My last Integrated Amp: $5-10,000?


I would like to hear recommendations regarding integrated amplifiers costing between $5-10,000. This will be my last amplifier for quite a while. I prefer to buy used when I can but also prefer no older that 2-3 years.  My speakers are likely to change every couple of years and I may keep more than one pair.

I like a detailed and transparent sound with air and the ability to easily to pick out the location of the instruments/singers.   I have liked the class A that I’ve heard and I’ve liked the tubes that I’ve heard but I don’t want to mess with tubes.  Also, I do not want a streaming device and I’d rather not have a built in DAC but I can live with it. 

My music preferences are vocals and 70-90s rock. 
So far I have identified the following possibilities that are available.
Mark Levinson: No 585 at $8400 and ML-5805 at $6550.  The latter is a new model and I have read that there have been teething problems. I don’t know if ML have corrected this situation. 
Luxman L-590AXII $7250  has a good reputation and longevity but is relatively low powered.

McIntosh MA5300, Coda CISB, and Gryphon Diablo 120 are also possibilities if available.

chinook9

There's a Gryphon Diablo 300 just listed (not by me, and no affiliation) on another popular high end website for $9750. In your price range, I'd probably jump all over that. The Boulder 866 is another good choice. I had one for a couple of years and thought it was excellent.

 

 

There are quite a lot of good options in that budget range.  In addition to what has been suggested, there are also some Accuphase offerings (E-280, E-380), as well as the Cary Audio SI-300.2d.

I run a McIntosh MA5200 and its fantastic for me.  It does everything I need plus I love the way it looks.  I ran Krell's before and they were great too. 

You’ve already got several excellent options here, so if I’m you I’m reading all the reviews I can to see which one(s) best provide the sound characteristics you’re looking for. If you know you like the Class-A, solid-state sound it’s hard to see you going wrong with the Gryphon if it provides the sound characteristics you’re looking for, but I’d also add Vitus as another excellent option in that category worth looking into. So get reading(!!!), and best of luck in your search.