High End Integrated Choices

Love the new JJ Tesla's, and Groove Tubes makes the Mullard EL34 reissues, as well as the early rock n' roll/country r&b GE 6V6 that everyone is so in love with. I like the SLI-80 for it's versatility most, so I'd be tempted to get a few different types.

KT66's have less power than the 88 or 90, and 6V6 and EL34's are different again, but all should have enough to power the speakers. The transformer is your real issue, not the power tubes, and the transformer is top notch. Slope and type of power is more important with the input tubes and inverters, it won't affect wattage as much.

The 805s nautilus sounds very good with the Unico 80watter hybrid integrated amplifier much to my suprise.

Tried and proven combo.

the 805s comes alive on tubes without a shadow of a doubt. Nice choice.

I finally received a KR Audio Kronzilla SXI and have to add it as a high end integrated to consider. It is still breaking in, but I'm enjoying it very much. Bass control is amazing. Very high resolution with crystal clear highs and long decay. lots of presence to instruments and voices. Apparently, the KR VA350i and the VA340,which are less expensive than the Kronzilla have many of it's attributes, including the wonderful bass control albeit lower power output (still nothing to sneeze at at 30 and 20 watts, respectively). I haven't heard those yet, but I'm told by others who have heard them that they are very nice.

Gamut DI150 - A truly excellent integrated!

Just wanted to add my comments based on recent experience. I have been on a long search for a great high end integrated amp, and finally narrowed it down to the 2 Danish amps that have been mentioned earlier - Gryphon Diablo and Gamut DI150.

They are both excellent, but after extensive comaprisons, the Gamut sounded superior to my ears. The Gryphon was slightly richer, and had a marginally fuller base sound, and may be a great choice for particular speakers. I found the Gamut was far more airy and open sounding, extremely transparent, crystal clear, and thrilling to listen to, without being fatiguing. Instruments remain separated even in complex passages. Base is quite deep and defined, cleaning up some of my CDs. There is something truly magical in the way the amp opens up the higher frequencies.

To my ears, instruments also sound incredibly real and acoustic, and the sound seems to separate from the speakers better than anything I have heard - a 3D experience. It also retains its characteristics at low volume better than other amps I have heard.
From my experience, it needs a decent run in and changes substantially. Fresh out the box it sounded a little edgey and quite thin.