2. analog
  3. 164286-1665

Best integrated for my purposes - help me choose 1 of 3!

I did a bunch of research over the weekend and narrowed down choices.  My requirements:  2 channel amp that integrates well with my LS50 - ideally with HT Bypass.  The Ls50s are also part of my HT system.  I can use HT Bypass to send L/R to a 2 channel amp where all of my analog sources are pluged-in.    

1. Outlaw Audio 2160II  ($1k)
2. Parasound Hint6        ($3k)
3. Yamaha A-S1200 (or 2200) ($2-$3.5)

Ok, so right off the bat, the Outlaw will need a 2 amp / 1 speaker switcher - something from Niles maybe.  For $1k it's hard not to consider.  The Parasound is probably the most well recommended of all the choices - it's solid performer.  Yamaha - buy once / cry once.  I'd get years of use with the Yamaha even after the KEFs have been upgraded.

Cost is part of the consideration...  Does the Parasound sound 3x better, not sure, but probably not.  Yamaha 2x better?  Maybe, I've never read a bad review.  Steve Gutenberg suggests that the Outlaw is *very* good bang for buck!  

Thoughts?  
128x128martinman
helomech
1,495 posts
 
Hardly true in the yamaha argument parasound uses very high quality parts and they are designed by John cure a genius in circuit design
It is indeed true. The Yamahas employ Nichicon and Chemi-Con caps. The Hint has cheap Taiwanese caps. Parasound reserves the top- shelf parts for their higher-priced Halo products. They at least had the sense to replace the cheap Alps pot with a better volume control in the Hint6.

I owned the original Hint, and while it sounded good, it also sounded unremarkable, rather boring and homogeneous within a few tracks. The A-S1100 produces a wider/deeper soundstage, more fleshed-out tone, slightly deeper bass and greater resolution. That last advantage was probably due to the much lower noise floor. However, that might not have carried over to the new models, since they’ve switched to toroid transformers that have a hard time handling any DC offset on the mains.


kfscoll
36 posts
 
It’s definitely worth taking a look at the Musical Fidelity M6si. I briefly had a HINT 6 and eventually replaced it with the M6si. The Parasound had a few more bells and whistles, but IMO the MF bested it in SQ.  Plus, the MF does have an HT bypass, and it’s dropped in price since I bought mine so it’s actually a little less expensive than the Parasound.
glupson
7,842 posts
 
"In the long run an amp like the Raven will have you happy and smiling probably for the rest of your life..."

He meant "until the tube needs replacement, which is just around the corner" so skip the Raven. Which, indeed, could be recommended although not for you in this particular case.

As someone has already said, personal audition is called for and I would also vote for Yamaha. Simply because their (much) lower level amplifier is surprisingly good and I have never heard other two.
glupson
7,842 posts
 
"Ah, my favorite song is coming on again. It goes, "Raven Raven Raven, Tekton Tekton Tekton, Raven Raven Raven, Tekton Tekton Tekton."

Wrong lyrics, it goes "Eric, Eric, Krissy, Eric, Tom, Dave, Ted, Tom, Ted, Dave, Krissy, Eric, Eric, Eric"
toyman
40 posts
 
@glupson7 it will be quite a while replacing tubes on the Raven as the tubes are run with less power which will cause them to last much longer.

I love my Blackhawk.

Last for many years.
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