2. amps-preamps
  3. 1136848549

Is There any Truly "High End" Integrated Amp?


I'm a reasonably well experienced audio nut and have tried a number of "good" integrated amps. I wonder, though, if there are integrated amps that are good enough for the "best", most revealing speakers. (Think Avalon Eidolon, Verity Parsifal, various JM Lab Utopias, and a variety of other fine speakers that do not have mammoth power requirements.)

People talk about the Levinson, the Musical Fidelity KW-500 and the lesser MF amps, the BAT integrated, The Rowland Concerto, etc. etc. etc.

I would like to hear from people who have actually tried the top tier of integrated amps and would be very interested in learning of their findings.

Don't need to be the most expensive. Could be the YBA Passion, Classe, MacIntosh 6900, Krell 400i, or any of a number of integrated amps that are supposed to sound good.

Hope to hear some good feedback.

Thanks very much.
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avantgarde
57 posts
 
Goldmund 330 Integrated
bwright
7 posts
 
I'd say yes. I have been auditioning high end integrated amps for some time now, and like the rest of us, have been looking for one with the perfect balance of detail & warmth.

These the most interesting I have heard thus far:

McIntosh MA2275 (tube) - A truly balanced sound - I can understand why they charge so much, as you'll have no need for separates. A great combination of tube flavor with a detailed solid state leaning. Easy to listen to for hours, and it can handle a variety of musical genres. Best all around integrated amp I have heard so far.

Simaudio I-5 (solid state) - Detailed without the ear surgery edge - used ones are an incredible value - an all-around great performer. A bit mellow on the bass/impact side, although the new I-5.3 is supposedly going to address this.

Marantz PM-11S1 (solid state) - This is a really interesting integrated amp from their Reference series, and I'm surprised it hasn't received more attention in the press. Laid back, tightly detailed, but insanely musical with the right recordings.

I have also auditioned Krell, Manley, PrimaLuna, Pathos, Arcam, Musical Fidelity and others - and have a few more to go (Unico, Ayre, etc.). All are excellent in their own right, but these three really stood out.
foster_9
1,610 posts
 
Bwright: I'd like to hear your feedback on the new Master Series integrated from NAD: NAD M3
piedpiper
753 posts
 
I use the Cary 300SEI BLX although heavily modified. check it out by clicking on my "system".
kalan
185 posts
 


Someone already mentioned the excellent GamuT DI-150---very nice and quite expensive.

Another really good integrated is the Linar 10--and not nearly as expensive as the DI-150. It is a 5.1 channel integrated that can be switched into four channels into two-channel stereo for the easiest bi-amping I know. (It’s a matter of connecting speaker cables appropriately and hitting a switch on the remote.) I heard this unit (at a friend’s house) played as a normal stereo amp and liked it a lot, then heard it in 4 x 2 stereo, bi-amp’ed, and it blew my sox off. Four channels of clean, 125 watts (each) in stereo mode really sang.

Linar gear sounds clear, open, extended, musical, and controlled. The frequency extension is the first thing I noticed: lows go quite low and the highs seem to just go on and on. It is on my short list if I want to down size.
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