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Best S/H Integrated Amp for under £200

Very underrated - going for £300 + at the moment (likely to increase further once people realise that its not as bad as some have made out)
 
Somehow I've had five 8000As of various vintages over the years. It's a wonderful reliable amp, with a very nice, quiet phone stage. It's remarkably capable in so many ways, and has stood in for some very exotic amps while they've had to go off for TLC, servicing or repair. My only reservation is that ultimately every one has left me just a little cold - respect due, but no proper love. I've never felt the desire to hang on to any of them. Right now I don't have one, and that is telling.

An A&R A60 is a more fun and more engaging amp. But don't ignore the Arcam Delta 60 or 90 either. These are just as reliable as the Audiolab, but are just a bit more engaging, with a bit more soul to their sound if that makes sense. I have lots of these - also telling.

And then there's the Ion Obelisk. Forget the One. It's a nice little amp but the weakest by far. The Two is where things get good. The Three is better still for not much more money. The 3X with X-Pak is superb, but I'd guess it's way beyond your £200 budget, so look for the Two or, if lucky, you may get a Three just within budget. If you can get a a 3x with X-Pak then pay the extra, it really is an amazing bit of kit and still one of the best shoe-box integrated amps ever made.

Can you still get a NAIT 3 for under £200?
 
Along with the Creek amps I would also suggest trying a Linn Intek, I had one after my creek 4140 and found it to be a good allrounder, mc & mm input along with line cd tuner video and 2 tape decks, also pre out power in and 4 sets of speaker outputs 4mm bananas. I tagged an lk100 to mine to bi amp my speakers as a start to building my aktiv triamped set up. Never had any issues with it in the three or four years I owned it.
 
Jamie said:
Never see much love for Cyrus around here, but I have a Cyrus 8VS2, and it's a great amp. The one I have will likely be well over budget looking at sold eBay prices, but there are older versions available well under budget (if you don't mind a shoebox!). And they are UK made (at least older ones in budget will be).
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I bought an 8vs2 many years ago as a stop-gap after selling my Naim gear unexpectedly (buyer turned up for my CDX and made an offer on the whole lot instead!) and I was very pleasantly surprised by how bloody good it was. I only upgraded a couple of years ago when switching from Celestion A2s to A3s and needing an amp with more grunt.

Oddly there was little interest in it when I put it up for sale. Instead it got serviced and some caps replaced, it's now on permanent loan to my brother who's very pleased with it.
 
Funk said:
I bought an 8vs2 many years ago as a stop-gap after selling my Naim gear unexpectedly (buyer turned up for my CDX and made an offer on the whole lot instead!) and I was very pleasantly surprised by how bloody good it was. I only upgraded a couple of years ago when switching from Celestion A2s to A3s and needing an amp with more grunt.

Oddly there was little interest in it when I put it up for sale. Instead it got serviced and some caps replaced, it's now on permanent loan to my brother who's very pleased with it.
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Just looking on Ebay now, looks like I will be limited to a 3 or a 6 with my budget, and advice ?
 
MJSM said:
Thanks, I had just edited my previous to make it sound less snobby ;) definitely under consideration, the 06 was over £600 new ... I guess I am just trying to get away from Japanese for this amp as I already have the Marantz (not that that means anything necessarily)
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Damn that RA 06 is tempting though and still well under budget, but then so is the Cyrus 6
 
I sold my 8vs2 years ago for 250 so it should be possible to get one for your budget.

Decent buy for that money but it will sound different to your Marantz.

I would personally be more inclined to save a little longer and get something newer.

Rega, Audiolab and Arcam make later, better amplifiers.
 
Another vote for the Audiolab 8000A. Sound is neutral, a good thing imho .
Proper tape monitoring stuff if I recall, I never used this though.
And if you decide to join the vinyl hair shirt community, or indeed if you already have, it has an excellent phono stage switchable for MM or MC.
Good luck.
 
Darren said:
This one. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Arcam-A7...d=link&campid=5338728743&toolid=20001&mkevt=1

Bid him a bit lower.
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Actually there is another one on the bay for £149 + £15 postage but i was hoping to do better for the money, maybe a cheapish A80, or A85. The trouble is that most f the A85s I have seen on Ebay don't have a phono board in them. It's not a stated requirement but I do have 2 record decks that I might end up playing through this amp so I would prefer if the amp has the capability. One of the decks is a Linn LP12/Valhalla/Ittok/Denon which would need a phono stage. The other is a re-plinthed Lenco GL75 with a home made Schroeder arm and a Benz L2 cartridge which I can play through the matching Lukaschek PP1 (as seen here ... https://www.mcru.co.uk/product/benz-micro-lukascheck-pp1-mc-transformer-with-riaa-equalizer/). This is how the Lenco looks now ...
51735495584_c350b50c92_c.jpg
Lenco_Schroder_002_800 by Mike, on Flickr

RoA said:
I sold my 8vs2 years ago for 250 so it should be possible to get one for your budget.
Decent buy for that money but it will sound different to your Marantz.
I would personally be more inclined to save a little longer and get something newer.
Rega, Audiolab and Arcam make later, better amplifiers.
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I see a lot of suggestions to increase the budget here but TBH this is just a stopgap until I get my Naim gear (active 250s/180 pre/SBLs) back from abroad, I don't have good hearing now (I wear two hearing aids) so I am not hearing as well as I should and the Naim gear may be a lot more than I need (and could be sold ultimately). Having said that I am pleasantly surprised about what I am hearing from the Marantz combo I currently have (CD63SE KI Sig/PM-66SE) and wanted to see how much better it can be within the £200 budget given my hearing limitations. I will then make my choice about what to keep and what to move on.
 
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say it as it is said:
yep good shout, early 5 and 5i starting to drop in price now as well
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My intention was to sell on the 5i I bought from you after a full service… well I gave it the full service, and it’s not been removed from the rack since and it’s matching CD player had joined it there, it’s staying here!
 
MJSM said:
I have been looking quite hard recently at Arcam gear Alpha range (A7/A8/A9 etc) Diva range (A65/70/75/80/85 etc) and their FMJ range (not higher than A28 due to budget restraints) and possibly the Delta 290 although I am aware of the input selector issues on the 290 and the Alpha 9. I'm not fixated on Arcam but would like to stay with British made if possible.
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I owned the Arcam Alpha 10 many years ago whilst a mate has the Alpha 8 which he kept for 24 years from new. Apart from the Alpha 8 he also has a Rega Brio 3. He found the Arcam to sound warmer than the Rega. He prefers the Arcam over Rega with his ancient Acoustic Energy AE109s.

Take note that the binding posts on the Arcam Alpha will not accept banana plugs.
 
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