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.
jprice

Showing 1 response by jtgofish

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jtgofish
515 posts
 
The Optonica SM5200 is an unassuming looking integrated amp from the late70s early 80s.These are comfortably better than 99% of pre-power combos.They use a simple STK 466 integrated amp module-no transistors,and sound closer to a really good modern valve amp than anything else.
They are better than any of the digital type amps I have heard and are only bettered by the very best valve pre-power combos.Unbelievable I know-but true!
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