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Gallo Reference 3.1; What integrated amp?

Hello,

I am a proud owner of a pair of Gallo Reference 3.1 speakers. I'm now in the market for a new integrated amplifier with a good phono stage or an additional separate phono stage (cartridge is a Sumiko Blackbird MC)

Unfortunately where I live there are virtually no stores that carry really high end hi-fi gear so I can actually go have a listen and I've been doing all of my research on the net.

I would love some opinions of what you think would be a good match for the Gallo's, amplifier and separate phono stage if required. My budget is up to around $3000-4000, hopefully less.

I've read really good reviews about the Copland CTA 405, a hybrid, which apparently has a good phono stage as well. I was also looking into the Primare I30 which is a high current amp with oodles of power but no phono stage. In tubes Cary Audio SLI-80 looks interesting as well and Eastern electric M520 seems a bargain. What do you think? What would you recommend as a phono stage?

Thanks!
Alexis
a_philippides
cytocycle
1,043 posts
 
One of my friends owned the Musical Fidelity A5, and while the unit has tons of current, the phono stage is nice for a $100-200 cart... so don't buy it for the phono. He was amazed as the improvement upgrading phono stages. He replaced the Musical Fidelity with a Primare, and now he has seperates for lots more dollars..

For those in Europe $2000 is not a pretty number for the sub amp, I would throw that toward a better 2 channel amplifier....
viclondon
19 posts
 
Cytocycle,
I perfectly agree with you. The problem is that over here a better 2ch amp will cost again double price compare to the US...
BTW at the end I went for a pair of Nuforce Ref 9SE v2 whick I found fabulous at the audition; they should be at my home tomorrow.
itsgriffo
1 posts
 

I'd be VERY interested in hearing your thoughts on the Primare I30 and Gallo 3.1 combo. I'm in a similar boat to you - difficult to demo locally and I end up having to demo when I travel interstate (in Australia). I've been v impressed with the Primare I30 and CD31 and am thinking seriously about it. Other contender at the moment seems to be the Creek Destiny.

To give back a little.. I recently added the SA to my system (NAD 352 integrated) as part of a gradual upgrade. I reckon whether or not to add the SA depends entirely on listening tastes primarily, but also room size etc. For me, it's a reasonably big room but I listen to a range of material. When testing, you need tracks playing real low stuff. In truth, I could live with the 3.1's performance sans SA, but Massive Attack's 'Unfinished Sympathy' is just not the same without it! Let me add a caveat - I'm still tweaking the many dials on the SA and don't feel I've got the best from it yet.
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