What is your ideal integrated amplifier?

[Melvinne]

I have a Teac AX-505 and it is quite close to being ideal:

I really like the look of the TEAC A4-sized components. The AX-505 in Silver is sleek, small, and would be perfect on my white/silver office setup. The challenge I find is availability in the US.

I’d really like the NT-505 and the AP-505, but that’s nearly $4k, and I really think an AI-505 (if they made one?) would be perfect as I mainly need a USB->DAC->AMP, which I’d prefer to be in a single package.

Anyway, great comments about the TEAC, I’m glad you like it!

 

[curiouspeter]

I really like the look of the TEAC A4-sized components. The AX-505 in Silver is sleek, small, and would be perfect on my white/silver office setup. The challenge I find is availability in the US.

I’d really like the NT-505 and the AP-505, but that’s nearly $4k, and I really think an AI-505 (if they made one?) would be perfect as I mainly need a USB->DAC->AMP, which I’d prefer to be in a single package.

Anyway, great comments about the TEAC, I’m glad you like it!

I remember it was possible to get the NT/AX-505 from Walmart for about $2500 combined. The AP-505 is still quite pricey.

I would have gotten the AX-505 in silver if one is available at a reasonable price. I got a black one for $999 instead. Not as cheap as it could get, but I am not complaining.

I only have space for an A4-sized amp. (Well, I guess I could replace that crappy Wayfair media console for a real rack.)

 

[JSmith]

I assume Teac are using the stock Hypex board with the reduced lifespan capacitors, or have they upgraded same?



JSmith

 

[curiouspeter]

I assume Teac are using the stock Hypex board with the reduced lifespan capacitors, or have they upgraded same?



JSmith

I am a perennial pessimist and I doubt my AX-505 will last decades. Most modern electronics around this price are not built to last.

 

[JSmith]

Most modern electronics around this price are not built to last.

True, however according to @Apollon Audio the standard caps only last 5000 hours... I'd prefer 20000 hours myself and it's not like this amp is dirt cheap really in comparison to other NCore based amps of similar specs.



JSmith

 

[curiouspeter]

True, however according to @Apollon Audio the standard caps only last 5000 hours... I'd prefer 20000 hours myself and it's not like this amp is dirt cheap really in comparison to other NCore based amps of similar specs.



JSmith

Not dirt cheap but I bet Teac is charging a premium for the design. 5000 hr is not horrible. That's about 7 years assuming 2 hours per day of listening. It does have an auto standby mode. I'm sure I'll have my eyes on something else before then.

 

[JSmith]

2 hours per day of listening

Conservative for me... mine is used for TV, movies and music so is basically in use from when I get home until very late at night. Weekends my system is often on for the whole 2 days... so I guess our use case differs. It's interesting Apollon offer a cap replacement service prior to buying, which is something I've not seen others offer.

@boXem | audio something to consider?



JSmith

 

[curiouspeter]

Conservative for me... mine is used for TV, movies and music so is basically in use from when I get home until very late at night. Weekends my system is often on for the whole 2 days... so I guess our use case differs. It's interesting Apollon offer a cap replacement service prior to buying, which is something I've not seen others offer.

@boXem | audio something to consider?



JSmith

In that case you might want to consider something with HT bypass, like the Audiolab 8300A, in case you want to use your AVR as the pre in the future.

Other amps with HT bypass:
http://www.audiophile.no/en/articles-tests-reviews/item/426-amplifiers-with-processor-input

Or something like the Yamaha A-S701 with tone control. Just pretend it doesn't have a DAC.

 

[JSmith]

HT bypass

Yes already looking at same.

your AVR

Nah... no AVR here! I have a few amps, in one system is a 1976 Akai beast.

Yamaha A-S701 with tone control. Just pretend it doesn't have a DAC.

Have looked at same, nice unit, but maybe too much in one box... looking at separates.

... and an amp that uses quality caps is important from a quality aspect. I'm keen to try out a precise well measured class D amp now that the problems in the past with D class topology has been addressed.



JSmith

 

[curiouspeter]

Yes already looking at same.

Nah... no AVR here! I have a few amps, in one system is a 1976 Akai beast.

Have looked at same, nice unit, but maybe too much in one box... looking at separates.

... and an amp that uses quality caps is important from a quality aspect. I'm keen to try out a precise well measured class D amp now that the problems in the past with D class topology has been addressed.



JSmith

We have a pair of Sonos Amps for TV/movies/surrounds. There is a speaker-level A/B switch so the front Sonos Amp and the Teac can share the same speakers. This is how I can get away with lower usage on my Teac.

