+3 on the Ayre Ax-5 Twenty! Cheers!!
Looking for a ‘’No braine’r Integrated amplifier under 7500 or so
hello all!
I’m looking for ideas on a ‘slam dunk’ flexible high value solidly performing INTEGRATED amp for an office system, but one that for a while can be my ‘go to’ or primary unit and is a bit above entry level.
preference is to buy new, but preowned in the right scenario works for me as well.
Pesently I’m starting all over in amassing gear and felt to initiate the project by wading into the water slowly.
I have on hannd remnants of my former efforts in a then very good line stage preamp and DAC, though the DA age is showing and well behind current popular trends and support for new formats.
also on hand are some ‘so so’ amps, and several pairs of speakers and I just added a Blue Sound Noede 2I.
ultimately I see nearly everything being replaced but felt starting with a very nice Integrated seems as good a starting point as any.
topology is as such, not too too imoportant. decent power however is key as speakers being paired here are as yet unknown. likelyhood here is a pair of monitors and a sub.
the music playback will likely be streaming from providers and NAS files.
Aesthewtix Mimas has peaked my interest currently. and having owned bAT their INT is interesting too. apart from these two I’m wide open to suggestions on current one box amp solutions..
glass or sand power here makes little difference apart from thereafter mating speakers to the INT power constraints..
your thoughts, and expieriences here are vastly appreciated. THX
I’m looking for ideas on a ‘slam dunk’ flexible high value solidly performing INTEGRATED amp for an office system, but one that for a while can be my ‘go to’ or primary unit and is a bit above entry level.
preference is to buy new, but preowned in the right scenario works for me as well.
Pesently I’m starting all over in amassing gear and felt to initiate the project by wading into the water slowly.
I have on hannd remnants of my former efforts in a then very good line stage preamp and DAC, though the DA age is showing and well behind current popular trends and support for new formats.
also on hand are some ‘so so’ amps, and several pairs of speakers and I just added a Blue Sound Noede 2I.
ultimately I see nearly everything being replaced but felt starting with a very nice Integrated seems as good a starting point as any.
topology is as such, not too too imoportant. decent power however is key as speakers being paired here are as yet unknown. likelyhood here is a pair of monitors and a sub.
the music playback will likely be streaming from providers and NAS files.
Aesthewtix Mimas has peaked my interest currently. and having owned bAT their INT is interesting too. apart from these two I’m wide open to suggestions on current one box amp solutions..
glass or sand power here makes little difference apart from thereafter mating speakers to the INT power constraints..
your thoughts, and expieriences here are vastly appreciated. THX
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- 112 posts total
Blind jim. I see the arguments for picking a speaker first.. I totally get that... I feel the naim uniti series would go well with any speaker you pair it with. Again.. I think about your environment. If it’s your office the environment is completely different. You may not be able to achieve a silent sound floor for example. That may not be the goal. Instead I think of my work space as one in which I am mostly distracted but every so often a riff in the song draws me to it so I have to stop and listen to it. I would think usability and the experience is more important. There are a lot of distractions. Vinyl I would put on the back burner in favor of the ease and access of the digital domain. When you get home you can put on a record on your TT and sit down with a glass of wine or whisky (my preference) |
The
Perreaux eloquence 250i is an heirloom product. Your grandchildren will be able to use it. It is a kind of perfection. It looks fabulous, it has exactly the kind of sound you would expect from a high bias ( +- 13 watts) AB Mosfet design. I was lucky enough to audition it in my own home for a week. I went for an ATC integrated instead as it was cheaper. It got an absolute rave review from Ken Kessler in Hi-Fi News. I confirm his 'valve-like' sound. My current set-up (Pass Labs 150.8 power and Emm Labs Pre) is like some 1% better. |
If you’re looking for a bit of power, you might want to reconsider the Ayre Ax-5 Twenty generally considered to be one of the highest quality integrated on the market & better value at its retail of 15k (It’s so good that they keep raising the price) then most other ultra premium integrateds. That’s well above your target price point so the universe has stepped in to assist. You can at this moment buy it for about a third of retail (thousands below the number you want it lower then) from this fellow selling his on AG - https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisa8b6e-ayre-acoustics-ax-5-twenty-solid-state Even tube aficionado Art Dudley really liked it > https://www.stereophile.com/content/ayre-acoustics-ax-5-integrated-amplifier-ax-5-twenty Someone is definitely going to consider this integrated a "no brainer" & snap it up at this price (I’ve never seen it go for this low). It’s newly listed so that’s why it’s likely still available. It doesn’t hurt that if you should ever decide to sell it, you’ll not only easily get your money out of it - but make a profit. Back to you. |
- 112 posts total