Poll: Best Looking Stereo Integrated Amp

[restorer-john]

This caught my eye.

It's Roon Ready. It has VU-meters. It has a built-in-DAC, phono stage, wireless antennas:

PROGRESSION INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER | Dan Dagostino amplifiers

But I can't tell if it has sub-woofer out / pre-out.

A bit over budget at $18K, but, hey, megacorp's stock is at an all time high and it's not like I can blow money on a nice vacation these days....

What Hi Fi review:

Dan D’Agostino Progression Integrated might just be the ultimate amplifier

High-end audio doesn't come much more high end than this

www.whathifi.com

Looks great. Are you gonna actually buy one or just stirring the ASR pot?

Headphone socket on the rear is a bit wierd and the BT antenna right over the phono inputs will be interesting.

 

[Doodski]

This caught my eye.

It's Roon Ready. It has VU-meters. It has a built-in-DAC, phono stage, wireless antennas:

PROGRESSION INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER | Dan Dagostino amplifiers

But I can't tell if it has sub-woofer out / pre-out.

A bit over budget at $18K, but, hey, megacorp's stock is at an all time high and it's not like I can blow money on a nice vacation these days....

What Hi Fi review:

Dan D’Agostino Progression Integrated might just be the ultimate amplifier

High-end audio doesn't come much more high end than this

www.whathifi.com

Pretttty. It looks like jewelry. Output stage delivering 200WPC into 8 Ohms and 400WPC into 4 Ohms. That's a nice power spec. An optional phono stage module adds selectable moving coil compatibility. Output Impedance 0.1Ω, 57 lb/26 kg. Power consumption at standby 20 Watts. I like it!

 

[Doodski]

 

[Peacemaker]

Does it come in black?

 

[restorer-john]

Goodness. It's a mess inside. Looks like an Aliexpress bunch-o-PCBs in an expensive box.

 

[Doodski]

Goodness. It's a mess inside. Looks like an Aliexpress bunch-o-PCBs in an expensive box.

Yeah, I saw that too and decided not to say nothing. The 6 output devices per channel is a bit skimpy for the price and power output too.

 

[Doodski]

Does it come in black?

Yes.

 

[Peacemaker]

Yes.

I like it! Have to save up some pennies though

 

[restorer-john]

Yeah, I saw that too and decided not to say nothing. The 6 output devices per channel is a bit skimpy for the price and power output too.

There's 12 per channel, I'm pretty sure. Stacked below on each PCB.

And what's with the craze of mini XLR connectors inside gear? And all that looped/tied up excess cables. The cable "dress" is non-existant.

Notice the multi-turn blue trimpots? With the adjustment screws horizontal not vertical? They ordered the wrong ones- check the Bournes catalog next time.

 

[Doodski]

@watchnerd is it possible to look at some monster Krell gear or similar instead of this sort of thing? Perhaps some separates. $18K buys a lot of Krell or similar.

 

[Doodski]

200W/8ohm and 400W/4ohm spec beaten on the bench at 2x265W and 2x425W, respectively. Under dynamic (music-like) conditions there's a further boost with momentary outputs of 325W, 600W, 930W and 1030W into 8, 4, 2 and 1ohm loads.

Parallel complementary output devices (six pairs per channel)
(I thought I read 6 transistors before but it is 6 pair as @restorer-john said.)

 

[watchnerd]

Looks great. Are you gonna actually buy one or just stirring the ASR pot?

Headphone socket on the rear is a bit wierd and the BT antenna right over the phono inputs will be interesting.

I'm not sure if I'm going to buy it.

I need to learn more about it.

Unfortunately, the D'agostino website doesn't have a downloadable manual.

Luckily there is a dealer about 30 min from me.

 

[watchnerd]

@watchnerd is it possible to look at some monster Krell gear or similar instead of this sort of thing? Perhaps some separates. $18K buys a lot of Krell or similar.

No, I'm done with separates at this stage in my life.

The Devialet has spoiled me to the lack of clutter and the usability of a powerful all-in-one amp/streamer.

 

[Doodski]

@watchnerd the owners manual is here.

 

[MediumRare]

I'm not sure if I'm going to buy it.

I need to learn more about it.

Unfortunately, the D'agostino website doesn't have a downloadable manual.

Luckily there is a dealer about 30 min from me.

200W @ 8Ω <0.1% eeew.

 

[Doodski]

200W @ 8Ω .015% eeew.

It's pretty common for low negative feedback big amps to have poor specs that way.

 

[watchnerd]

I'm not sure about the choice of font on the VU gauges....

 

[watchnerd]

@watchnerd the owners manual is here.

Thanks!

 

[Doodski]

I'm not sure about the choice of font on the VU gauges....

I think the meters are pretty and a classic antique shape and the color is nice and doesn't not appear to be the blue kind of illumination that visually floats in air when the room lights are turned down. As per looks they did a very good job of that. I searched for details on the pre-out and subwoofer use and there was no details to be had.

 

[watchnerd]

Some Dutch guy takes its top off and twiddles its knob: