2. amps-preamps
  3. 164061-3105

Looking for a ‘’No braine’r Integrated amplifier under 7500 or so

hello all!

I’m looking for ideas on a ‘slam dunk’ flexible high value solidly performing INTEGRATED amp for an office system, but one that for a while can be my ‘go to’ or primary unit and is a bit above entry level.

preference is to buy new, but preowned in the right scenario works for me as well.

Pesently I’m starting all over in amassing gear and felt to initiate the project by wading into the water slowly.

I have on hannd remnants of my former   efforts in a then very good line stage preamp and DAC, though the DA age is showing and well behind current popular trends  and support for new formats.

also on hand are some ‘so so’ amps, and several pairs of speakers and I just added a Blue Sound Noede 2I.

ultimately I see nearly everything being replaced but felt starting with a very nice Integrated seems as good a starting point as any.

topology is as such, not too too imoportant. decent power however is key as speakers being paired here are as yet unknown. likelyhood here is a pair of monitors and a sub.

the music playback will likely be streaming from providers and NAS files.

Aesthewtix Mimas has peaked my interest currently. and having owned bAT their INT is interesting too. apart from these two I’m wide open to suggestions on current one box amp solutions..

glass or sand power here makes little difference apart from thereafter mating speakers to the INT power constraints..

your thoughts, and expieriences here are vastly appreciated. THX
blindjim
blindjim OP
3,092 posts
 

@kren000

Congrats on what I’m sure will be fine choices. Do post your impressions of the gear here when you get it, as it breaks in, and after it stabilizes out after break in.

blindjim>
Thank you. I’m hoping so too. in fact I’m pretty sure it will be just fine at the onset,

just figuring out the best paths for introducing the digital feeds will be a chore. the pdf user guide on the BC E1X was done as images only. sighted folks won’t notice a diff, but accessibility software can not read images. meaning all 45 pages of the preamp… DAC… and amp guides will have to be printed oput and rescanned ass OCR files then re-read and decryprted as the OCR ver is not an exact copy of how the items on each page were inserted. offten much of the content is well, scrambgled about the page. its a real chore at times.

then there’s the fiddling with cables, and iso gizmos, power line conds, etc.

I’m actually looking forward to this build as a few perspectives or bits of EXP . will arise during its arrangement and run in and with differing stands being used briefly right off the bat until the SA stands are made and delibvered.!

one thing for sure I’m not digging too much is running in a brand new pr of speakers… again. lol

but then somewhere in it all is the fun of this past time. somewhere….
jim
ducati1098rr's avatar
ducati1098rr
43 posts
 
Pass Labs and Simaudio are a great place to start. Pathos Acoustics is making some very nice integrated amps also.
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
Decware...for when you get tired of the high end merrigoround! Otherwise, Yamaha A S701....and get efficient speakers...you’ll thank me later!
scratcha
164 posts
 
Coda, Primare, Sugden?
blindjim OP
3,092 posts
 

UPDATE

presently running in the new Pulsar graphines with my dusty but trusty Onkyo 805 receiver with about 60 hours on them by close of day today.

another pair of speakers, these being floorstanders from Phase technology i just had completely rebuilt should arrive back from the factory tomorrow… perhaps.

Sound anchor stands for the Graphine stand mounts are still on order.also awaiting several signal cables from Monolith for connectivity.

with all of the equipment on hand having been sitting static for quite some time now, I see another month or so at least before I could honestly begin apprasing anythibng.

the JA Pulsar G’s do seem to be advancing in their presentation fullness at least. their lower register compliment has been the one aspect not easily overlooked by virtue of its presence from day one. Both the Onkyo Rec and JA Pulsar’s demonstration are akin to being neweish as the Receivert has been sitting static for years pretty much, seeing nearly no use in the intereim. both run several hours daily in another room playing various FM stations.

FUN! FUN! yeah, loads of funl.
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