Best $5000. Integrated amp or Pre amp/Amp combo

Buy a PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium HP integrated amp. It's $4,400 and 70 wpc. You want 100 watts? Replace the stock tubes with 8 KT150 tubes for another $800. That will take you to 100 wpc and give you tremendous bass response.

Maybe I'm biased but that's what I'm running today. I'm as pleased with the sound as I've ever been with any amp and I have owned much more expensive amplification in the past. My stereo sounds really darn good right now.

my SH.tv review of the amp with these tubes

 

Parasound gear is worth a look at that price range.

 

I listened to the R11s paired with the McIntosh integrated amplifier MA5200. I wasn't expecting much out of the entry level Mac but the combination surprised me. Smooth, loud, powerful, dynamic and detailed. Big slamming but tight bass. The thing that I really liked was the size of the sound stage- tall and wide- necer heard such a big soundstage with s solid state amplifier. I would completely enjoy owning that system.
Class D is starting to gain traction but would be a bad match with the R11s.

 

Parasound A21+ = Monster amp for $3K, 60 amps peak current per channel and massive PSU.
Parasound P6 = Preamp that will handle dual subs really well, the internal DAC and Phono stage are excellent.

$500 under your budget, probably performs at $3K over your budget.

 

Bryston.

 

Luxman - 505U
Warm - articulate - dynamic - an incredibly well thought out design that I have been very impressed by.
Build Quality - Outstanding.

 

I have the P6 and like it a lot, but I've heard nearly zero of the other units recommended in this thread so I can't offer any opinion about comparison. So take my endorsement of the P6 with a grain of salt, I guess.

 

there's a dealer demo Pass Labs INT-150 on Audiogon for $3800. I've never heard that amp but for that price it's what I'd want to try first.

 

I'm about to order the P6 and A21+ and use with my Oppo 205.

 

remember that the KEF R11s can be a touch metallic and cold sounding with the wrong amp. i always questioned why KEF used parasound amps for years in their audio show demos- lots of power but overall a dry cold edged sound. likely a similar result with bryston.
Mac, Luxman and Marantz are definitely a better match for KEF old and new R-series. Hegel is also a better fit but they sound bass heavy, lack transparency and soft on top IMHO.

 

I have the same observation about Parasound would sound "dry cold edged" for the following cases:
*When play in mono mode
*When playing loud and get into class AB mode

This is true for my a23 with all my speakers, including KEF LS50.

However, when playing not too loud, stying in class A mode, it is fine. Not dry, cold, or edged.

As long as OP can crossover low bass to the subs, he should do fine with Parasound.

 

I am going to give this integrated a shot. Taylor, the owner of Goldprint Audio, recommended it. It has a class A preamp, and the amplifier section is heavily biased in class A. It switches to class A/B at higher wattage. It is reported to be slightly on the warmer side with tube like dynamics, and sound stage.
SI-300.2d Integrated Amplifier | Cary Audio

 

Could just open the discussion to tubes. In that price range I’d love to try a Raven Osprey.

 

Keep us posted, I really would like an A21+.......Nobody has been home today, so I have been playing records since about 1PM and just stopped now. The volume on my HINT never went below 12 o'clock and the sound was outstanding, I am sure I got out of class A the whole time. No brightness at all, the bass was stellar and filled room nicely. Zero fatigue and could have kept going but gotta be up early tomorrow which suxs!!

 

I agree what you mention with Hegel & KEF.. It does sound bass heavy sometimes ( I have H190 and LS50s ) but the issue with bass is not being heavy.. it is not tight and defined.. its smooth and sometimes "loose" IMO ( with my H190 at least ) .. top end with Hegels are also not the best.. but there is something very organic, smooth, liquid flowing between the lows and top that makes Hegel special with the KEFs I believe.

 

Nice. Will keep updated.

 

I'm using a Unison Research Unico 90 tube amp in my second system, 100 watts, right in your price range and the best sounding integrated in it's price range that I've heard.

 

This will more than do it

Ayre K-5xeMP Stereo Preamplifier Evolution; Remote (16180) | Solid state | Broomfield, Colorado 80020 | Audiogon

Ayre Acoustics V-5xe | Solid state | Greenwood, Indiana 46142 | Audiogon

 

The KEFs sound best with tube amps- unfortunately they aren't so suitable for large room audio shows!
Literally the best, sweetest sound I have ever heard coming out of any system in my lifetime was the KEF LS50s paired with the Raven Osprey.
Lots of variables there however including the Osprey's NOS tubes at the time of demo (most likely Svetlanas that are no longer available) ; speaker cables (probably good ones knowing this store) and source (a top of the line Cambridge audio CD player/ DAC. Not sure how I let that one get away......

 

I am curious. How far away you sit from your speakers? How loud in decible on average as measured from your seat? Thanks!

The reason I am asking is that it does not really matter too much about the volume knob position as your source might be low in signal. Best to actually measure your loudness level with a sound meter.

Also, it is likely that your hint is still in A mode up to 4 watts or more. In that case, with both of your speakers at 89 dB/1 watt efficiency, at 3 feet away, you can hear 98 dB of music, while your hint is still in A mode. At 9 feet away, you can still get 92+dB with hint in A mode. 92+ dB is really loud!

 

Get the best McIntosh for your budget, buy it once. Thank me later.

 

I sit about 3m from my speakers, the HINT is in class A till about 3wpc (this from Richard Schram when I bought my HINT), anything more and it would start to get too hot. It was pretty loud last night I did not measure but I suspect I was easily 90+dB.

 

Thanks! Not trying to doubt your accessment...But loudness is relative....Unless you already have lots of experience measuring loudness with a meter before...

Based on your seating distance, you can get ~90db while hint is at A mode.

I have lots of experience, but I am still surprised that I was not that loud when I measured with my meter a few days ago, playing at "pretty loud" level. It was just 80 dB A rated. Peaks for bass was barely over 90 dB C rated, and I already felt the bass kicks nicely.

At way less than 80db A rated, my wife will say it is way too loud.....May be my wife can stand 70 dB A rated. For me it is not loud enough...
Only way to know for sure is to use a sound meter.

 

The frustrating thing on this forum is that no one specifies exactly what they are measuring when they quote SPL values. dBA or dBc is not enough. Are we talking peak measurement? Average measurement? Fast or slow response? There is a world of difference between peak and mean values for certain types of music.

 

Yeah, it can get confusing.... Even at slow response, it is not easy to get average either. So, I always use peaks of A and C, fast response, to get my approximate maximum. Then I check the majority of time the SPL hovers around to get my very rough approximate average.

An orchastra piece can be in 70db A slow majority of time, then climax could be a lot more in the 80 dB A slow. To me, that is not loud.

If I then play AC/DC that hovers around 80db A slow most of the time, that is loud to me.

BTW, good enough movie watching level for my wife is ~60db C weight slow response average.....That is plenty loud for her. This on the other hand is barely OK for me.