Vincent SV-237MK. With it's three tube preamp stage, It handles your preference in music quite well, with the first 10 watts in pure class A and plenty of power for even the most demanding speakers. It should sound great with your JBL's Nice looking one in your price range here;
Integrated Amplifier Recommendations Needed
I have a pair of JBL L112 speakers in excellent condition, but I would like an integrated amplifier to drive them. The JBLs are fairly efficient, 89 dB @ 1 W/1 M, and the maximum recommended amplifier power is 300 watts. My room is 20X25 with 10-foot ceilings.
100 wpc would be adequate; what do you all recommend? I want to stay under $2000, and used equipment is fine.
I listen to 80% jazz, from small groups to big bands. The rest mixes classical, classic rock, Steely Dan, etc.
Best,
MB
- ...
- 63 posts total
I’ve owned over a dozen integrated amps. I would go with more than 100 watts if solid state, 100 watts tube would be ok. I have 90db speakers and use a 250 watt separate amp. I used the jolida, both sprouts, and the auralic in my 2nd or 3rd systems and they all sounded pretty good. McIntosh ma6500 or the ma6900 are very nice sounding, they are over 20 years old now. The hegels were nice sounding but a little light in the power category. I bought the 360 because I wanted to use the integrated dac but it wasn’t as good as my separate dac. I upgraded my speakers to the larger Ushers in my 26x16x15’ room and the Hegel didn’t control the larger woofer so I went separates. The rogue tube sounded very nice with the usher mini dancer 2’s, so much so that an audio friend posted on agon how good the setup sounded. I used the 4 ohm load setting. My only complaint was in the bass area where I thought it sounded a little flabby so I bought the hegels. in my 2nd system, the Auralic Polaris is a great sounding integrated, with everything you can think of in it. My large ushers at 86db efficient sound very nice thru the Polaris, I just need to turn up the volume a little more, with the Revels, normal volume levels. Read some of the reviews from Darko and others on the Polaris, I would take the Polaris over the hegels up to the h360 for the sound quality and what this amp gives you in features. If you like tubes, the rogue with its integrated phono was nice sounding too. In my dedicated audio room, my 250 watt SS separate amp is as low as I would go for my 90db Revels. |
I tend to agree with bgross. Vintage speakers should have a vintage receiver. Sansui, Marantz, Kenwood, Macintosh. Upper end models of any of the brands fully restored (pots cleaned, replaced, caps and diodes replaced) should be available within your budget, and will compliment the JBLs the best. My son just put together a classic system with Sansui 5000x and Wharfedale Achromatic speakers. Looks great, and the sound is amazing. Compares well with any of more current recommendations. Great sound stage, focus and PRAT. The adjustments of response on both the receiver and speakers, let you tailor the sound to the room, and even helps move the presentation forward or back (by adjusting the mid response) as desired. Also want to take a moment to comment on the Hegel recommendations. I have listened to the Hegel 390, and also some of the lower line models. Listened with Revel Performa M105. Initially very impressed, but further listening at another session, I find the mids to be smeared together. Great bass and Hi end, but the mids just lose instrument definition and placement. Maybe with larger 3 way speakers they work, but not for me. I would not recommend Hegel for big band or classical. YMMV. |
- 63 posts total