A decent integrated amp under 2K ...

Hi, 

Listen the V-fet amps, really better than other SS, "tube like" sound, courbes similar to 300b triode.

Pass first watt SIT (2x 15 watts)

Sony ta-4650 (vintage 2x 30 watts)

I compared these two amps with my focal 907be speakers, similar sound, very natural, the sony was better with sensibility 89db.

I also compared with yamaha as-2000, much power, but no sensations, no emotion, no smile, nothing !!!

Really better than El34 PP to a friend, it's incomparable !

Now, I use the Sony with a preamp tubes (2x mullard CV4024, 2x rayton baldwin 12ax7 grey plates) 

Oh my god, the sound is fabulous, very clear and transparent but no stress !

Sorry for my langage, i'm french...

@pr : merci pour votre suggestion... je sais que les amplis en class A sonnent mieux que les transistors et qu'ils rivalisent même avec les tubes... par contre, ils chauffent beaucoup et je ne peux me permettre d'avoir un ampli qui chauffe à ce point pendant les mois d'été... je n'ai pas l'air climatisé et ça monte souvent à 31 degrés chez moi durant les mois chauds... merci d'avoir pris le temps de me répondre... au plaisir...

@alaindexe,

Just to be clear: All class AB solid state amplifiers run in class A to a point. Case in point the Schiit Ragnarok 2 runs class A for one watt and class B for 59 watts @ 8 Ohm. In my system the Ragnarok 2 amp generates less heat then my 20 watt class A mono block amps. Also,500 watts maximum power consumption from the wall socket is when the Ragnarok 2 is running @ maximum output power 60 watts @ 8 Ohms and 100 watts @ 4 Ohms. But when the Ragnarok 2 is outputting 3 or 4 watts into your speakers that power consumption from the wall socket I think will be very very low. FWIW, The Ragnarok 2 sounds great in my rig. My speakers efficiency is 2.7% @ 8 Ohms. My room is 13'x25'x 9'. The only way you will know how it sounds is to try it in your system. If you do not like it return it back to Schiit. Hope that helps. Mike

Musical Fidelity M6 Encore 225
 

Loads of onboard features: DAC, CDP/ripper, 1 TB storage, streaming, digital/analog inputs. 225w class a/b into 8ohm.

screaming deal at $2279. 

@ditusa : I know about this class A/B thing ... I was talking about the class A section of the headphone which is - according to Schitt - 6 watts ... this doesn't seem much, but still I'm wary of the heat generated by class A ... BTW, it's not convincing to say that it heats up less than a 20 watts amp in class A since everyone knows that such an amp emits a LOT of heat ... I read the 52-pages pdf file with all the graphs and detailed specs but NOWHERE does Schitt mention standby consumption, idle consumption or give any other consumption figure, which seems suspicious for a company generating so many measurements for its devices ... You're right about one thing : the only way to know is to try it, but the problem is that I live in Canada and won't be able to take advantage of their trial offer because of the customs ... Finally, you wrote :

My speakers efficiency is 2.7% @ 8 Ohms.

I've been in this hobby for over 40 years and never saw such a measure... efficiency is always measured in decibels (db), usually with 1 watt at 1 meter (with a pink noise) ... regards... AL