$2000-$3000 integrated with DAC ???

If you split your budget between an external DAC and an integrated, you'll have far more options. Is this a situation where only one box will work?

You may be able to find a used Naim Uniti or UnitiQute here within your budget. They don't come up often. I doubt a Naim SuperNait could be found within your range, but you never know.

I'm looking *specifically* for one box (currently downsizing). Any and all suggestions are welcome. How about some of the offerings from Musical Fidelity? (shudder to think about the depreciation of their products, though).

Gopher - to date I have only tried Core Audio's power supplies - I've got one on my Mac Mini and one on my DAC, with outstanding results. A friend of mine, however, has auditioned the amp and says it is like nothing he's ever heard - he's going to replace his beloved 2A3 SET amp with it.

While he says the 2A3 is warmer and does holographic imaging a bit better, he added that his impression was that this is because the Core Audio amp was too quick and resolving to render a holographic image, and in fact that it made the whole idea of a holographic image seem a little artificial now that he's heard this amp.

He says the Core Audio amp delivers a presentation that is more real and life-like than anything he has heard before - incredible speed and what he calls "extreme harmonic richness and tonal density"... The sense of uncanny reality is especially strong with the human voice, apparently.

I'm going to have my amplifier by the end of this coming week, hopefully, and will post my impressions as soon as I can.

The Naim gear seems interesting, if not not underpowered. I recall hearing one of their intergrateds vs. the ayre integrated and feeling like the ayre was superior; however, it may have been the 5i vs. the ayre, in which case, it's almost unfair to compare. The 5i was 70% of the sound of the ayre for 50% of the price.

The Unitiqute seems kinda interesting. Wonder how it stacks up against the Bel Canto?

The Uniti stuff is very versatile and great sounding IMO. They've got digital inputs, iPod input (Qute is digital, the Uniti might be), tuner, internet tuner, and streaming all built in. The only thing it doesn't have is a phono stage. The Uniti has a CDP and a bit more power. I like the Uniti's sound better, but some like the Qute better; it's a bit sweeter sounding than the Uniti. The Uniti sounds identical to the Nait 5i and CD5i to my (and my dealer's) ears.

If I were to go with a single box unit, the Uniti would definitely be it. For everything you get in one box, it's a great deal. And both sound great, not just for the money. They're as no-compromise as I've seen.

Just throwing that out there. They come up every now and again here. Main sells a ton of them, and not very many show up second hand, so that says something.