quality, it matches well into very expensive 5K combination, as I had playing before I got into it. It has 20 watts, but you have to hear it to believe it. It is amazing. It can match about 100% of the sound quality that a First Sound Presence Deluxe preamp offered partnered with a 200 watt DNA 225 would pound out....as long as the speakers you are driving are medium efficient, in dynamic terms. Furthermore, it gives the midrange insight that the same preamp would give with a 300B Western Electric tubes would provide, or least I call it a good 95% of it. I doubt that there is an integrated mentioned here that can do both of these feat together into one.
Mine sits beautifully on top of my McCormack Amp, which has become a $2700 amp rack for it. All other components in my system are becoming irrelevant as I speak. I have ran it with Epos ES11 monitors, which give a slamming sound, that I have not been able to hear from it, and now, I run it with a pair of horn loaded Fostex cabinets. Most excellent quality of sound.

PAUL

If you already have had Bryston gear have you thought about a B-60? They can be found used for half of your budget, and with thier 20 year transferrable warranty, what is the point of buying new?

just my 2c

Ellery