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$5000 integrated budget: Please help me choose....

Looking at a very good integrated. I have been in the audio game quite a while, and have bounced around from several speakers. I have just fallen in love with an Opera Callas Divina (full range, 2 way, low impedance down to 4.4 ohm, nominal 6 ohm, 89db/w) and need a nice integrated to go with it. I recently decided to "start over"! Original plan was to purchase a Sonus Faber, but this was similar, for much less money.

I am mainly looking at Integrated solutions at this time. It seems value in this price range is very high, and there are some good ones. Tried matching separates in the past: been there, done that. Tube or solid state is OK, listening preferences are mostly classical, orchestra and chamber, jazz and vocals. Typical music lover stuff. Source will be CDP and the room is fairly big, at 450 square feet. Hard to find anything above a Jolida locally to demo.

Some models under consideration:
Lavardin IT
Karan 180
McIntosh MA2275
Rowland Continuum 250
Jadis (model 60?)
Simaudio I-7 (maybe too thin)?
Cary SLI 80 F1
Conrad Johnson CA-200

I have been running a cheap Jolida tube integrated, but that is a leftover from a previous system, and I would like to step up. I don't need to spend $5000 if I don't have to, but that is my max budget.

Sound wise, the Opera is a bit sweet and smooth, a touch warm (typical Italian sound) and I am looking for a tube amp or hybrid that isn't to "tubey" but rather leans somewhat toward musical and real, but not overly mushy.
komaki
jwmazur
191 posts
 
Check out Luxman. They have class A-operated integrated amps at 20 and 30 WPC and 2 class A/B ones that have around 100 WPC. I have done separates since getting into this hobby. I recently picked up a Luxman L-590AII 30 WPC integrated on Audiogon at nearly half price. I can easily live with this amp and be done with the endless changes. I love looking at the meters! Look at the website from On A Higher Note. They are the US distributor for Luxman.

Good luck.
stubby
73 posts
 
Look into the BAT VK-300x with 6922 option. Not sure of current pricing but I would think you could buy new for your price or $3000 used if you can find one. I've had one for almost 4 years and it still satisfies. My room is only half the size of yours but it has enough power to be pleasant throughout the house. 150 watts into 8 ohm and double that into 4 ohm. Balanced design with two balanceded inputs with 3 more rca. Rolling tubes is relatively inexpensive with only two 6922 tubes and it is very responsive to tubes and cable changes.

Problem is once you get one of these it's difficult to upgrade because nothing comes close to it without going separates or spending a lot more. No affiliation just happy customer.
czbbcl's avatar
czbbcl
1,752 posts
 
I was torn btw the Cary and the Mac ultimately chose the Cary F1 direct coupled and love it. My speakers have similar specs to yours if not maybe a tad lower on the impedence curve (Focals 1007BE). The cary has plenty of power even in triode mode to drive them. I listen to similar music in a slightly smaller medium damped room.

What swung me to choose the Cary is flixibility (triode and ultraliniar) along with its nostagic looks. As far as its sonic signiture I am also a former cj fan and I was told this was closer to cj than mac; that sealed the deal. I wanted an integrated to downsize the system WAF issues with separates. I basically did what you are doing downsized entire system.

The Mac is a beautiful well built unit and they really seem to hold their value well especially the tubed units. So in the end I would suggest either the Cary or the Mac
williamredburry
51 posts
 
Italian speaker with italian amp(s). Unison Research maybe. There is a nice new P70 ( P100) now. They also have nice hybrids.
oddmorning
44 posts
 
The Leben cs600 32 watt tube integrated is worth looking at considering your listening preferences.
Detailed and accurate... Also beautiful and original looking.
A very special amp.
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