The Sonos does not have pre-outs though, otherwise we too would want HT bypass.

I like class D. Low power consumption and low heat. I still think $1000 amps probably won't use quality components though.

What about the Rega Brio if you are okay with 50wpc at 8 ohm? I am not sure if it "hums" like some people are saying.

 

[JSmith]

Rega Brio ... 50wpc at 8 ohm

I think it would struggle on a 4Ohm load for speakers with a peak power of 125W, especially considering their site doesn't even refer to output @ 4Ohms.



JSmith

 

[Apollon Audio]

True, however according to @Apollon Audio the standard caps only last 5000 hours... I'd prefer 20000 hours myself and it's not like this amp is dirt cheap really in comparison to other NCore based amps of similar specs.



JSmith

Please note that 5.000 hours is the lifetime when these caps work above 100 degrees Celsius. On the amplifier board these caps operate at around 45 degrees Celsius. At such operating temperature the caps have around 80.000 hours lifetime as the operating temperature is a lot lower than maximum operating temperature of the cap.

 

[JSmith]

maximum operating temperature of the cap.

Thanks for your reply and yes aware of this... however my concern regarding general longevity stands.

I have amps that are 44 years old that still work (different I know)... so looking for a product with decent longevity too. I don't like the way so many products have become throw away items... we as a species are wasting the finite resources the Earth has.

The fact Apollon offer to replace the caps clearly suggests it is a concern for other customers too that Apollon must share.

So where on the order page on your companies site can a customer request an amp replaced with quality caps?

@all is there anyone else that does this and why isn't another manufacturer building quality class D modules with better quality caps? It seems even Purifi can't get this right either.



JSmith

 

[curiouspeter]

@all is there anyone else that does this and why isn't another manufacturer building quality class D modules with better quality caps? It seems even Purifi can't get this right either.



JSmith

Consumers in that price category will generally not pay extra for that.

$1000 electronics are considered disposable nowadays. If you ask me, it is very wasteful and I too wish for better components but that is the reality of our credit-driven consumer culture.

I'm sure the Mola Mola Kaluga Class D monoblocks will have some nice caps but you do have to pay a lot.

 

[dualazmak]

I have a Teac AX-505 and it is quite close to being ideal:
.....
(I guess DACs can have a nice hi-res IPS display with software VU meters but somehow this is not common as well.)

Although belated, I came across with this thread just today.

In my multichannel multiamplifier project, I intensively tested and evaluated Teac AX-505 and AP-505 as shared in my three posts, #290, #291 and #292 on that thread.

I also actually evaluated several other integrated and power amplifiers in my project, and recently I provisionally completed my multichannel multi-amplifier system with three "integrated" amplifiers, Yamaha A-S3000, Accuphase E-460 and Sony TA-A1ES as shared in this post.

Throughout my amplifier exploration, I well experienced and learnt that we should never exclude high quality Hi-Fi "integrated amplifiers" to be implemented in such multichannel multi-amplifier project, and I also agree with you it is very nice to have VU meters in our amplifiers; I regret a little bit that my Sony TA-A1ES has no VUs...

Maybe, I will possibly consider replacing TA-A1ES with one of the Luxman's Class-A integrated amps having nice VU meters to directly dedicatedly drive tweeters and super-tweeters.

 

[VintageFlanker]

like the industrial design of the Atoll IN300. The feature set is very competent too. It "only" has AK4490 but I am sure it is transparent.

Don't buy Atoll. Highly overpriced stuff. Their measured performance is unacceptable (per exemple this and that) as are their internal assembly and reliability. Made In France is the only thing they bring to the table.

Also, it seems like you're overestimating the importance of the DAC in an integrated.

 

[JSmith]

VU meters

I love VU's on my vintage amps... so might just pop this in somewhere and put more money into the amp or dac for a new system;

JSmith

 

[curiouspeter]

While I like the VU meters on my AX-505, they are quite hard to see from where I sit. I won't mind if my next amplifier doesn't have them.

 

[Overseas]

As I am in Europe with lots of friends in UK, yesterday I purchased my second Yamaha, an R-N803D this time, from UK, with the help of a friend that will bring it to me next month. Price was (ashame to disclose) 534 pounds, brand new from Yamaha rep, seems to be with int. guarantee. It will make my second system next to A S701. At this price I could not resist.
Sayonara !

 

[JSmith]

AX-505

If it irks you so I'm open to donations...



JSmith