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How to shop for an integrated?

I live in the NY metro area, and I’m looking for an integrated. I’ve been researching and reading about audio equipment for years, and now I’m ready to buy.

The problem is, most stores don’t seem to have much inventory or carry about 2 manufacturers (leaving one in my budget). They say things like “we only carry this manufacturer because they’re the best”, or “we stopped carrying that other manufacturer because of...”. Even if it’s an amp I like, I’ll hear “but the next one up is so much better, unfortunately I don’t have it to demo” or “I only have the higher end model, but the one you want pretty much sounds the same “.

And of course you’ll find similar with the speakers, making it nearly impossible to get an idea of how different amps sound with different speakers. Some don’t even have a turntable to use to demo.

It seems like I’ll need to heavily rely on reviews because it’s very difficult to sit down and really compare in person.

Conversely, I used to live in Singapore, and that was so much better. There’s basically a multi level shipping mall filled with high end audio stores who each carry a significant amount of inventory.

I’m hoping for some good suggestions.

 Thanks 
msafrick
freediver
1,122 posts
 
This is the information age.If it’s available for sale it’s been tried & there is a TON of info on just about any integrated on the market..I myself LOVE integrated amps,especially with built in DAC functions..As a matter of fact I’ve demo’d a dozen different ones in my home system & another dozen on the road..I consider myself highly educated on today’s integrated amplifiers..Start with more info here,budget,room type & size,listening habits(LOUD,normal or low level),room acoustics(hard & reflective,soft surface everything or in between),types of music listened to should do..
You’ll get specific recommendations & the more that reply a pattern will form in which units to start investigating...Read EVERYTHING you can find on your choices,ask more questions here..Honestly it's almost impossible to get a bad amp now days,some are better than others but even the extreme entry level can make a highly musical system...Same goes for speakers..IMO NEVER in our history has so much great sounding gear been available so inexpensively..

Eventually you will either have to go seek out the gear or buy & try unheard..I’ve always had good luck following this method...
Have you listened to any live music lately?You need to hear different musical instruments in different acoustic rooms to have a baseline as to what real music sounds like..Good luck..
edcyn
1,876 posts
 
Sure, direct side-by-side comparisons of the components on your "Wanna Buy" list may not entirely be in the cards, but the NY Metro area has got to be a veritable candy-land for high-end hardware. Phone a bunch of dealers. Ask them what they got. Tell ’em your stories, your tastes and what you currently got. Make an appointment. Look serious but mellow when you show up. Twiddle some knobs. Bring some vinyl & CDs, or ask ’em if they can stream your favorite tunes on Qobuz or Tidal. Listen with an open mind and open ears. Be disciplined when they pressure you to take one home for a spin. In any case, it won’t be long before you’ll have a pretty good fix on what you want to take home.   Finally, oh yeah, do your best to actually make the purchase from the lucky dudes.
213runnin
914 posts
 
I think more information is needed. Your proposed budget, the speakers involved, the room size, type of music being played, and any sound characteristics you prefer.
That said, the Schiit Audio Ragnarok is very musical can be ordered with a built in dac and phono stage. $1500 and up.

I’ve actually heard of that shopping center you speak of.  Too bad there’s nothing like it in NY.

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