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Search for miracle integrated

Hello All,

I'm on a search for a very specific type of integrated. I am upgrading my system from the top of the stream down. I go all digital / Lossless quality or higher so the logical start was with the DAC. I just received my Yggdrasil which I absolutely LOVE and feel that I got a much better value than I was expecting (even with all the praise online it met and exceeded my expectations).

My quest continues with the integrated. I am looking for a company that spends very little on marketing and works to move as much of the value for the money to the product itself. Very high value is important to me, I want to get value above the price and I don't want to pay for anything I don't need (such as a built-in DAC as I already have one). The more musical and the higher the clarity the better. My short list is pretty short- the SimAudio Moon 600i and Ayre's integrated.  Some other factors are below. I typically buy new but I'm open to a good value in a used product as well.

Budget (only for the integrated): $8K+/-
Music preference: classical, light rock, pop
End speakers:  It is between Accoustic Zen Crescendo / Vandy Quatros / Wilson Sophias / Revel Salon Ultimas 
Power: 150 WPC+ into 8 ohm

xerotrace
soundsrealaudio's avatar
soundsrealaudio
642 posts
 
I revisited you post and looked at your power requirements which are pretty high for a not real expensive integrated. I would consider speakers that require less power, that usually means they have a crossover that doesn't suck the music right out of them. Some are so over dampened they sound lifeless. In your price range I would be thinking more efficient speakers and perhaps a sweet little tube integrated. 

Good luck
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
take a look at Creek
stewart0722
171 posts
 
I had my first exposure to Schiit @ RMAF.

I listened to each and every can setup in the Jam tent,
and was uniformly unimpressed.....

You can do a lot better.......
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
4,382 posts
 
Look at the Marantz Reference integrated line as well as the newest line of Yamaha integrated gear. These two fit your criteria, save for the power you'd like. As others have said, try more efficient speakers or see if you can get a try out/return program like Music Direct offers. It's where I got my Marantz gear from. They are great to deal with.

All the best,
Nonoise

cedargrover
255 posts
 
100 people, 100 opinions!  :)

I'm one of those people that thinks that the amp and speaker choices should inform each other.  So my only comment is that if you end up choosing the Vandy, then I would urge you to seriously consider the Ayre AX-5 Twenty.  And vice versa.   

Good luck and enjoy.
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