Top 5 Integrated Amps

[backtovinyl]

I’m thinking about building another system for vinyl only and I already have a decent phono stage.
This question is likely a can of worms but what would be the very best integrated amps either new or used in the last 30 or so years?
Many thanks!

 

[RoA]

 

[John]

Exposure

 

[Gervais Cote]

Nait 1 and 2, Sansui AU717, maybe/probably Rega IO but never heard one myself.

 

[Gervais Cote]

Forgot an important one : Sugden A21a

 

[Arkless Electronics]

Forgot an important one : Sugden A21a

That would be the obvious one yes but without any upper price limit there would be contenders from luxman, Accuphase, Krell etc etc

 

[Seeker_UK]

Creek 4040

And three I've owned:

Audiolab 8000a
Aura VA100ii
Pioneer 9500

A lot of people rate the Pioneer but I found it inferior to the Audiolab.

I loved the Aura, a really full-sounding amp with lots of low end but they have a bit of a rep for breaking down.

 

[Amber Audio]

​

 

[Hazelberry]

Any mid to upper range AX Yamaha of the early to late 90s should be great value. Beefy buggers with an excellent grip on the speakers. I understand Yamaha redesigned their basic amplifier circuit around 1990 and have used it ever since, really only tweaking it as one moves further up the range.

I have an AX-450 (one of the earliest amplifiers with the redesign) and have been delighted with it. The only amplifier of many in 20 years to displace my A&R A60 from my system! - and I even like its appearance. The A60 is also a good choice, but now highly likely to need an overhaul, unless you find one ready done.

 

[Wilson]

I'd like to see the Exposure XV Super on the list.

 

[ryder]

what would be the very best integrated amps either new or used in the last 30 or so years?
Many thanks!

Vitus SIA-030 / RI-101
Audionet Humboldt
Accuphase E-800 / E-650
Luxman L-509X / L-590AXII
Pass Labs INT-250

 

[Tarzan]

Integrated amplifiers rule.

In the right system the Lavardins ( especially the early ones ) were pretty special.

 

[simon g]

As you haven't specified a budget, or system context, or some idea of what is 'best'' for you, then this is just a bit of fun. The winner is;

Kondo Ongaku

 

[atcman]

Lentek
Levinson

 

[Darren L]

Very much depends on budget, sure there's some high end top integrated amps (and more now than ever previously) though not so many 30 years ago, though some high end manufacturers did start to introduce integrated amps, here's a few I've owned that I'd rate as good amps.

Naim Nait
Creek 4040
Rega Brio (r)
Sugden A21a
Copland CSA28
YBA integre DT
Unison Research simply 4

If you want to spend more then there's the Sugden Masterclass or various other models from Sugden and a fair few different amps from Unison, perhaps a Audio Research or CJ , I suppose speaker choice may have an effect on your choices, if you are using horns or high sensitivity speakers you could opt for an SET amp, alternatively you could buy a baby Krell or Jeff Rowland and use any speakers on the planet.
Luxman seem to have become very popular in recent years and produce quite a few integrated amps.

BTW the Audionote(uk) Ongaku was the most disappointing amp I've ever heard.

 

[Chris81]

BTW the Audionote(uk) Ongaku was the most disappointing amp I've ever heard.

Why? What didn't you like?

 

[stairpost]

Copland, pretty affordable and bloody lovely.

 

[DeRoubaix]

Exposure XV

 

[JTC]

I am partial to my Luxman L-590AXII - whether it’s among the very best at any price is harder to say, but up to around £10k it has to be considered.

 

[Big Tabs]

No idea what the top five are?

So far my Roksan K 3 amp sounds very good.
I would like to hear the Roksan Black, but don’t hear any problems with the K3 - Bluetooth is useful. Not tried the phono stage in the K3 as I have external phone stages.

The Audiolab 8000A that I used for years was adequate. Never blew me away. It would probably sound better now as my sources have improved.