Best Integrated, period.


Has anyone compared, Gryphon Diablo, Gamut Di150, Vitus SS101, Krell FBI, APL UA-S1 Jeff Rowland Continuum 500? Please add what you found to be best integrated.
perrew
Just goes to show, I tried out a Unison Research S6, not the SE version and I thought it was frankly poor, dull, lacking in detail, dynamics. All these opinions are system, particularly speaker dependent and ear of course.

I still say, I have heard nothing to match the Dartzeel integrated. I had a chance to hear the Devaliet amp recently, with the Dartzeel next door. It's an amp that is flavour of the month at the moment. Yes it was good, the Dartzeel clearly better.
David, I agree. To my ears, I've tried Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista M3 and Ayre AX-7e with the Usher Dancer Mini 2 and none of them gave me satisfactions as what the Unico S6 SE offers.
I've had some good ones and enjoyed each of them immensely. Integrateds at various price points and for specific purposes i.e.:system matching, in no particular order: McIntosh MA2275 (not awesome), BAT VK300X SE (very good), Cary SLI80 F1 (twice, lush and euphonic depending on tubes), Naim Supernait (not bad, punchy but a little grainy at times), Shindo Apetite (very cool with the right speakers, trumped Leben et al), VAC Sigma 160i (incredibly rich and detailed, more versatile than any other tube integrated I've owned) and a Nagra 300i (OMG, nothing I've heard even comes close!!!). I've demoed ASR, Boulder, Mcintosh solid state, etc.

BUT....there is no best.
Trigon Energy. Heard it at the Jacksonville 2012 AXPONA show. Went to listen to a Audio Physiks demo and came away impressed with the integrated. It is one of the most accurate and musical HIFI components I have ever heard. It is a steal at 5k.
Hi used to own the Dartzeel CTH-8550 which for me was the best integrated amp to have graced my humble abode. It did not quite scale the heights in performance of a CJ ACT2.2 and CJ Premier 350SA combo I had but provided one of the most engaging sounds ever in an integrated amp I have ever heard...

That is until a Vitus RI-100 rudely made its entrance!

Think of the Dartzeel engaging sound with amazing punch and vitality to the music. Real performances sound as real as 'real'!

Best integrated I have heard period!