2. amps-preamps
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price point to move to separates vs integrated

Hi,
I have spoken to different dealers about the most effective way to spend my money on amplification and have gotten different views. (I know opinions are like elbows, everyone has one, or two...).

One fellow said something along the lines of: as soon as you can afford low end separates you should go that route over a more expensive integrated due to the interactions in the same chassis.

Another suggests still going integrated at $6K.

I realize my ears are the final deciding point but the grey stuff between them is longing for a more concrete set of guidelines.

Thanks for your thoughts and replies, the more the merrier,
Gus
gustav1
wolf_garcia
6,686 posts
 
Integrateds now are amazingly good, and I've heard some recent tubed Primaluna and Jolida stuff that sound beautiful...recently heard an old SS Creek that still kicks it. Much of the sonic disadvantages have been rendered irrelevant really, but if you're like me and many others around here, you like to tweek components, wires, placement (my tube amp near the floor away from other stuff makes speaker cable length and amp heat more manageable, the preamp up with other front end items), and other stuff that keeps you involved in the hobby.
gustav1 OP
14 posts
 
I decided to stay integrated and just piked up a Line Magnetic 216IA. It is a wonderfully musical little amp.
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,805 posts
 
Nowadays, integrateds can sound as good as separates up to whatever price point you care to name. Separates and the cables they require all add their own sound to the mix and yes, it can be pleasing but it is more accurate than an all in one box solution that can minimize those variables? It all depends on the design and how well it's implemented and how it sounds in your system. Anything else is conjecture.

A couple of weeks ago I saw an ad here for a Burson PI-160 integrated which I own and is now discontinued. The seller said it operated in Class A and I know it's a Class A/B design, so I emailed him to see about it and he wrote back that he spoke to Burson and they say that it does operate in Class A for most of it's output, almost to its rating. Considering that I have Tonian Labs speakers which are 95db efficient, it explains why it sounds so damn sweet, detailed and full bodied. Granted, it's not much to look at but that's not why I bought it. After learning more about it makes it all the more sweeter.

All the best,
Nonoise
phaelon's avatar
phaelon
1,038 posts
 
Congratulations Gustav1. I hope it brings you many satisfied years of listening.
zavato's avatar
zavato
1,397 posts
 
I replaced a CJ Preamp and Amp set up with a tubed integrated.

The integrated beats my former CJ gear. In Fact I feel my current
Integrated also is better than any othe pre power arrangements I owned-

Including Pass, Bryston, ML. So to me neither have any inherent
Advantage. It's how it's done. Either can be superb.
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