2. amps-preamps
  3. 192404-111267

Retirement integrated amp for a “fiscal conservative”

I’ve taken the plunge and am now enjoying the 2nd week of retirement after 44 years of work, including 42 years with the company I just retired from.  
 

One of the retirement goals I’m really looking forward to is spending much more time enjoying music with my main system!

I’ve pretty much gone digital (but do have a Linn Sondek LP12 to enjoy LPs purchased in the 60’s - 80’s). 

My system consists of a Rose 150B streamer/DAC and a Primaluna CD player for digital playback. I use a Roon Nucleus for Roon/Tidal new music research and listening. Speakers are original Joseph Audio Perspectives. 
 

I enjoy all types of music, but mostly listen to jazz (preferably smooth but am exploring all of the various forms of jazz). 
 

I’m currently using a Primaluna Dialogue HP Premium integrated amp which I’ve enjoyed for many years. Here’s where the “fiscal conservative” part comes in; this amp has 8 power tubes. Even with Primaluna’s great low tube stress design concept, I’m not looking forward to replacing power tubes every couple years with my retirement bonus listening time. Also, I’d like to get additional damping factor bass control than my current amp provides. I love the tube midrange and treble range sound, but would like an upright bass to sound more like a wood instrument (hard to describe in words) and hear more natural note attack and decay
 

I’d like to get ideas/advice from A’gon music enjoyment experts on a replacement integrated that still provides the acoustic sound of tubes, but doesn’t require new tubes every couple years/2,000 hours and is a great match to enjoy jazz on the rest of my system which I plan to keep. I’m open to used or new with a cap of say $8,000. 
 

Thank you in advance for your thoughts and suggestions. 
 

Eric

ezstreams
chenry's avatar
chenry
199 posts
 

Heaven-11 Billie.

 

ghdprentice
7,022 posts
 

Choose wisely. I happily upgraded my system right before and after retiring. Both were upgrades and musical with more tubes. One thing you really don’t want to do is make your system more flashy sounding (I’m thinking Luxman as an example)… make you focus your attention on the system. That is great when you are working because you have only a small amount of time to listen. But after retirement you may have more time, it’s likely you want the music to be pulling you to your system. You probably will want your system more musical. It would be easy to run away from tubes and find you also don’t want to listen to the music.

 

I have nearly fifty tubes in my system. They require changing every 3,000 hours. That’s over three years. If you have a spare pair your set for six years… that’s a long time. Maybe wait until you retire and start listening and determine your actual fiscal situation. I was extremely conservative the first couple years and then happily realized I could do the biggest upgrade I ever did. I could not be happier. I have to drag myself away from my system after listening for two or three hours each day. 

joc3021
102 posts
 

Bel Canto

Ayre

Aesthetix

cmcaelestis
6 posts
 

When I was in the market last year a dealer let me hang out and listen to Ayer EX-8  connected to Sonetto VII. I can’t stop thinking about it.

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
5,119 posts
 

Congrats on your retirement!!! 42 years in one company …wow!

Integrated amps around $8,000

Boulder 866 analog version, should be around $8,000 on a used market - resolving, full sound, vibrant. Downside - only XLR inputs, no subwoofer out, no preamp out. Optional USB wireless remote is functional but crappy looking (amp can be controlled via wifi thru Boulder app)

Coda CSiB - used should be under $4500. Class A for the first few watts, amazing clarity, extended top end without brightness, fast and articulate bass. Has both RCA and XLR inputs, subwoofer output, great universal remote.

You have a lot of good suggestions above as well. Good luck!!!

More to discover