To integrate or not...


Hi all

Many of you have far more experience of products & change of equipment than me, so... which of you have moved from seperate to an integrated & why? Are some of you having serious consideration switching to an integrated...?

I know there are reasons for not due to the inability to change amps & interconnects. Plus if there is a failure then you're without pre & power.

I'm currently inclined to move to an integrated, preferably tube. Present contenders are PrimaLuna Evo 400 & Pass INT-60.

I'm currently using Octave HP700 pre (tubes upgraded to gold pin Siemens) with phono module, Wyred 4 Sound SX-1000R monos & Audio Physic Avantera III.

The Avantera III are fairly sensitive at 89db so not such an issue for lower power integrated options. 

Thanks 
Rich
128x128infection

Showing 2 responses by noble100

   Hello Rich,
     I think a high quality integrated amp is a very good option with many advantages for some, but I'd recommend you choose one that you love the sound quality of with your current speakers and determine as best you can whether or not you think you'll change your main speakers during the expected lifespan of your integrated.  Synergy between amps and speakers are not entirely predictable and require validation through specific auditions.
     From my perspective and experience, the flexibility of separates has proven to be important even while maintaining the consistency of using similar large, somewhat inefficient Magnepan main speakers.  
     I've used an assortment of various preamps, from an Adcom 565 solid state to a VTL with NOS Mullard tubes to an Oppo 105 to a Levinson 326S solid state, and an assortment of various high powered ss amps, from class AB McCormack and Aragon stereo amps to class D monoblocks.  
     If I began with a Primaluna tube or Pass ss integrated amp, it's hard for me to imagine a path leading to my extremely pleasing and effective combination of a Levinson preamp and high powered class D monoblocks, at least not a very expensive and winding path.  
     Do you know where your path might ultimately lead?

Tim
infection:
 "@noble100  what was your last amp prior to your current combo?
I think I'll be keeping my Avantera III for a long time."

Hello Rich,
     I've never listened to a pair of the Avantera III but have read very good reviews of them.  I certainly have no intentions of trying to convince you not to keep them for a long time.
     I also definitely wouldn't recommend my prior amp, an Aragon 4004 MKII ss class AB high powered 90 pound boat anchor, for your 89 dB efficient Aventera IIIs.
     I tend to agree with your inclination toward tubes but disagree with purchasing a tube or ss integrated unless you're not concerned with spending a boatload of dough along your search path toward an ultimate amp solution.  
     My main opinion and point in my last post was to imply that your most efficient and direct path or method of improving your system's overall sound quality is to try out different amps, both tube and ss, in your system to give you more information about at least which general amp type, and hopefully which specific amp, sounds best to you.  
    Of course, this was based on my assumption that you liked and enjoyed the specific audio qualities that your Octave HP-700 preamp (with gold-pin Sieman tubes and phono section) imparted on the overall current sound quality of your system. My logic being that keeping as many factors as possible as constants (such a your preamp and speakers) would enable you to more readily identify the specific qualities that various amps, inserted into your system to replace your Wired4Sound amps, imparted on the overall sound quality of your system.  
     The preamp, amp and speakers are all very important factors in determining the overall sound quality of your system.  Keeping 2 of these factors as constants (preamp and speakers) lets you much more easily identify the sonic qualities the 3rd factor (your amps) imparts on the overall sound quality of your system. 
     Which means auditioning various different amps in your system is a tremendously more efficient and effective method of achieving the overall system sound quality you prefer than keeping only 1 factor constant (your speakers) and varying the other 2 factors (preamp and amp combined in one integrated unit).
     Sorry, I thought you understood this and I didn't need to spell out the clear performance upgrade and flexibility advantages of using a separate preamp and amp as opposed to the convenience and other advantages of using a combined preamp and amp in one integrated chassis.
     It's ultimately your choice of whether you want to search for the overall system sound quality you prefer by using the more direct and focused method of searching for a single system factor contained in 1-2 chassis or the more haphazard and less focused method of searching for 2 system factors contained in a single chassis.

Tim