Retirement integrated amp for a “fiscal conservative”

@re-lar-kvothe thank you and the many others who recommended the Luxman 507/509 integrated. Lots of love it seems for them. @ghdprentice I am curious why you sounded so down on Luxman when you posted your thoughts earlier?

@coltrane1 I hear you and your point. In this “last significant investment” in my system, I’m looking to improve the sound quality as I tried (hard to do with words) to explain in my original post. If I can get the SQ I “desire” with an integrated that doesn’t require multiple power tube replacements over the next 20 years I’m planning on living and enjoying music, then that’s a winner!

There are lots of different sounds available on the market. Well regarded companies have a wide variety of sound types. There are flashy "high end sounding", holographic, natural, overly powerful impactful, overly warm. At the center is natural and musical, sounding like the real thing. I understand different people are satisfied by different sounds, although I think there is a propensity as we get older for most (but not all) to gravitate towards more natural and musical. Tinny high resolution systems tend to wear on experienced ears. I try and allow for variation, but some brands fall outside of serious sounding audio and to me solid state Luxman falls outside that circle. It sounds like it looks. Sparkling analytical with a serious under represented midrange and nearly devoid of rhythm and pace... the heart and soul of music. Each time I listen to them... and I am including their very expensive pieces I am very disappointed. I try to give good advice... the kind that will hold up for most people over time as they learn and change. It looks just great... but to me it is the kind of sound that is just too far from natural to get excited about and so I try at least case some doubt, so that if someone is inclined, they listen a bit longer to it, so as to be really sure that is what they want.

CODA, Ayre, BAT, or Hegel H390 used/H400 new/H590 used.

I understand your cost constraints, but a separate preamp and amplifier will outperform the integrateds......but probably about $10,000 for the combo

A lot of the suggestions I have owned, and I would not consider them a good replacement for tubes, except 1 which may have not been mentioned.

I can recommend the item but with a huge caveat. It is an incredible sounding Interated. Warm and buttery smooth with the first 90 watts Class A. It is the KRELL K-300i.

Krell K-300i integrated amplifier | Stereophile.com

Krell K-300i review | What Hi-Fi?

The reason I cannot fully recommend it is because today KRELL is a ___ show and maybe bankrupt and closing. There are used units that are 1/2 price online and maybe some dealers looking to unload their remaining stock.

If I wanted a tubey SS integrated I would get the K-300i and use these guys for any repair service. Krell Service and Repair | George Meyer AV

I used them to do a warranty repair on my K-300i for a pin that was stuck in the RCA connection. It was a cosmetic thing, but I wanted it officially fixed before I sold it. The repair shop said they can do anything on KRELL gear.

Krell k-300i integrated amplifier with digital board / DAC installed For Sale - US Audio Mart

BTW - I sold it to buy the KRELL DUO 175XD amp which is in the same lineup as the K-300i integrated. Never should have sold the 175XD amp.

@ezstreams Congratulations on your retirement, welcome to the club. It is off golf season for me currently, so I am listening to my system about 12 hours a day, some critically, some background as I browse forums and sometimes post, like now, but it is a wonderful life.

Looks like I am much more productive than @wsrrsw , I get half of my nothing to do done at the end of the day. 

Plenty of wonderful suggestions in here, I am sure you would enjoy many of the recommendations given, and you will never know what an Accuphase or Coda integrated will sound like in your system until you try it, but I wouldn’t be so anxious to replace what you have based on the possibility of a few future tube replacements. Knowing what I know, which is half as much as half of the people in here: 

First: I can’t speak to your integrated exactly, but I have the Primaluna EVO 400 pre, and I can tell you changing the tubes to older ones (NOS) from the ones supplied radically transformed it- it is not the same pre-amp at all. From memory I can’t confirm that the bass went from a bloaty ponderous flab to the tight defined tuneful bass I have now, but I recall resolution and clarity being transformative- I could put the stock tubes back in and compare just the bass if you are interested, but then this is a pre and not an amp so I don’t know if that information would translate. As some have stated in here call a reputable tube seller (mentioned in this thread) and get some advice- they might even give you re-buy back if it doesn’t work out.

Second: I didn’t see cables mentioned- but I skimmed the last 2 pages and didn't check your original post again, so I may have missed it- but you can get much better bass with upgrading your power cables/interconnects, so that may be an option. 

Lastly, don’t think solid state amps are problem free- I have had issues and repairs with everyone I have ever owned- everything has a life. Even the reported wonderful, bullet-proof, efficient, and environmentally friendly class D amps- my Nord NC500’s went through both of the power supplies in 4 years- tubes can last longer than that.