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Best budget integrated choices

I had a Sugden A21 some years ago but it died an unfortunate death.

I am looking for a budget (defined as as cheap as possible) integrated to power my LS3/5a V2 (a little easier to drive than the original) to not loud levels.

I worked myself into a tizzy of joy reading reviews of the Onkyo A-9010 Integrated Stereo Amplifier to only find out that the UK version is the one voiced (if I can say that) with a nice warm presentation.  I am a tube guy at heart but appreciate a warm SS amp.

What else should I be looking at.  I am a but apprehensive on used SS after mine died.

Thoughts?
portlandlay
tostadosunidos's avatar
tostadosunidos
1,197 posts
 
on the low end I'd get a used NAD BEE  2-channel IA and on the high end I'd go with the Rogue Sphinx (1395.00 w/ remote)
lou_setriodes's avatar
lou_setriodes
687 posts
 
$300 is a tough call but I recently saw some inexpensive tube integrateds on usaudiomart.  Other than that, Derek Sanderson's Fleawatt's come up from time to time and they sound great!
portlandlay OP
62 posts
 
Does anyone have experience with the Cambridge Audio CXA60?  It reviewed will on whathifi and price is smack in the middle of my range.
portlandlay OP
62 posts
 
Ruebent,

Thanks for the remainder about the little class D/T amps.  I played with the original tripath amps from PE when that rage started.  Anyway, I have two little monitors in the garage that I once had a car amp hooked to with a battery and charger but eventually the battery gave up.  One of these will be perfect to hook my phone up to and use there.  I workout in the garage so that will be nice to have back.
paraneer's avatar
paraneer
818 posts
 
"budget (defined as as cheap as possible)”  The cheaper I can get one the sooner I can get one :)  If I were to wait and splurge it would be about $1500.  If I buy now it would be that onkyo price around $300.
If your coming from a Sugden, then $300 isn't really going to get you what your use to. 

I would wait and splurge on the real deal.

If you need music now, just pick up a used amp or borrow one.  Hell, even a used AVR for under a hundo will make some noise in the interim.  The way these things depreciate, you can pick up fairly new models really cheap on Craigslist.
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