Integrated amp recommendation for Focal 1038
I have a pair of 1028 BE II in one of my systems. When I purchased them, I also listened to the 1038’s in the dealer’s show room. The dealer demoed both pair of speakers with Mcintosh integrated amplifiers and I thought they sounded great! Cannot recall the particular model. It may have been the 6700. While I use separate amplifiers and preamplifiers in most of my set ups, due to space constraints, I employ an integrated with the 1028 speakers. The best that I have heard is the Pass Labs 150 integrated. It runs warm, but sounds incredible. Everything that you would want is there. Unfortunately, my wife found the set up difficult to operate (changing both the input on the television and amplifier to switch between sources). That system is where she watches most of her television. I simplified things for her by putting in an AV receiver with HDMI switching which operates in stereo mode. The room correction does help, but it is still nowhere near as good as when the Pass Labs integrated was in the system. I also had a Peachtree 220 SE in that system for a while which did a very nice job, but was not quite as good as the Pass Labs. Hope this was of some help to you. |
Peachtree Nova 300 is a fantastic performer and a bargain at $2,200 https://darko.audio/2017/01/dancing-with-the-big-boys-the-powerfully-persuasive-peachtree-nova300/ |
If you’re not insistent on class A power (which the aforementioned amp may run out of juice)… based on my own first hand experience, I would second the motion for the Pass INT 150. You get to stay in the Pass Labs family and there’s no such thing as too much power. If anything it’s beneficial as you’ll get more dynamic headroom ..etc.. Harry |
