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Top 5 Integrated Amps

MVV said:
I’ve been delighted with the sound of the NAD M3 and had no desire to ‘upgrade’. However the blue led display is failing and for some reason the volume control now only works with the remote. Doubt it can be fixed.
https://www.stereophile.com/integratedamps/107nad/index.html
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It is a shame that a lot of more modern equipment is not repairable by local engineers, especially if you have invested a lot.
 
oldius said:
It is a shame that a lot of more modern equipment is not repairable by local engineers, especially if you have invested a lot.
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This is why we need to make ‘Right To Repair’ (see stickied thread at top of audio room) a key buying decision. It is all about lack of documentation and availability of spares, not modern design. If the information is there stuff can be repaired even if it is fully SMD, even BGAs etc. The skillset to handle the technology exists (there are folk on pfm that can do it), but it is impossible without documentation and parts supply. If there is a market repair engineers will adapt (as they have with computers, phones etc), but it is impossible without documentation and parts availability.
 
flatpopely said:
Simple, JVC AX-Z1010TN. Buy and never worry about looking for an upgrade!

https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/jvc-ax-z1010tn-review.168851/

jvc_ax_z1010-2.jpg
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Seconded. Does everything well. I also like the flexibility such as the digital DAT tape loop which I use with a CD recorder.
 
linnfomaniac83 said:
The amp I had was a little earlier than that, it was a CAP-151, fantastic sounding thing, beautifully built too, but pretty deep (as deep as it is wide when you factor in the rear connections), so it hung over the front of the compact rack in my space limited study. Some of their power amps are too physically large for any HIFI rack and need to be stood on a platform on the floor, and that’s what counts them out for me, I don’t have the space to house them practically, otherwise I’d have loved to try some in my main system, it’s lovely sounding stuff.
The later CAP-2100 always caught my eye too… it looks less imposing than the CAP-151 because the front is curved at the sides, but it’s deceptive, it’s still a chunky amp at 16” deep not including the rear connections.
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You’re bang on with the Classe Audio 2100. A friend of mine repairs high end stuff and according to him, this was the best sounding integrated he ever touched. The only problem he saw was a rather low quality type of relays but he replaced with higher quality and problems solved.
 
Nic Robinson said:
Seconded. Does everything well. I also like the flexibility such as the digital DAT tape loop which I use with a CD recorder.
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There's one for sale on Facebook local to me, in fact less than a mile away, think it's a PFM's amp.

Not seen him posting for a while hope he's okay.
 
gerlando said:
SS:
LFD zero LE
Lavardin IS
EWA Claymore
Exposure XV
Exposure 2010/3010
Densen DM10
Electrocompaniet ECI-1
Roksan K3

tubes:
audio note OTO
Tube Technology Unisis
Leben CS300
Verdier 210
Jadis Orchestra
Audio Innovations 500
CR Development Kalypso
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I was going to mention the Audio Innovations Series 500.

I might be slightly biased.

This thing can sing! :D
 
The best integrated amps I've owned are:

Krell KAV-400xi. Currently use in my main system and it's the best integrated I've heard, by some margin.

Primare i22. Currently in my bedroom system and very good, especially as it's not expensive.

I've got an Audio Note Oto and it sounds fantastic when it's working, which sadly isn't often. I also like the Audiolab 8000S and use in in my living room system currently.

One I've heard and sounded great, but haven't owned (yet), was one of the Copland hybrids (CSA28 I think).
 
Revox A78 is a great sounding SS integrated that never gets mentioned.

FWIW, and we've been here before, I strongly disagree with TonyL on the fixability of high tech gear thats all SMD, multilayer boards, BGA's etc etc. Yes it CAN be done but it's hugely more difficult, time consuming, and often requires investment in some very expensive kit in order to do it properly. Parts availability and the fact that ATM such parts are often obsoleted after only say 5 years plays a big part. "Right to repair" can only help but as things stand "computer controlled/SMD/digital space age/smart phone type tech" gear is likely to be either land fill after say 7 years use or only economically viable to repair if it was say £4K+ when new. All IMHO and YMMV.

Yes I'm a Luddite and probably akin to the steam train engineer watching diesel and electric take over but personally I fail to see even why we need to have display screens that say hello to you and be able to control an amplifier from your smartphone and all that kind of new fangled malarkey. I take my hat of to those who replace BGA IC's the size of my thumb nail which have 300 connections to them and good luck to them... I reckon there will be plenty of trad hi fi around to see me out and there's still plenty of brand new kit coming out all the time that can be so trad as to use point to point hand soldered tag boards etc!
 
gerlando said:
SS:
LFD zero LE
Lavardin IS
EWA Claymore
Exposure XV
Exposure 2010/3010
Densen DM10
Electrocompaniet ECI-1
Roksan K3

tubes:
audio note OTO
Tube Technology Unisis
Leben CS300
Verdier 210
Jadis Orchestra
Audio Innovations 500
CR Development Kalypso
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Still lust after a Densen DM10. Nearly bought a Electrocompaniet recently too.
 
Pioneer a300 Precision really impressed me, and was head and shoulders above the a400, and various budget Marantz I’ve had. Stupidly I sold it when I bought my Exposure. Should have kept it as a spare, as they’re fairly rare now.

That being said it, and the a400 appear on the other thread, so what do I know?
 
Arkless Electronics said:
Revox A78 is a great sounding SS integrated that never gets mentioned.

FWIW, and we've been here before, I strongly disagree with TonyL on the fixability of high tech gear thats all SMD, multilayer boards, BGA's etc etc. Yes it CAN be done but it's hugely more difficult, time consuming, and often requires investment in some very expensive kit in order to do it properly. Parts availability and the fact that ATM such parts are often obsoleted after only say 5 years plays a big part. "Right to repair" can only help but as things stand "computer controlled/SMD/digital space age/smart phone type tech" gear is likely to be either land fill after say 7 years use or only economically viable to repair if it was say £4K+ when new. All IMHO and YMMV.

Yes I'm a Luddite and probably akin to the steam train engineer watching diesel and electric take over but personally I fail to see even why we need to have display screens that say hello to you and be able to control an amplifier from your smartphone and all that kind of new fangled malarkey. I take my hat of to those who replace BGA IC's the size of my thumb nail which have 300 connections to them and good luck to them... I reckon there will be plenty of trad hi fi around to see me out and there's still plenty of brand new kit coming out all the time that can be so trad as to use point to point hand soldered tag boards etc!
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BGAs are doable with hot air, I’ve done it a few times. It’s a nervous process though, if you take a pad off the board when you’re cleaning the old solder off, it’s anywhere between extremely difficult and totally impossible to fix. Main tools you’ll need are hot air and stencils to reapply the solder paste. A heat pad to preheat the PCB can help a lot too, especially if there’s a large ground plane on the opposite side of the board.

The bigger problem can be when a chip needs flashing with firmware to work, that’s generally a manufacturer only job unless you somehow manage to get the files and have the means of programming them.
 
hifinutt said:
Shame they stopped making that ams35, seems to be very popular but very rare now
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Outstanding amp, for me better than the big Sugden and Luxman pure Class A's .. on a par with Accuphase I owned.
Last units sold for £3k new and when they come up for sale they fetch about this amount still. Glorious with Yamaha ns1000's.
 
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