Tube integrated amp less than 12" in depth?

The QA/QC on some ASL products has been variable, based on my experience AND posts on headfi where lots of folks use their headphone amps. If new with warranty you would be OK. How about the Cayin mod from Bizzybee? Anyone know the depth?

I apologize for not getting back to you quickly, Springbok10.

Yes, the Jadis Orchestra Reference (including the binding posts and knobs) will meet your 12" deep requirement, with an inch or so to spare. Although there are none for sale here on Audiogon, they do pop up with a good bit of frequency. If you are that interested, I have too many amps, and might just sell it as my wife would probably prefer a solid state integrated with remote control in her system.

Personally, I heard the Almarro amp at HE2004, and we just happened to be there at one of those "embarrassing moments" for the manufacturer. They played the system, and it was a disaster. Clock radio like power. It was a disaster. Needless to say, we left post haste, awestruck in the worst of ways. You may want to take what I say with a grain of salt, as others have assured me this was just a moment in time, and that the amp is actually quite good. Still, I have to be honest, and say what I experienced.

I have some experience with ASL gear, and find the sound to be incredibly good in the stuff I heard (Wave 8, Hurricane, and 1009 - my favorite). I think their early stuff was probably built like crap, and that still weighs on people. From what I have seen, the current stuff is as well built as most high end gear you will see.

Another brand of integrateds I want to recommend to you is Jolida. Although they have kind of fallen off the map lately, I have always found their sonics to be very, very good. Again, some people have issues with the build quality, but I have always found them to be good. The 202 would be an excellent choice in a small sized integrated. I am not sure if the 302/502 wouldn't be too deep. The 801 might also actually work, as it is laid out more like the Jadis Orchestra. But, that 202 haunts me with its really sweet sound.

Springbok10,

When you say that the Audion is sold, did the seller forget to mark it as such? The Audion phone stage is sold, but I don't see that the Sterling EL34 is. I'm listening to one right now (a loaner), and even with mediocre tubes Tchaikovsky sounds terrific.

Barring that, I would also second Trelja's recommendation of Jolida. The 302B might be too deep for your closet, but their other models could fit the bill--the 202, as he mentioned. They are not at the top of the audiophile heap, but I personally have found few amps that are as listenable for hours on end.
Good luck,

Howard

I must admit I liked my Wave 8s and MG Head, but had problems with a passive impedence matching device (reference tools) for headphones. Given the simplicity and absence of any active circuitry, a DOA NIB unit does not inspire confidence. But Trelja has, I am sure, a better pipeline into overall build quality than I.

I can appreciate how Swampwalker feels. Getting a DOA high end audio piece, no matter who the manufacturer is will sour anyone. I personally experienced a somewhat similar situation with three Cambridge D500SE CD players I went through. Needless to say, I didn't tackle a fourth. In their defense, the C540/C640 iteration seems to be built by a different manufacturer and the build quality has ratcheted up several levels.

I will say that Swampwalker's feel on the Wave 8 is uncanny. One look inside the amp reveals possibly the worst design decision a company can EVER make on an audio component. Sadly, it is also the one thing I NEVER see any of those who sell modded units correct. Even more sad, simply fixing this one issue does more to improve the product than all of their typical mods (NOS tubes, binding posts, RCA inputs, coupling capacitors, etc.) combined. So, while I am more into ASL than many, I think the fact that I came into their game late has me not as bitter as most who suffered through owning the gear are.

The more I think about it, getting a Jolida 202 would really be a good move on the lower end of the budget. Stay away from modded units, and do not pay more than $500. Above that, the Jadis Orchestra Reference seems to make more sense to me, with its superior sonics and build/parts quality, and the flexibility of using the big tubes (6550, KT88, KT90) and the EL34, putting you in the envious position of having the amp produce more or less any tube sound you want along your audio journey. They should range in price from $1000 - $1700, and are a true bargain. Especially, when you compare them to the rest of what is produced in the audio world. Caveats are the difficulty in keeping the gold plating looking nice and a rather involved biasing procedure.