SS Budget "Tone" Integrated Amplifiers

BTW, I currently own the well regarded, inexpensive, Audio Refinement Complete Integrated Amp, as well as the Rega Elicit-R. The Audio Refinement is a nice little amp for the price. But the Rega Elicit-R is in a different class. It has much more control, better bottom end and more refinement. It's still musical, just much more exciting than the Audio Refinement. And it should be. It's 3X more expensive.

I’ve demo’d the Exposure 2010s2, didn’t care for it. I have a Rega Io now and I preferred the Io to it, ditto an Arcam A28.

Hi Greg, I’m in the exact same situation as you... eyeing those lower end Rega amps (IO, Brio) for my small room, so I’m interested in opinions. Could you please share what leaves you dissatisfied with the IO, and what are the strengths of that amp? What speakers are you using with it? Any dealbreaker flaws you’ve detected, or is it just a general urge to upgrade to something better?

V-FET transistors amps, Sony ta-5650, pass first watt SIT really better than my sugden A21, rega elicit-r, hegel H120 or yamaha as-1000, the musicality and the pleasure is an another world!!!

Not certain that a budget for a new amp @ $1000 level gets you off the merry go-round for any appreciable length of time.

With that said ... amps that I own or have owned that I have liked and have worked for me.  I am a sucker for vocals and acoustic music and 60s/ 70s rock and pre 2000 country and opera.  

$1500 

Rogue Sphinv v3 @ 1600 - very good phono

$1000

Rega Brio @ 1100 - good phono - needs careful speaker matching
Outlaw RR2160 @ 1000 - good phono - copper wire interfaces & cables work best

$500

NAD 316EEE - surprising for the money

Rich 

@rar1
Which speaker would you suggest as a nice match for the Rega Brio?

Really interested in that amp, and the IO as well..  Looking for a non-fatiguing full sound free of unpleasant brightness or shrillness.