To integrate or not...

Tube integrateds are hard to beat. Where you say you can't change interconnects, what I see instead is not having to spend a lot on a good interconnect, without which separates simply cannot compete. Oh and power cord, cones, shelf, fuse. Having to buy twice as much stuff simply makes no sense. This from a guy who had a very good McCormack DNA1 amp and went to tube integrated, and never have seen anything to compare. Not without spending a whole lot more money anyway.  


Raven is another one to look at. Similar to Prima Luna but better made, and in Texas not China, and by Texans not Swedes or whatever euro country it is designed Prima Luna. Also Raven has a switchable sub out crossover so you can run full range or choose your crossover. Being made in Texas I would definitely be giving them a call.

Thank you both for that; very helpful. 

I think I'm still a bit scared at the thought of making a mistake!

I'm in the UK & there is nowhere to hear a Raven. Interesting you should mention them as I wanted to hear their amps a couple of years ago. What did you get after the McCormack DNA1?


I have also looked at L-509x... Is the phono stage good?

I prefer separates . I have all tube gear ( Quicksilver). I have the mono amps near my speakers. I like having a separate power supply for each component. Besides the shear weight, if the same chassis was shared being that all my gear is tubes I think the heat would be too much. I just think separates are more flexible than an integrated. That’s just my take on this!!

I just like fewer boxes now....for many years I had separates because I enjoyed looking at gear I guess. I've had tube integrateds for many years and currently running a PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium. The PL is my favorite tube gear so far. Tube rolling is fun and easy but the sound quality is just terrific. Miller....my understanding is PL is a Netherlands company, designed there and built in China with Dutch supervision on site. Those who like separates enjoy the ability to "upgrade" piecemeal and tinker around ad nauseam. So now I have a three box system....server, integrated amp and streamer-dac.

   Hello Rich,
     I think a high quality integrated amp is a very good option with many advantages for some, but I'd recommend you choose one that you love the sound quality of with your current speakers and determine as best you can whether or not you think you'll change your main speakers during the expected lifespan of your integrated.  Synergy between amps and speakers are not entirely predictable and require validation through specific auditions.
     From my perspective and experience, the flexibility of separates has proven to be important even while maintaining the consistency of using similar large, somewhat inefficient Magnepan main speakers.  
     I've used an assortment of various preamps, from an Adcom 565 solid state to a VTL with NOS Mullard tubes to an Oppo 105 to a Levinson 326S solid state, and an assortment of various high powered ss amps, from class AB McCormack and Aragon stereo amps to class D monoblocks.  
     If I began with a Primaluna tube or Pass ss integrated amp, it's hard for me to imagine a path leading to my extremely pleasing and effective combination of a Levinson preamp and high powered class D monoblocks, at least not a very expensive and winding path.  
     Do you know where your path might ultimately lead?

Tim