My last Integrated Amp: $5-10,000?
I would like to hear recommendations regarding integrated amplifiers costing between $5-10,000. This will be my last amplifier for quite a while. I prefer to buy used when I can but also prefer no older that 2-3 years. My speakers are likely to change every couple of years and I may keep more than one pair.
I like a detailed and transparent sound with air and the ability to easily to pick out the location of the instruments/singers. I have liked the class A that I’ve heard and I’ve liked the tubes that I’ve heard but I don’t want to mess with tubes. Also, I do not want a streaming device and I’d rather not have a built in DAC but I can live with it.
My music preferences are vocals and 70-90s rock.
So far I have identified the following possibilities that are available.
Mark Levinson: No 585 at $8400 and ML-5805 at $6550. The latter is a new model and I have read that there have been teething problems. I don’t know if ML have corrected this situation.
Luxman L-590AXII $7250 has a good reputation and longevity but is relatively low powered.
McIntosh MA5300, Coda CISB, and Gryphon Diablo 120 are also possibilities if available.
H. just saw your post. I had the 590 AX II. I did enjoy it for vocals very much. Listened to lots of vinyl with it as it has a built in phono stage. Vocals were really nice with the amp. It is not in any way a powerful amp. I know people talk about specs, and it isn’t a “weak” amp but for rock I found that when pushed the sound pressed and sort of screamed. A little like being to fast in 3rd gear. Classical def didn’t have enough power. Jazz and vocals are nice. So if you like to rock out I would maybe go with a bit more power. I have spent time with the levinson 585 and that def has more bass and power. For sure. It is more neutral sounding, a tad colder than the 590 but it has more guts and sounds good. The Luxman 509 to me has nothing in common with the 590. Totally different color as it is designed AB vs class A. To my ears the 509 was not nearly as nice as the 590 or the 585. Somebody mentioned pass, the INT 60 would be much more powerful than either Luxman. Pass puts out lots of power in their class A designes. I also listened to Boulder , Ayre . Someone mentioned gryphon 120. I actually do believe that will be your amp because of the vocals and rock. The 120 is considered to be a fantastic integrated with a slightly warm color. I sold my 590 AX II luxman because it just didn’t have the power I needed for classical. |
I had an Audio Research GSi75 a couple years ago. It was phenomenal with a superb DAC and phonostage. My large space and fairly inefficient Wilson Sophias simply needed more so I went back to separates. I then later dabbled again with the ML 5805 and 585.5. The 5805 impressed me a LOT! It was definitely stronger than the GSi75 and my Sophias were very happy. I knew that I would not be happy having a mid-line model so returned the B-stock item to Crutchfield and found a demo 585.5 from a dealer. A few weeks had passes but when I first listened I was disappointed. It didn't impress the way the 5805 did and there is no logical explanation for that. It also had a bad capacitor and was picking up a Spanish AM station. Nothing wrong with a little festive Spanish music but that wasn't going to work either. I did not want to have a newly purchased item serviced so thankfully the dealer took it back. Hope that little bit of experience helps and good luck in the search. |
I agreed with @ghdprentice , besides the price, these different amplifier sound very differently.which sound you like? we do not know and you do not know.you can't purchase with blind eye. You got come to the dealer and demo listen your favorite music, longer than one hour for each brand and you decide. |
