Integrated amp recommendations needed

EDUBAG
EDUBAG Posts: 403
edited November 2012 in 2 Channel Audio
Hey guys,

So i have been wondering what the next step should be on my setup. I upgrated to my new r300 speakers got a new denon dl110 cartridge. But for some reason i wonder if i should upgrade my prepro rotel combo and was wondering what choices of integrated amps i should look into that would sound better in my system

I have looked at marantz the high end line but wonder of other brands as well

Please recommend away, specially if you are familiar with the kef sound

Regards

Eduardo
HT:
POLK AUDIO RTI4 FRONTS
CSI3 CENTER
DEF TECH PROMONITOR800 SURROUNDS
PSW 125 SUB
PIONEER ELITE AVR23TXH AVR
APPLE TV 160GB
PANASONIC BLURAY PLAYER
50" PANASONIC PLASMA TCP50C2

2 CHANNEL:
KEF R300 THREE WAY BOOKSHELF GLOSS PIANO BLACK
ROTEL RC 990BX PRE
ROTEL RB 990BX AMP
OPPO DV980 (AS CD PLAYER)
PIONEER PL100 TURNTABLE WITH SHURE MX97E CART
MIT EXP2 SPEAKER CABLES
Post edited by EDUBAG on
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Comments

  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,965
    edited November 2012
    Have a budget in mind ?

    Tubes baby.....Cayin, Dared, Yaqin, all have some units reasonably priced. Check Audiogon.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited November 2012
    In terms of new production (and without too much expertise), I'll opine...
    Luxman still makes nice solid state and vacuum tube amplifiers, bless their hearts.
    NAD has some reasonable massmarket stuff, too.
    I hear good things about the current Marantz hardware (but no ears-on experience).
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  • rromeo923
    rromeo923 Posts: 1,513
    edited November 2012
    I second the Yaqin idea. I have a Yaqin MC-10L that I bought used on Audiogon for $300 that is a wonderful unit. $300 is a super deal if you can get it. Prob have to pay a little more but a very nice sounding piece.
    I got static in my head
    The reflected sound of everything
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  • michaeljhsda2
    michaeljhsda2 Posts: 2,184
    edited November 2012
    Yaqin MS-20L would be my recommendation. About $625 brand new delivered to your door from Canada (Ebay seller Tabnaac, no afil). Great sounding and powerful amp. Has remote control and headphone jack. 4 inputs. Don't let the 50 wpc rating fool you. This amp can rock a pair of 1.2 TL's with ease.
    SDA SRS 2.3TL's
    Silk Audio MS-90-BT integrated tube amp
    Yaqin MS-20L integrated tube amp
    SDA 2B TL's
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited November 2012
    +1 on tubes! Some nice prices on the Yaqins above. Good stuff!

    SS. You really can't beat the price to value ratio of a nice NAD. And I did not know Luxman was still making equipment, thanks, mhardy!

    Look around, Marantz is also making some good things these days.

    Currently, I'm running my LSi-7s off a fairly new Yamaha integrated (85 watts x 2). Nothing special, even cheaper than NADs and, you know, this "cheap" integrated actually sounds very clean and has decent power handling for it's 20 some pounds?

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited November 2012
    Go with the new Cambridge-Audio 851A integrated. Class A transitioning to class B at higher levels. Sweet.

    http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=CA851A
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited November 2012
    I'm using a Wyred 4 Sound MINT with KEF Q100s, IMO they go together well.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited November 2012
    That CA integrated looks nice. But perhaps we should also ask about the "budget" at this point. Some of the suggestions above are "pricey". Are you prepared to spend $2000 or more?

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited November 2012
    cnh wrote: »
    ....

    SS. You really can't beat the price to value ratio of a nice NAD. And I did not know Luxman was still making equipment, thanks, mhardy!
    ...

    cnh

    heh, guess your new 2013 Music Direct catalog didn't come on Friday? :-(
    Yes, some beautiful looking and sounding, albeit not inexpensive, vacuum tube and soiled state amplifiers from Luxman are still readily available.

    http://www.musicdirect.com/p-1169-luxman-l-505u-integrated-amp.aspx
    http://www.musicdirect.com/p-50381-luxman-sq-n10-tube-integrated-amp-d-100r-ipod-dock.aspx
    http://www.musicdirect.com/p-1204-luxman-sq-38u-tube-integrated-amp.aspx
    http://www.musicdirect.com/p-50371-luxman-l-550ax-integrated-amp.aspx
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  • newrival
    newrival Posts: 2,017
    edited November 2012
    I think the wyred 4 sound integrateds are great. II really enjoy their sound. I Haven't heard the MiNT, but I would expect it is very nice.

