Best Integrated, period.

Calvinj - your responses were bang on. Well said.

Since moving away from a major city to a smaller town, I've really missed having local dealers to work with. Not having a local dealer has really handcuffed me. I now have to buy & try....no more try before I buy. Its funny how you don't appreciate these things until there gone!

That being said, since moving to a smaller town, I've made an effort to get to know some great dealers in other states. You mentioned one of them with Mr. David Baskin at Design Audio in Texas. I have made a couple of visits to David's in the past couple of years and enjoyed his systems. I did get to hear his Raidho D5's with Soulution, Constellation, Hegel and Accuphase. David is one of the true honest gentleman in this business. I just wished he lived closer!

I've also worked with others like Mark at Reno HiFi and some other dealers around the country, but its not the same as having a local dealer. Therefore, I often have to purchase gear to try it, and lets face it, none of this gear is really terrible - so it all comes back to system synergy. In addition, not having local dealers has caused me to make it a mission to attend all the major shows each year: CES, RMAF, Axpona, TAVES, etc. Although far from ideal, the shows at least give me some ideas and exposure to great new products.

Getting beyond the nonsense of some and getting back to the topic at hand, the Soulution 530 seems like a world class integrated, and unless I'm mistaken, also has the excellent Soulution phonostage.

Another integrated to look at is the new Mark Levinson 585. I did get a chance to hear it at TAVES this year.

Also, VAC has the 160i SE coming out (if its not out already) and I believe that has some nice upgrades over the original 160i. The phonostage in the 160i SE is also no slouch.

There are several excellent integrated amps to fit most budgets. Let's just hope you can find the one that provides you with that great synergy you're after.

Seems someone belly ached about me pointing out how a certain member here flips his gear more than Snoop Dog changes his shoes, and thus has no credibility.

Some like to roll tubes, dacs, amps ... After all, this is a hobby and that's the definition of a hobby.

I judge members by contents of their post and find Mbovaird offers very informative information. I will be in the market a cool running SS amp next summer so will add MF Nu Vista 800 to my list of candidates.

Here is lesson in making assumptions; I wasn't responding to your comment.

Calvinj, I agree with most of your post but have to agree with Melbguy1 IMHO.

@everyone.Thanks for all of your insights and comments. I'm good with it all. It's there. I believe in being straight up as I can. I think all of the comments have been great. I heard that the vitus gear was really good. Melbguy1 made some great suggestions on the integrateds. He seems to know a lot of good brands. I can respect that but I want try as much as I can. So I can get the right amps.

Calvin, all members on here can do is pass on their advice based on their relative experience and budgets. There is no substitute for auditioning gear (preferably with a brand/type of speaker you like). That's the only way you've find out what sounds good to your ears. Before I bought my Vitus integrated, I listened to the Bladelius Thor Mk3, Rowland Continuum 500, Audio Flight Two, Boulder 865, Dartzeel CTH-8550, Vitus RI-100 & Vitus SIA-025 before finding out what I liked. Let us know where your journey ends.

Tell me your insights on each. How was the vitus ri 100 and the audio flight 2