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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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loudandclear
79 posts
 
Audiomat Opera. Absolutely stunningly good!
david12
1,454 posts
 
Of course integrated amps can be high end. I put a similar thread up a couple of months ago and got slapped down for suggesting they could match a top of the range pre and monoblocks. Well perhaps an integrated can't match the very best separates, that does'nt mean they are not High End. It seems manufacturers are putting more effort into integrated amps. not all, CJ for example does'nt have a current integrated.
I have gone from separetes to 2 good integrated amps. The first is the Viva Solista, mentioned by Larri, an 18 watt 845 SET . Certainly makes the best sound I have had out of my system, with drive and dynamics belying the 18 watts. If the dam thing did'nt keep blowing capacitors and it did'nt cause the streetlights to dim , with the power it draws, it would be perfect. The other is a Lavardin IT, which fully deserves its reputation.
As others have mentioned, there are so many other good products, from Jadis, the Musical Fidelity KW, Accuphase, VAC, never mind the plethora of excellent new, high value Chinese amps. I can't remember there being better choice
bxxxb
29 posts
 
Jeff Rowland Concerto....Sounds FANTASTIC with my Sonus Faber Grand Piano!
talk2me's avatar
talk2me
325 posts
 
Once again,do yourself a favor and at least "intertain" the idea of the Chapter Audio Precis:

http://www.chapteraudio.co.uk/documents/the-chapter-Precis.pdf
sounds_great
2 posts
 

There have been many, many excellent integrated amps named in this forum thread. It seems to me, though, that the "best" amps are also the most expensive. (example the VAC Phi Beta).

Are these extraordinarily expensive integrated amps really "that much" better than the "for the rest of us" amps, or are they just "incrementally" better. Is, the VAC Phi Beta really three times better than a Musical Fidelity KW-500 or Rowland Concerto?

WHAT IS THE BEST INTEGRATED AMP "FOR THE MONEY" ? (If there is such a thing.)

I would love to find a top-notch integrated amplifier for under $5,000, or under $2500 or maybe even less.

Thanks for continued input.
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