Best Integrated, period.

Audiozen and Kiwi, with all due respect......I believe the 69 S/N ratio being mentioned in an above post is an approximate for the PHONO STAGE S/N ratio, not the amp/pre-amp S/N Ratio.

My experience with VAC gear leads me to believe that the 69 is estimated on the low side...it would probably measure much better AND, 69 is quite good for a phono stage.

I've seen excellent stand alone phone stages that did not exceed the 69 that VAC conservatively approximates. For instance, Leben's new phono stage AT ITS BEST, measures in the mid 60's and that was after Atkinson of Stereophile had to perform some work to get it above the mid to high 40's.

VAC doesn't publish all of the numbers necessary for those who love keeping score at home, they just build great gear. To my knowledge, they have not published the S/N ratio of the amp/preamp sections.

Mine is dead quiet by the way and continues to get better and better....regards all.

Ghasley..the S/N number's I posted are on SS Integrated's only without phono stages. As always, the best way to test the noise from your component's is turn the volume/gain knob up
to max with no music signal and put your ear up against the tweeter. The best designs are as quiet as a tomb. Integrated's often have lower numbers since the amp/preamp are on one platform. Simaudio uses their patented Lynx or Renaissance circuit design which produces a much lower noise floor. For Sim to create an integrated with a S/N of 120 db's from the Pre section is a rare achievment. You will always hear some noise on very quiet low level music passages from a product with low numbers. It is subtle, but there.

Audiozen, do you sell both Magico and Simaudio?

You don't even have to listen music to decide what amp sounds best, makes life much easier.

Tbg..No, I am not a dealer. Just an Audiophile for 35 years.
There is no way in hell I would buy a Magico speaker. I judge a product on longevity and word of mouth reputation over magazine hype that puts products ahead of the line based on annual advertising contracts. Simaudio has been around since 1980 and their separates I have heard over the years are very musical and rich sounding. As far as speaker's, there are three models out there today selling for under $10K that will perform as well as speakers costing up to $40K a pair. The Swans M6F at $3750.00 a pair. The new Polk LSIm 707 at $4K a pair, and the best under $10K speaker that Michael Kelly has made to date from Aerial Acoustics, the new 7T at $9850.00 a pair.