Need Integrated to pair with Triangle Antal.


Just sold my Bryston 4B Amp and pre. Too much for my Triangle Antal speakers. I want to spend under $1500 for a Integrated(with remote). Also need a CD or CD/SACD player. I can spend about 2K total. I am looking at 'used' for now. Your suggestions will help. Considering Pathos. Any arguements for SET with these speakers?
otis_ofnh
I have an AMC 3040 Int tube amp. Love the sound. They can be found used cheap. Get them modified at Retrodaze. They will upgrade caps and put in new tubes with sockets. (The stock first runs of the amps had tubes soldered in)

The amp has a phono stage and even tone controls (which can be bypassed). I have just had it modified with new tubes etc - even replaced the amp stage coupling caps with Auricaps. Sounds exactly like a friends Conrad Johnson now.
If you write Sam Telling from Stereophile he'll recommend you the Cayin. Very similar to McIntosh.

Also, try Creek - the older the model the better. You can get great bargains for less than $100. Honestly, I know it sounds cheap; but just believe me and try it. You will be extremely surprised. I did A/B comparisons for about two months in my apartment and it beat amps that were $5k+.

I have a pair of Celius and the detail is magnificient.

Others: McIntosh 275 (a bit too much), Accuphase, Wavelength Audio and Quad. Also recommend you audition the Naim Nait. PRetty unintrusive.
Which ever your choice you have advatage of high sensitivity if I remember correctly.Lot's of 40 watt tube models like my EAR 834 or a CJ (a bit noisy but very euphonic if you like tube sound).Though I didn't get along with the guy on the phone with him my buddy had good experience when he bought his Cary SLI80 tube integrated from Kevin Deal at Upscale Audio.He sells Triangle so good person to ask.More tubes-VTL 80il is also good price to quality artion with VTL and uses EL34's.Some like KT88's for more dynamics and bass but EL34 is the midrange tube so if you listen to much jazz,folks,small group ,clssical and vocal it's great.Total opposite if you can hear it is PS Audio digital integrateds which are very neutral.Cool as well since you can defeat either line or amp section if you want to step into sperates but don't want to have to get both pieces at once.
Chazzbo
P.S.Tell us what you end with by adding to this post.
Chazzbo
I've got a Simaudio I-5 LE that I'm about to pair with the Antal. Good detail, open soundstage, a bit more of a close-up presentation than with the Patho's Classic II, which is a few rows back. The i-5 sounds cleaner and clearer than the I-3 that I've been hearing in demo's. All of these sounded "good" though, and its just a matter of preference. The dealer used Simaudio Equinox or AudioAero CDP's, both over 2K and mated well with the above integrateds, and with much more expensive equipment. I'll probably be looking for an Arcam cd73 as I think it's 90% of the above two for 1/3 of the $$.
Unison is good choice as is Pathos Classic II (am I getting name right=it's their 100 watt Hybrid.Second version supposedly sounded much better than firstb though fisrt one can be gotten much cheaper).There is the all tube Jolida 100 watt.I thionk you'd alkso be very happy with one of my amps the EL34 based EAR 834 integrated.40 watts push pull should be plenty since it does not sound like you want to blow the walls down anyway.Bel Canto would be great but is I believe out of your price range.Minimax is a company to l;ook up.See reviews of it at www.6moons.com.With Holida and Minimax you can swing both ame brand amp and CD if not new than on used here on agon.
Chazzbo
When I was at CES in 2003 I remember both the Unison and Triangle rooms displaying a combo consisting of a Unison hybrid integrated with Triangle speakers.

I remember both set ups being fast, lively and musical. The only thing that I'd criticize is that the overall balance was a bit on the light and lean side for me.

I'm currently enjoying a 37wpc Bel Canto SET40 with ProAc 2.5s. Your Antals could probably be happy with less power than my amp, but I couldn't be sure if a low powered SET would work either.
I have Unison Unico which do very well with my Antals. But pay good attention to the source, my system was too bright until I upgraded my player-but I also had different amps then.
Good luck,