What do you like about your integrated amp?


So, the other day I was moving my ARC REF 75 amp to clean the insides, along with the shelf it was sitting on, when suddenly I felt a stabbing pain in one of my obliques, as I was twisting my body.

Shouting out a quick, "Oh f***," my wife said, "What are you going to do when you get older, and can't move the amp?" I have periodically wondered that myself, since I am just shy of 71.

As the discussion title says-what do you like about your integrated amp? It's a wide-open query because I'm thinking if I'm going to consolidate my equipment, let's see what's out there? I'm partial to tube equipment and have enjoyed Audio Research for almost 30 years. Does that mean I should get an ARC integrated? Maybe, maybe not.

FTR--I listen to lots of jazz, folk, classical, not that much rock beyond what I grew up listening to-Beatles, the Dead, the Stones--stuff like that. I have a pair of ProAc 30Rs, an Aurender server, and an ARC CD6SE.

All your comments are appreciated-

David 

 

wharfy

I like my Enleum Amp 23R

It is small and light, while hitting the sweet spot for me

between SS consistency and the tube sound I enjoy.

 

 

 

 

I have a Hegel 390.  I love the power 1st and foremost. 250w 8ohms per channel so it can handle even the most demanding speakers l. 2nd it is very minimalist in its design. 3rd it is very simple to operate. Basically input selection and volume control. 4th it just sounds great in my room with my other components. My only downside is that it only has one XLR in. I’d prefer two. That can be remedied however with the 590 or 600. And then also I think to your point, it isn’t light. Weighs 44 lbs/20kg. 

Well, I’m 71, and I let the influencers influence me. I have 6 integrated. My heaviest
being my pass 250. The pass, as my winter amp as it helps heat my room. It weights 109 pounds and I use a hydraulic jack with wheels to move it. No way I can lift it. I love its midrange especially with female voices. My other amps are Hegal 390, Accuphase 380, Krell k300i, Electrocompaniet ECI 6 MK II, Macintosh 352. I rotate the amps when I decide I want a different presentation. 

Wharfy

I would start looking into Class D amplifiers, as they are often much much lighter, create much  less heat, and are now sounding great. Do some looking into, as Class D has come a long way:

AGD Tempo di GaN MkII monoblocks - 10 pounds, 100wpc, $5,500 OR Audion MMkII  6.5 pounds each 100wpc 8ohms, 200wpc 4ohms $7,850 per pair

Atma-Sphere Class D Monoblocks - 15 pounds each, 100wpc 8ohms, 200wpc 4 ohms $6,200 per pair

Lyngdorf SDA-2400 Stereo Amp - 15 pounds, 200wpc 8ohms, 400wpc 4 ohms, $3,400

PeachTree GAN-1 stereo - 12 pounds 200wpc 8ohms or 4ohms, $1,600 OR X2 stereo amplifier 24 pounds, 350wpc 8ohms, 700wpc 4ohms $2,800

I have heard the AGD amplifiers and the Atma-Sphere and found them to be excellent amplifier; though I've never had either in my own system to demo

I have no experience with either the Lyngdorf or PeachTree amps

Good morning! For those of you in the path of this weekend's massive storm, hope you are all doing well. When I wasn't outside in the storm snowshoeing, I listened to a lot of Chick Corea trios and a Jorma Kaukonen live CD recorded at the Bottom Line, in 2003 . Thanks to everyone for your insights and advice. You are giving me a lot to think about, integrated amps to research, and listen to, if I seriously pursue a system make-over.

Something a number of posters have mentioned is the weight of a tube or transistor-big iron transformers weighs as much, or more than my 50 lb ARC amp. Great point!

And then there are the posters recommending Class D amps. My visceral response is, "You mean I have to give up my glorious tube -based sound?!!!!" Something I'm also noticing about Class D amps is lotsa power! My ProAc speakers are likely end-game, and sound glorious with anywhere between 40-75 W. So, unless I win the lottery and buy a house with a 700+ sq foot listening room, my system isn't power hungry.

So, in the immediate future I'm making the following change--I'm getting a new audio stand/cabinet on wheels. When I want to doing any maintenance on my kit being able to move the cabinet will make moving the separates in and out of the shelves easier/safer.