2. amps-preamps
  3. 177686-139109

My last Integrated Amp: $5-10,000?

I would like to hear recommendations regarding integrated amplifiers costing between $5-10,000. This will be my last amplifier for quite a while. I prefer to buy used when I can but also prefer no older that 2-3 years.  My speakers are likely to change every couple of years and I may keep more than one pair.

I like a detailed and transparent sound with air and the ability to easily to pick out the location of the instruments/singers.   I have liked the class A that I’ve heard and I’ve liked the tubes that I’ve heard but I don’t want to mess with tubes.  Also, I do not want a streaming device and I’d rather not have a built in DAC but I can live with it. 

My music preferences are vocals and 70-90s rock. 
So far I have identified the following possibilities that are available.
Mark Levinson: No 585 at $8400 and ML-5805 at $6550.  The latter is a new model and I have read that there have been teething problems. I don’t know if ML have corrected this situation. 
Luxman L-590AXII $7250  has a good reputation and longevity but is relatively low powered.

McIntosh MA5300, Coda CISB, and Gryphon Diablo 120 are also possibilities if available.

chinook9
nasaman's avatar
nasaman
462 posts
 

No one mentioned Jeff Rowland class-D Continuum S2?

 I love mine very much

taww's avatar
taww
128 posts
 

Many terrific suggestions here, the only (obvious) thing I’ll add is your choice of amp will narrow the selection of speakers that are best suited to your system and tastes, so it’s good to factor what your starting point speaker will be. I don’t think there’s a right approach to building your system around the amp vs speaker but speakers are far more variable so I tend to build around the speaker once I find one I like. And FWIW my amps have changed at about 5x the frequency of my speakers - I had my first set (Merlin TSM) for nearly 20 years, though with a few upgrades along the way, went through an experimentation phase with 2 transitional speakers (but honestly the real factor was I had more means), and I don’t intend to change my current ones probably for the next 10 years. Amps are also far easier to trade on the used market than speakers which makes swapping more straightforward.

taww's avatar
taww
128 posts
 

(Also FWIW, my first choice integrated for my next system is the Gryphon Diablo 120 but that is also because it works exceptionally well with my favored speakers.) 

axeis1
291 posts
 

I’m very very happy with my Aesthetix Mimas. 

aberyclark
1,355 posts
 

Luxman. 

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