Anyone using an integrated amp?

Something fragged itself in my Cronos Magnum so I need to send it back. Now I'm using a dinky NAD 320BEE that I bought for $200 on eBay. Little thing is pretty lively.

 

This is my rig. It's from 2001, so it's older than my daughter. While I am a two-channel guy, this one can handle DTS and other, higher-end audio. Has enough sockets on the back to run home theater through it, but I don't do that at the moment. But it has native 5.1 built in.

 

Can I ask what Marantz you were comparing it to? I heard the PM6002 a long time ago, and found it to be too warm for my liking. Thanks.

 

Rogue Audio Sphinx v2 w/ Mullard 12AU7 tubes.

 

Im using a Naim Nait 5i2 + CD5i with Harberth Compact 7 c3 speakers for over three years now.

As hard as I tried, I couldn't find any other Amplifier that sounds better (and I was willing to pay the cost!) - I have checked respectable brands such as Hegel, Luxman and even highr level Naim amplifiers...

 

Been using this Carver for about 10 years.

 

Very interesting ! I guess what I've hit on is real then. There is definitely something special with both those pieces. The PM8005 has sounded incredible in every room I've had it in (I've moved a lot over the past few years) and also with the other speakers I have (JBL L110 and 4412 which I like to rotate in once in a while). The KEF speakers I bought originally for my bedroom system as well, I was using LS3/5s in my main and were always my favorite speakers. I eventually set them up side by side and used both for several months and consistently I found the KEFs better in many ways than the classic Spendors. I wanted to not make a rash decision and was biased in favor of the Spendors for sure but over time I definitely preferred the LS50s and moved the LS3/5s. So I kind of would up with both pieces by accident as they were both bought to be a second system. I know they are both great because that was several years ago now and I have no itch to upgrade either (although those Marantz reference amps are sooooo tempting). I am pretty sure I found my long term pieces and enjoy them both immensely. If I live long enough and god willing I continue in a stable job, all I really want now someday is a pair of JBL L300s or possibly 250ti and one of those Marantz reference amps. $5000 ish for either though is a pretty steep price !

 

ADS and Marantz is also a good combo....

 

Sure it was the NR-1504 AVR. On the low end of Marantz's product line but it still sounded decent.

 

Going to be checking out an Exposure 3010S2d this weekend; hopefully a better match for my Chartwells than my Naim rig.

 

I got my BV Audio A300S Integrated amp, and its phenomenal....The quality of the bass delivery is incredible. Beautiful music delivery...Adjustable gain for each input.



The amp section is like this...

 

Been using an Ayre AX7 integrated amp in the garage for three years and an Ayre Ax5 Twenty integrated in the main system for about two years and can't figure out why I didn't go to this type of clear and clean sounding set-up sooner.

 

I am currently trying to decide on one of three integrated amps. I would love to hear some feedback on any of the following.
Mark Levinson No.585
Esoteric F-05
Mcintosh MA7900

I listen to both vinyl, hi rez music files and cd/sacd.

 

Tonight i was listening to my B&W CM5's on that Marantz tonight and tried out the Pure Direct circuit and it sounded much more balanced and real. The default "Stereo" setting to me sounds like it is trying too hard to sound Tube-like and as a result is too bright and fatiguing. Pure Direct made the cm5's sing tonight though.

 

Integrated Amps can sound as good as seperates , tubes and silicone are getting better sounding to my ear. There are black boxes , solid state that sound glorious, and tubed jewels that sound amazingly musical and please the eye as well. Intergrated amps do away with cables adding , or taking away some of the magic in the recording, but then the power supply of intergrateds being lesser than most seperates causing its own type of aural dilemmas . In a nutshell if you got a lot of space for rack shelving and a lot more cables, go for the seperates, ittl cost more too. If you have a smaller room, space is at a premium, or W.A.F. Intergrated amps are smaller, in most cases cheaper, and can sound amazingly musical. And thats all i got to say about that.

 

I got a Cambridge CXA80 yesterday for my office setup. It's crazy good for the money, I'm amazed.

 

Aloha
Pioneer A-90 just hooked up
Wonderful Amp
Cheers
Photo by Shanghai-Wally

 

I love a big TT

 

How does she sound, if I may ask? I had Carver separates in the 90s, but never the integrated.

 

Aloha
Just got a simple Dual 1229

 

Very happy with my Cyrus amp. Not the best looking though

 

Naim nait 5i2, wanted very much to upgrade it. Went to listen to all sort of fancy amps costing three or four times more - but could never justify the difference in cost. Simply could not notice any significant difference. So I guess it is here to stay…

 

NAD 3020

 

Greetings! I meant the T.Transformer in that amp
I like the Dual also.

 

I'm using an Inca Tech Oberon integrated; a full width and rarer version of the Claymore - quite rare in itself. Built by a bit of a legend on this side of the pond, Colin Wonfor.