Best integrated amps under $9k

I just posted this in a different thread but it bears repeating:

http://www.exemplaraudio.com/integrated.html

At $5500 it's well below your $9k ceiling, but it's as good as it gets with respect to sound quality.  I've been buying John's stuff for years and it's always blown me away.  I had his eXception II pre 10 years ago and it was the heart of my system. I brought it to all my friends' systems to show off what it could do in their listening rooms. Upgrading to his current one was such a change, I risk sounding like ad copy trying to describe it.

The integrated is exactly like the pre-amp I have now, except it also has a 50wpc output stage.

With your room size and volume requirements, that should be plenty unless your speakers are unusually inefficient.

Paul Wakeen of Stillpoints just had one of these commissioned for his personal system, so it's fair to say it's a piece of reference equipment even though it's squarely in the 4-figure price point.

If you're in the SF Bay Area, you're welcome to stop by and hear what his gear sounds like.

From that maker's website:
" We believe that an integrated amplifier when done correctly will outperform best separates available.."
This is big BS. And they know it. I will not buy anything from him for one dollar.

Inna,

The funny thing is I went to his website and he doesn't even carry a power amplifier.

Any of you guys rocking the new ML integrated?

willgolf, while the integrated amp I have and would recommend may not be on par with some other recommendations made in this thread, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the integrated that I own/use - a Musical Fidelity M6si. Like all manufactures who boast about their equipment, in this case, part of the marketing speal is it's exceptional VALUE. Depending on the dealer, etc. it can be had new for somewhere between $2600 and $3000. Musical Fidelity claims anyone would be hard pressed to hear a difference between it and anything else costing many times more. I personally listened to a Krell Vanguard along side the M6si and was didn't hear enough (if any) of a difference to warrant spending another 2 grand on the Krell.