2. amps-preamps
  3. 177686-139109

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.

chinook9
jbuhl's avatar
jbuhl
870 posts
 

Last amplifier for awhile?

This piece got 20 year warranty.

 

 

 

curtdr
348 posts
 

hmmm... well, the Marantz Ruby KI integrated can be had for $3k right now on Music Direct website... stellar reviews all around.  A valedictory "pet project" of Ken Ishitawa (KI) And, let me point out one advantage of a "big' company like Marantz: because of economies of scale, they can procure the parts more inexpensively than smaller manufacturers (or make them themselves as they do w some parts)... so while the Ruby msrp is 4k, some estimates suggest that equivalent build, parts, etc. from a smaller company would push it perhaps twice that, so it's in your "range" from that perspective.

joey54
429 posts
 

+1 for the Aesthetix Mimas. Internal DAC card and phono card are optional though both are really good if you decide you want those. Good Luck

 

johnto
972 posts
 

Any of the Pass Integrated amps, those that aren’t class A give you about the first 20 watts in Class A. They should give you the sound you want but as always audition at least what you think are your top three. Have fun happy listening.

cowan217's avatar
cowan217
112 posts
 

Huge price range ? Like saying "I'm looking at a KIA Telluride for 50k or Porsche Cayenne S for 110k". I'd narrow your price range and then look within it.

More to discover