In search of the right SS integrated amp

I'm going to fly in the face of convention and suggest that you listen to an amp that is not on your list: the Atoll IN 100 (or the IN 200 if you need more power).

It's a very simple unit w/ a remote. Provides a wonderfully detailed and sweet sound with the right speakers. No XLR input, but do you really need that? I have not found that XLR adds anything (nor detracts, to be fair) to the equation unless you have very long cable runs.

The Simaudio i7 would also be a great choice, albeit much more expensive.

The Boulder doesn't hold up in comparison to the Rowland Continuum 500, driving the same speakers. At RMAF, several of us heard the 2060 driving Vienna Acoustic Die Muzik speakers, pushed by a Boulder preamp and Boulder CDP. The Boulder had bloated bass that muddied the mids and left the highs dry and slightly acrid. The Rowland 312 was substituted and cleaned up the bass and added richness and detail to the mids and highs that was very apparent.

For grins, we then put the C-500 in the chain, fed directly by the Boulder CDP and it still maintained the bass control and interior richness.

In a separate room heard GamuT's large monoblocks driving their large, tower speakers. I preferred that sound to the Boulder driving Die Muziks, but since the system was completely different it hard to say, other than the GamuT is top tier and by no means behind Boulder.

I think this "tierage" concept is very flawed, but, if you're going to do it, then Rowland would not be a couple of tiers below the Boulder unit.

I disagree with Guido about the C500's break in time. It runs warm compared to most Class-D amps and seems fully broken in at around 200-hours.

For full disclosure, I DO own the C500, but most in the room for the Boulder/Rowland comparison owned neither.

You can fly to Soundings in Greenwood Village, CO and hear the Boulder and Rowland side-by-side for yourself. A Southwest Airlines, weekend fare ticket is a small price when considering an investment like this.

Dave

I defer to Dave on C500 break-in. . . he owns one, and I do not. I was with Dave and several other people at Soundings when C500 was contrasted with Boulder 2060 + 2010. . driving the big Vienna Die Muzick flagships. the impressions Dave reported above seemed to be shared by all and sundry. G.

Guido said:
"the impressions Dave reported above seemed to be shared by all and sundry."

Particularly the "sundry." Notice that G is keeping his mouth shut, ever the cautious reviewer. I have no "standards" to live up to, so I say what I heard.

Dave

Please do check out the CJ CA200; it has ended my search for the ideal integrated.