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looking for a new pre/amp or integrated amp

I am new here, and this is my first post.  I am looking for either a pre/amp or integrated amp, specifically for listening to music.  Here is what I'd like the solution to have:
  • Ethernet jack (for connecting to my home computer to play music files of CD's I've ripped)
  • 2 channel (this is not going to be a surround sound setup)
  • Wifi (I'd like to play Spotify)
  • XLR inputs (for the CD/DVD/Blu ray player) - I'm not sure this is critical, as I think optical digital might be just as good.
  • 90-140Watts 
  • Phono input
  • Price range: $1000-2000
Does anyone have any suggestions?  I've looked at Yamaha, Anthem, Marantz, and Parasound, but I haven't found anything that checks all these boxes.  Thank you!  Doug
dougmint
russbutton's avatar
russbutton
429 posts
 
I run Ubuntu Linux on a laptop old enough to have a Windows Vista sticker on it.  Every bit as good a media player as anything you can find on Audiogon costing many thousands of dollars.  I run it into a Peachtree DAC, which feeds a standard unbalanced line into an SP13 tube preamp from tubes4hifi.com.  The Peachtree has an optical feed I take from a CD player.  

There's nothing made with all the things you're asking for which will surpass my rig.  
joshelston
53 posts
 
Check out the naim unitiqute 1 or 2.  It looks like it ticks most (but not all) of your boxes.  It’s rated at 30 wpc but I wonder how you determined that 90-120 was the right number?  Also, not xlr but that seems optional based on your description above.  Does have phono.  Pretty close to what you were looking for?  Main downside I see is that they are discontinued for higher end versions that someone else mentioned above.  So, you would have to find a used one.  
mesch
3,481 posts
 
In my opinion a $2000 investment into a 2 box solution, a server and an integrated amplifier, would prove to be a a better investment, both sonically and ecconomicaly, over the short and long term, than a AVR. With the latter one is paying for too many devices that will never be used, many imposing on the signal being amplified.
dougmint OP
21 posts
 
Hi mesch.  I'm curious into your idea.  Can you give me an idea what you are thinking relative to a server?
yyzsantabarbara
4,819 posts
 
If you buy one of the Sonnare Ethernet-to-USB products, such as the SonicOrbiter or microRendu you sort of have Ethernet to your DAC. I have both products getting wired Ethernet to my DACs via USB. I also use a PowerLine adapter to extend my Ethernet to my bedroom.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AWRUICG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My music is on my server in the laundry room. I also use ROON and Tidal for my music management and streaming subscription needs. These can be controlled by multitudes of mobile and desktop computing devices. This is the type of setup you are likely looking for. I am not going to recommend an integrated amp for you since now with this typology you can use any USB compatible DAC/integrated.

I have been doing digital audio since maybe 2002, starting with the original SqueezeBox and Benchmark DAC1, My current setup is the most advanced and useful configuration I have ever had.

I recently posted a new thread on the DAC section of A’Gon about the future DACs and Ethernet, you may want to read that since it relates to your Ethernet requirements.
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