2. amps-preamps
  3. 191715-3130

???What's The LEAST Expensive "End Game"Amplifier You've Ever Heard???

Pretty simple question..
While I’m sure the "No Such Thing" crowd will make sure they represent,I’m not interested in their rhetoric..
I am however,most interested to hear from those who have heard integrated amplifiers they could get off the merry go round with,ESPECIALLY if it was on the more budget end of cost..For myself it would have to be the Sugden A21SE but that was 2 years ago,before the cost climbed to $4000.00......
Thanks for participating..

freediver
mofojo
2,286 posts
 

Pass XA30.5 to my ears is the best I’ve owned. Detailed and layered with great tonality. Refuses to be clinical or piercing which I appreciate. 

soix
9,455 posts
 

An integrated wouldn’t be my “end-game” amp.  Get a non-functional McCormack DNA 0.5 for around 500 bucks and send it to SMcAudio and have them rebuild it for you.  Absolute SOTA amp on the relative cheap, and then just buy the preamp flavor of your choice to go with it.  I use an LTA MZ2 tube pre (with upgraded LPS), but that’s me.

wolf_garcia
6,692 posts
 

The XA-25 is an astonishing sounding amp ("veiled and rolled off highs with wooly bass" are absolutely NOT part of the XA-25 sound in my experience) and I’ve enjoyed mine tremendously for a few years now. It’s a keeper, as is my Had Firebottle HO (high output...ha...) SEP...that thing cost me about 1100 bucks and it was only a few months old (maybe 5 years ago). I swap between the two amps as my mood dictates and use very efficient horn speakers, so there’s that. Had and Pass make integrated amps from these two designs which are also well regarded.

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