    I would also recommend you look at Creek. Their integrateds are super clean. Very enjoyable, in my opinion. I had the 5350SE, and loved it. The newer Destiny line is better, but if you can find a 5350SE 2nd hand, you would be getting a very nice unit for less.

    I really don't care for tubes, but I did enjoy the Manley Stingray I was borrowing a while back. That TriVista 300 that Lasareath linked to would be pretty sweet.
    design is where science and art break even.
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  • EDUBAG
    EDUBAG Posts: 403
    edited November 2012
    Ok guys thanks for all the suggestions, but i guess the question goes unanswered. Would these recommendations sound better with my speakers than what i have right now? I mean the rotels are no slouches what kind of integrated would i need to hear a noticeable improvemnt?
    HT:
    POLK AUDIO RTI4 FRONTS
    CSI3 CENTER
    DEF TECH PROMONITOR800 SURROUNDS
    PSW 125 SUB
    PIONEER ELITE AVR23TXH AVR
    APPLE TV 160GB
    PANASONIC BLURAY PLAYER
    50" PANASONIC PLASMA TCP50C2

    2 CHANNEL:
    KEF R300 THREE WAY BOOKSHELF GLOSS PIANO BLACK
    ROTEL RC 990BX PRE
    ROTEL RB 990BX AMP
    OPPO DV980 (AS CD PLAYER)
    PIONEER PL100 TURNTABLE WITH SHURE MX97E CART
    MIT EXP2 SPEAKER CABLES
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • thsmith
    thsmith Posts: 6,082
    edited November 2012
    Anthem has some nice integrates, sorry but can not answer your question since I have not heard your gear.
    Speakers: SDA-1C (most all the goodies)
    Preamp: Joule Electra LA-150 MKII SE
    Amp: Wright WPA 50-50 EAT KT88s
    Analog: Marantz TT-15S1 MBS Glider SL| Wright WPP100C Amperex BB 6er5 and 7316 & WPM-100 SUT
    Digital: Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core i5 8g RAM 1.5 TB HDD Music Server Amarra (memory play) - USB - W4S DAC 2
    Cables: Mits S3 IC and Spk cables| PS Audio PCs
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  • lanchile
    lanchile Posts: 560
    edited November 2012
    Just go with Bryston B60/B100. They are the best in sound and they will last longer than you lol.
    Make it simple...Make it better!
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  • newrival
    newrival Posts: 2,017
    edited November 2012
    Almost everything mentioned would be a noticeable upgrade. But I have yet to hear a piece of Rotel gear that I liked.
    design is where science and art break even.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,561
    edited November 2012
    newrival wrote: »
    Almost everything mentioned would be a noticeable upgrade. But I have yet to hear a piece of Rotel gear that I liked.

    This!!!
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • larry777
    larry777 Posts: 480
    edited November 2012
    Some nice higher priced gear mentioned here. But for those prices you could try both Tubes and SS at the same time and see what you like. As a matter of fact, I just ordered a Yaqin MC-100 B integrated tube amp through e-bay from Song here in Canada, to find out why so many people like tubes. Yaqin offers great Bang for the Buck and any of their amps mentioned here would be good. Almost all the reviews on these amps are positive and they respond well to upgraded tubes. These amps come with a 3 year warranty for labour and 1 year for parts so they do stand behind them.
    Home Theatre.............

    Pioneer SC-35
    Polk RTi10's Fronts
    Polk CSiA6 Center
    RTi4 Surrounds
    SVS PB-12 Sub


    2 Channel.............................

    Yaqin MC-100B
    Energy RC-70 Speakers
    Arcam CD-192 Disc Player
    Van Den Hul Interconnects
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,965
    edited November 2012
    Be a nice test between the Yaqin and that Sansui 717. Let us know how they compare. Congrats btw.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter