Check out used Antique Sound Lab or Jolida tube gear, if you have the patience to deal with tube gear. I think you'll get a more lifelike sound from a tube integrated.
Art
Art
Integrated Amp Choice: budget tubes or ss?
Hi,
I just recently started to get into hi-fi but have been an avid music lover/listener/maker for many years. Right now my setup consists of a Rega P2 with Clearaudio cartridge, a cheap mediocre cd player, a Marantz 2100 vintage tuner, and a Marantz 1152DC vintage integrated. My speakers are StudioLab 402's (StudioLap made in France by Mosquito www.mosquito-groupe.com, not the Canadian StudioLAB).
My listening habbits are about 70% vinyl, 30% CD and styles ranging from Wire to Taj Mahal to Steve Reich.
Right now I have the option of keeping my 1152DC, but there are a couple good deals and I'm interested in upgrading/changing/experimenting. I could get a Cambridge Audio Azure 340A, or a Ming-Da MC-34A .. I know that the tube/SS divide is pretty big, but I can't decide which one would give me more bang for the buck in that price range. Both are about the same price.. the Cambridge would be new and the Ming-Da used.
Given my brief explanation of my musical taste and formats does anybody have a recommendation of one or the other?
Thanks,
Matt
I just recently started to get into hi-fi but have been an avid music lover/listener/maker for many years. Right now my setup consists of a Rega P2 with Clearaudio cartridge, a cheap mediocre cd player, a Marantz 2100 vintage tuner, and a Marantz 1152DC vintage integrated. My speakers are StudioLab 402's (StudioLap made in France by Mosquito www.mosquito-groupe.com, not the Canadian StudioLAB).
My listening habbits are about 70% vinyl, 30% CD and styles ranging from Wire to Taj Mahal to Steve Reich.
Right now I have the option of keeping my 1152DC, but there are a couple good deals and I'm interested in upgrading/changing/experimenting. I could get a Cambridge Audio Azure 340A, or a Ming-Da MC-34A .. I know that the tube/SS divide is pretty big, but I can't decide which one would give me more bang for the buck in that price range. Both are about the same price.. the Cambridge would be new and the Ming-Da used.
Given my brief explanation of my musical taste and formats does anybody have a recommendation of one or the other?
Thanks,
Matt