2. amps-preamps
  3. 1136848549

Is There any Truly "High End" Integrated Amp?


I'm a reasonably well experienced audio nut and have tried a number of "good" integrated amps. I wonder, though, if there are integrated amps that are good enough for the "best", most revealing speakers. (Think Avalon Eidolon, Verity Parsifal, various JM Lab Utopias, and a variety of other fine speakers that do not have mammoth power requirements.)

People talk about the Levinson, the Musical Fidelity KW-500 and the lesser MF amps, the BAT integrated, The Rowland Concerto, etc. etc. etc.

I would like to hear from people who have actually tried the top tier of integrated amps and would be very interested in learning of their findings.

Don't need to be the most expensive. Could be the YBA Passion, Classe, MacIntosh 6900, Krell 400i, or any of a number of integrated amps that are supposed to sound good.

Hope to hear some good feedback.

Thanks very much.
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jsaah's avatar
jsaah
0 posts
 
Henryhk: I'm driving Genesis 501's with my VAC PHI Beta. Plenty of power to spare. The Genesis are tunable to the room with built in equalizers- and I find that invaluable. The Vac makes me smile everytime I play music. About 50% SACD's and 50% vinyl--equally good for both. I am an acoustic bass player and the sound is so very accurate. I had Macintosh SS poweramps (501 monoblocs) with Mac tube pre: C2200. I have lost nothing going from SState to all tubes, and feel that I have gained an intimacy and presence which I formerly lacked. Good luck!
Joe
kops's avatar
kops
478 posts
 
Gryphon Diablo,
Audio Analogue new one (don't remember model) it's huge,
Jadis DA88s,
...ASR emiterII exclusive............
etc
jes45
293 posts
 
TRL ST-225.
gamecock
33 posts
 
Classic 16
south_park
103 posts
 
I was at CES and saw that Graaf is introducing a new tube integrated. Looked and sounded very nice. May want to try the Gryphon as well.
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