I must have missed that episode of Fernando's Hideaway. I'd never choose a component for that reason. It's a nice perk, if it happens, but sometimes my favorite sounding components, or the ones that go best with my system in my price range, are my least favorite to look at. In your price bracket, for used integrateds, I like the Italian stuff myself (must be my Italian blood). Unison Research and Pathos both make beautiful integrateds in that price range used. Need to stick closer to home and be patriotic - I like Manley's Stingray. Shindo makes pretty amps, but I doubt you'll find an integrated under 2k. Solid state? Fernando don't play that garbage in his hideaway. OK, pretty SS...hmmm Classe, Rowland, Edge, Electrocompaniet. They all look like boxes with blue lights and knobs and thick billet faces to me, but those are some nice treatments of that theme. As a previous poster pointed out...in the eye of the beholder. These all may be butt ugly to you.
Best Looking SS Integrated Amplifiers Under $2,000
Hi. I've been looking at a lot of integrated amps from vintage 70s through 80s to modern day equipment. So far, I kinda like the vintage stuff especially the black faced Sansuis, detest the 80s black box stuff (many are still made that way like supposedly awesome Onkyo A-9555 for example), and think that some of the British stuff (Naim, Rega, Cambridge Audio, Creek, ...) is interesting but ultimately doesn't warm the heart. Since I enjoy equipment that both sounds AND looks good, what am I missing? And, with all due respect, no, I don't do tubes.
Of all that I've seen, I love the bold big gold knobs on black acryclic look of the Onix machines.
Of all that I've seen, I love the bold big gold knobs on black acryclic look of the Onix machines.
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Thanks for the responses. The Marantz PM1551, Electrocompaniet and Pathos stuff do catch the eye. Obviously, quality matters but if you have an audio component in the living room that isn't on all the time, so for part of its life, it is merely an object, then its appearance should matter. I need to please my ears and my eyes as well. The quest is on. Any opinions on the Onix stuff. As you may have gathered, I like black, matte (70s Sansuis) or glossy (Onix). |
Vivaslb...one of the things you haven't mentioned is the speakers you intend to drive with this integrated. It looks from one of your other threads asking about integrateds, you are running Paradigm Studio 20s. Is this correct? Not sure what version of the Studio 20s you have but the latest version (v5), looks like it has 90db sensitivity and 8 ohm nominal impedance. So not too difficult to drive and you should be able to use relatively low- to medium-powered amps to drive these nicely. Now you mentioned in your original posst that tubes are out, if so, the suggestion for Pathos above is out. Although if it were me that would be at the top of my list of integrateds (specifically the Pathos Logos but the Pathos Classic One MkIII is also very nice). One of the most musical integrateds I have heard for sure. The Pathos uses tubes in the input/driver stage but SS in the output stage to deliver solid bass foundation and control. But if you are still primarily interested in vintage electronics (for the looks), I would suggest you post on Audio Karma website (http://www.audiokarma.org/) where many of the members there are primarily interested in vintage electronics from the 50s thru the 80s. Good luck. |
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