What is your endgame integrated amplifier?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Naka9, Nov 6, 2022.

  1. aunitedlemon

    aunitedlemon Unity is in the pith.

    Location:
    Oregon
    I respect your opinion of component and speaker sound profiles and enjoy reading your shared insights into their sound characteristics. I'm not sorry I followed your praise of the ART9XI.
    Hell, you just saved me $40k! ;) Too bad indeed. That's a design aesthetic I think my wife might even endorse.
     
    avanti1960 likes this.
  2. goldwax

    goldwax Rega | Cambridge | Denafrips | Luxman | Dynaudio

    Location:
    US of A
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    No plans to get rid of my 19-year-old Bel Canto eVo2 Gen II until it croaks. No problem driving my speakers, and i have an outboard DAC and phono preamp, so nothing to go wrong there. I don’t even touch the tone or balance controls, just input selector and volume. $3,200 street price. I paid $600 six years ago.
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2022
    drh, Bananas&blow, AudioOut58 and 3 others like this.
  3. DancingSea

    DancingSea Forum Resident

    Location:
    Maui, Hawaii

    I started a thread about this very topic recently. A step down transformer is all you need to make the Japanese version work in the USA. A competent technician should be able to also do the conversion internally of you prefer. Both void the warranty.

    I’m not sure what the AC math is for Hong Kong.
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2022
  4. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    I forget the name but it's a very rare Line Magnetic amp that costs about $15K.

    [​IMG]

    There's one for sale in Australia and I need buckets to contain my drool.

    Here's what the seller stated; "Single ended 805 tubes with a chassis/transformers combined weight of around 75kg (165 pounds). These units are not made anymore and I was only able to purchase this after waiting 18 months for a special production run."
     
  5. Pancat

    Pancat Senior Member

    Location:
    Merry England
    Cheers. Yeah, defo end game as I’m replacing 30year old Mission Cyrus combo with my retirement gift to myself. Itching to break in to the new goodies and it did feel good to update my profile. I love the features on the amp and will make a change from the Cyrus minimalism. Good luck on your upgrade journey.
     
    Richard Austen and The Pinhead like this.
  6. Pancat

    Pancat Senior Member

    Location:
    Merry England
    Cheers. Yep, this is upgrade to 1990s gear and definitely endgame.
     
    jonwoody likes this.
  7. PopularChuck

    PopularChuck Senior Member

    Location:
    Bay Area
    I feel the same way. My Croft Phono Integrated is the only component I've ever regretted selling. That said, I'm running an LFD NCSE MkII and absolutely love it, but I'm eying the latest version - the NCSE HR. Dunno if that's the end-game integrated for me, but I also can't imagine wanting more.
     
    Frazeur1, bhazen and Tajo1960 like this.
  8. PopularChuck

    PopularChuck Senior Member

    Location:
    Bay Area
    The writer means the Luxman is an excellent place to start your search. As in, try it first; you may not have to look further.
     
    bajaed, MGW and Tajo1960 like this.
  9. jwoverho

    jwoverho Licensed Drug Dealer

    Location:
    Mobile, AL USA
    Yamaha A-S2100 is in my main system and a final upgrade.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. PopularChuck

    PopularChuck Senior Member

    Location:
    Bay Area
    The industrial design is by Oliver Raymond Industrial Design, which has done work for Porsche Design and Mercedes-Benz.

    I've not heard a Rossi, but based on everything I've read and heard from others, his amplifiers have a reputation for excellent sound. I've considered his earlier integrateds - the L2i and, before that, the Lio - but have never found one in a configuration (the Lio) that met my needs or a price (L2i) I could afford, so I've never auditioned one. That said, I'd love to.

    Each subsequent Rossi integrated has seen a significant jump in price, and the Bramma runs $38,000.
     
    matro5 likes this.
  11. bhazen

    bhazen ANNOYING BEATLES FAN

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    I've yet to hear an LFD, but have heard they're magical with BBC-type speakers like the LS3/5A.
     
    PopularChuck likes this.
  12. Tim Irvine

    Tim Irvine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin, Texas
    Since I have never taken a step down that path past selecting and buying what I have, I must plead ignorance. If I had the money to buy an end game integrated, presumably I could afford to update my other components as well. So pairing well, especially with the demands of the speakers, would narrow the menu. With that tortured disclaimer, I would love to try some of the well known UK products like Naim, Rega, Sugden, etc. paired with various BBCs, ATCs, Proacs, etc.
     
  13. daytona600

    daytona600 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    DarTZeel CTH-8550 no volume control only Pleasure Control
    [​IMG]
     
    Steve0, Mr.Sign, mjcmt and 19 others like this.
  14. MacGyver

    MacGyver Forum Resident

    Location:
    IRRIGON, OR. U.S.
    i've always wanted a 1987 PIONEER A-91D;

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    Last edited: Nov 9, 2022
  15. MacGyver

    MacGyver Forum Resident

    Location:
    IRRIGON, OR. U.S.
    that said, after my 1990 PIONEER VSX-D1S A/V Receiver finally called it quits,
    i jumped at the excuse to try the 2001/2002 VSX-47TX out for cheap, a $3000-some AVR that caught my interest
    back in it's day, when i was just fresh into Hi-Fi.

    not bad at all. much better built than the D1S, and so much like an AVR/Int. Amp hybrid that it takes the edge off of lusting after the A-91D rather nicely;

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    Bananas&blow, 33na3rd and Tajo1960 like this.
  16. PopularChuck

    PopularChuck Senior Member

    Location:
    Bay Area
    Mine drives a pair of Spendor D7 floorstanders and to my ears it sounds wonderful. I’ve heard similar things about Harbeth speakers.
     
    Bananas&blow, bhazen and jonwoody like this.
  17. UltraDNS

    UltraDNS Staying in Seattle?

    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Yamaha As-3000 would be it for me.
     
  18. Humbuster

    Humbuster Staff Emeritus

    the one i just purchased

    McIntosh MA8950
     
  19. Gi54

    Gi54 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Scotland
    Somethinng in silver - Luxman, Accuphase, a big Sugden or Yamaha 3000 series would all do it.

    The Primare i30 will need to suffice for now.
     
  20. Stryker10

    Stryker10 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Hamilton Ontario
    Pass Int 250.
     
  21. Suddenly This Overview

    Suddenly This Overview Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    I’m currently very satisfied with my modest Naim Nait5si, but eventually I’d like to move up to a SuperNait3.
     
    Frazeur1, Naka9 and jonwoody like this.
  22. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Yamaha A-S801
     
    jwoverho, Reever, bjlefebvre and 2 others like this.
  23. jonwoody

    jonwoody Tragically Unhip

    Location:
    Washington DC
    Always nice to see so many happy with the amp they have.
     
  24. Naka9

    Naka9 music first audiophile Thread Starter

    Location:
    Portugal
    Many of my endgame listed amplifiers are Class A, and I have been trying to understand what is the power consumption when working and when in stand by, because:
    - electricity’s cost is high
    - they sound the best when left on
    But sadly it is rare for a manufacturer to publish that precise information.
    For exemple the Musical Fidelity M6si500 consumes up to 2000w!! Ouch...

    What is the experience of all you Class A users?
     
  25. KeithL

    KeithL Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    I certainly do not leave my amp powered 24/7.

    My L-550A ll uses about 0.68 amps x 230v which equates to about 156 watts.
    The first reading is x 1 and the second reading is x 10 for better accuracy.

    The readings seemed low to me so I checked it against a fan heater which confirmed I am using the meter correctly.

    NB. I don't usually connect my amp up using an extension cable and an AC line splitter.

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