best integrated amp.

... I, like you my friend, am searching for a New (meaning new piece of equipment) or New-To-Me Integrated, and there is a plethora of stuff out there!

I am presently using a Phillips High Fidelity Labratories Pre-Amplifier (c.1980) with an Onkyo A7 Integrated amp (c.1978) as power ( about 65w/c/8 ohms); I enjoy the Onkyo straight as an integrated but get more definition and depth with the seperate pre... (speakers: Vintage JBL L25 creatures (c. 1972); new-vintage-on-the-way Gershman Avant Garde RX-20s (c.2000)

Being recently retired, and looking to consolidate, I want a higher powered integrated that could possibly be my last "power" purchase, and then spend the rest of my life swapping in and out with other speakers and sources (TT and CD/DACs)...

Am investigating the GamuT Di150 ($9800) or their Limited Edition (+$2000), but after reading so much of the Gurus opinions here, I may reconsider my price point and look into the Primaire and others, less expensive, like the Hegel and Parasound.

Thanks for your questioning - it many times helps alot of others out, without you The Questioner knowing it...

If you have room for 1.7s, then you probably have room for 3.7s

I would make that change before changing your integrated as the difference would be night and day in terms of low/mid performance

You can find 3.7s used in the 3K range and 1.7s will bring around a grand, so there's 2K, leaving you 3-5 for an integrated.......  I've owned both 1.7s and 3.7s and I'm telling you that half your music is missing...

Whether you did that, or stayed with 1.7s, Maggies need a lot of juice to really start to sing (I have Bryston 28BSST2s driving my 3.7s)

Forget about class A, the penalty in wattage versus any perceived benefit is not worth it, you need high quality class a a/b watts......

I would strongly consider the Parasound Halo integrated......@ 240W into 4 ohms, it's got the juice, it's also got a dsd dac built in and the price is very reasonable new at 2495 list.....I've heard it on 1.7s and 3.7s and it will not leave you wanting for anything.......

Hegel H300 used at under 3K would be a great choice, those amps are so musical it's crazy......or move up to a new H360 you can probably get new at under 5K if you negotiate a little

both Hegels also have DACS so that saves you some $$ going forward

If you want to move off the usual path, I would also consider the Conrad Johnson CA150 integrated.......Magnepan exhibited the .7 with this amp at CES last year and the results were fantastic.......here's a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYPKzZRl6cM

There's something very musical about everything CJ has ever done, this amp probably puts out about 200WPC into 4ohms.....and the amp can be gotten for under 4K brand new

There are SO many other choices, but these are amps I've actually heard with Maggies and you should look at the combo as a single component, not two........Maggies are magic with certain integrateds and sound very uninvolving with others that would look to be better fits by the specs......

Good luck.....

Another one I have not heard in person, but the reviews with Magnepans are off the chart is the new Schiit Rangarok integrated........It puts 100WPC into 4ohms, but according to Herb Reichert of Stereophile, it makes the Maggie .7s just come alive.......best of all it's only 1699.00 factory direct and you also have a truly world class headphone amp......

would be worth a try and if you didn't like it, you could always return it.....I bet you'd love it.....

http://www.stereophile.com/content/schiit-audio-ragnarok-integrated-amplifier#p75WvAKDITeOu9X2.97

stewart0722,Now you have got me thinking about maggie upgrade!My main system is a yba 600 power amp and a yba 100 passion integrated for preamp duty.I have never heard the 3.7s.

You can get 3.7s used for a very very good price right now.......
especially if you can go pick them up......   3.7s versus 1.7s
would provide you with a great deal more everything, but
mostly a real low end and fleshed out midrange......attributes
that no integrated upgrade for the 1.7s would provide.....

I would do both.......

get 3.7s minty used for about 3K, sell yours for 1K to 1.2K or so
then get an integrated with some punch that has been shown to gel well with Magnepan.......

All this depends on what size room you have......