Cayin A 88-T integrated:The new King of the Hill?


This fine integrated is finally getting some long overdue credit. The recent April review on 6 moons will confirm this. Although this integrated (and Cayin products in general) have been considered very-much ''high-end'' in Europe for the past 10 years or so, it has not gathered much attention - up to now at least.

I currently own this integrated, and, so far so good, way above my expectations in fact. But, like all tube amps, these always sound better after a warm-in period, something I rarely have time to wait for.

My question is this: Given the A 88-T's amazing price versus performance ratio, is there a solid state integrated amplifier out there that could equal or better the Cayin in a significant manner for around the same money?

For convenience reasons, (and ONLY convenience reasons) I need to go to a solid state amplifier, as I only listen to my system once or twice a week and I wish to have an already-warmed-up amplifier for my 1 to 3 tracks short listening sessions.

I have listened to most popular SS integrateds in this price range - including Moon I-5, Naim Nait, Unico and even the mighty DK Design, but apart from a tighter bottom end, they all sound one-dimensional to me, and downright dry in the case of at least one of them.

I guess what I am after is a warm-sounding or ''tube-like'' integrated, one that will provide a good ,'front-to-back' or depth perspective. The only one that comes to mind is the Electrocompaniet EC-4, that has this type of sound, but I would welcome other suggestions.

I would appreciate not getting remarks like '' You cannot duplicate a tube amp's sound with a solid state amp'' I am very much aware of this and I do have some experience with this hobby,( more than I care to admit!) and have been spoiled with many mega-dollar speakers and electronics in the past, and can recognize good sound when I hear it, subjectively of course.

If you have any suggestions of comments, please be my guest, it would be much appreciated.

I will probably end up keeping the Cayin, unless I find some undiscovered solid state gem out there, that has as much value and sound in a solid state design than the Cayin A 88-T offers in a tubed design. Thanks all.
sonicbeauty
I would love to have your amp for my sound system. But since my sound system doubles for Home theater and Vinyl using tubes for the amps would be a very bad thing. I guess I will follow the advice given here and check out these SS amps.
I read a rumor somewhere, maybe over on AA, that Pass was coming out with an integrated this year. If so, thats one that will be worth the wait while you, um suffer, with your Cayin.

By the way, there is nothing wrong with switching the system on for 10-15 minutes prior to listening to let things warm up. Been there done that.
Dlwask, I understand that if you have ''Been there done that'' and so have I, by the way. You probably already know then, know that most tube amps that sound better after a 10-15 min warm-up, sound better still after around an hour or so...and this has nothing to do with the Cayin or course. I always like to get the most from my equipment, but in the case of any tube amp, there is a bit of time involved...