Thank you for your reasoned and civil comment and question, jdoris. As is often the case here a simple and honest question from someone with a little experience in the hobby and a modicum of intelligence illicits a response that takes matters down a negative and heavy handed path. Especially since the thrust of my original comment should have been very clear to anyone not predisposed to heavy handedness and excessive ego. Let me try again:
First, I am not an equipment churner. I could offer more details about my approach to the hobby, but for purposes of this thread I will keep it to the matter at hand. I have owned and used a pair of Manley Reference 200/100 mono blocs for many years. Fantastic tube amps switchable between 200W tetrode and 100W triode. I’ve had the opportunity to compare mine to comparable current production Manley monos and others in the $10,000 range. Are the new Manley’s better than mine. Yeah, sure, a little…..maybe, depending on one’s tastes. If I were to sell my amps, I think that given their age, I would be lucky to get around $2000 for them. Same idea of diminished value for my tube preamps.
I have no doubt that there are some fine sounding integrateds made currently. I’ve heard systems built around integrateds and I would never dispute that there are NEW $3K integrateds that sound much better than, perhaps all NEW, $3K pre/amp combos. The convenience of integrateds is obvious and I’ve actually been very intrigued by the Jadis integrateds, having had experience with their amplifiers. However, a current $3K integrated better than my Manley’s and EAR preamp; or, other comparable high quality separates? Sonically and power wise? Both which can probably be had used for about the same price as a NEW $3K integrated. (I think it’s silly to get into the typical audio-jock disputes about whether something costs or is worth a couple of hundred $ more or less than something else and in which one’s opinion has to “walk all over” someone else’s).
Can the $3K integrated drive my Stax F-81 electrostatics (very inefficient) to give me the best, most natural sounding midrange that I have heard? Based on my sensibilities, of course. Or, my Maggies, to create the unbelievable soundstage that I hear? As just a couple of examples of what they can do. I suppose it’s possible, especially considering other aspects of the system and I’m open to the possibility. Actually, I hope that I’m wrong, but I kinda doubt it. That was my point and why I was surprised that the option of exceptional USED older separates had not been mentioned.
Thanks again.