Bragging rights.....

I would assert that The high efficiency of Class D amps along with optimizations with power supplies for that including noise suppression enables integrated amps in general to push the limits and please even more people. Having been around a while and experienced a lot in this area, that is my observation. Noise levels with Class D amps many years back was a common problem but need not be anymore.

So more is always possible with separates. It’s not a slam dunk though in all cases. In fact it’s probably harder than ever for separates to distinguish themselves in any way meaningful to most home audio users.

A hard core audiophile determined to always push the limits no matter what will still not stop trying to do that. Some will succeed. Others may not. My point is personally I no longer feel that the return is worth it for me. So I turn in my audiophile membership card. Call me an enthusiast, at least for now. 😉. I will always be a music lover.  

@mapman

i like this thread but am confused why you feel you need to not be called an audiophile just because you went to a simplified system... that seems silly

audiophiles care about excellent reproduction of music in the domestic environment but all audiophiles have limits regarding space, budget, placement etc etc... dealing with those doesn’t make them any lesser audiophiles

@jjss49

Yeah it’s just semantics I suppose and I am being a little tongue in cheek. I suppose if one is successful on achieving one’s goals, that is all that matters.

Talk to me in a year. Who knows what I will be then. 😃

Mapman,  I'm sorry but once you become an audiophile you can't be demoted to audio enthusiast, it's not possible here on Agon. Although nothing wrong with simplifying your system.

The Coda CSIB integrated is a not as well known as say Ayre,or Pass labs 

Nelson Pass actually started out with this same design team 

at Threshold -Stasis ,great classics audio , then Nelson went out solo in the 1990s 

and these engineers formed Coda , a fantastic integrated with the biggest potted ,not open toroidal like most 3,000va which is much bigger then most 

and 3 power choices for the same price ,lowest power is 18-1st watts in pure class A ,then 150,300,600 wpc , super high current 120 amps short term 

and on back 2-16 amp slow blow fuses , 10 year warranty ,exceptional build quality 

for under $7k. A steal , I only upgraded the preamplifier output caps from the very good Rel caps to the Big Duelund tinned Copper foil foil oiled paper caps.

it sounds very good.