Need advice on next integrated amp

[blueajah1223]

Hi All,
I am looking to replace my power and pre amps and my cd player. My spouse is not a fan of the current aesthetic. I have JBL L100 speakers (which I love and my wife does too). Currently I have a Peachtree Amp 500 for my power amp and a Peachtree Nova 150 for my preamp. I have and Audiolab cd transport. I am looking at a few models (all wife approved ) and want some thoughts on what folks would recommend:

1. Technics SU-G700M2 amp with Technica SL G700 cd player
2. JBL SA750 Amp (which is a re boxed Arcam sa30) and find a cd player that matches the amps aesthetic (maybe Yamaha sacd player)
3. Marantz 30 amp with a 30N cd player

All amps are similar in price. Right now I am leaning towards the JBL since I hear it has nice synergy with the JBL speakers, but have heard other folks say the Technics also sound good with the L100s.

 

[Zapper]

Dude. I wish my wife would tell me to go drop $6k on new electronics because she doesn't like how the old ones look. You hit the WAF jackpot. LOL

 

[Zapper]

The general belief on this forum is that competently design amps are transparent - that is, they impart no sound of their own to the music. And these are all very competent amps. Have your wife pick one that matches the decor and enjoy.

 

[Dunlavyphile]

To hopefully stay within your budget, you could check the used market (like USAudioMart) for something on the order of a Bel Canto E1X Integrated Amplifier. That gets you an integrated amp with a built-in DAC, so you'd only need a CD transport, not a CD player. And you'd have streaming, wireless, ROON, DSP and other modern amenities to try out. (I have a huge collection of albums in FLAC format, and yet, once I subscribed to a streaming service, was pleased to discover how much music there was out there.) If all your sources are digital, then your DAC becomes your preamp, and with a box that combines the DAC and amplifier, you can end up with a nice looking system.

 

[blueajah1223]

Thanks, for the replies. I should have mentioned that I mostly listen through roon running on a mac mini plugged into the Peachtree pre amp - we also enjoy traditional CD playing (all my CDs are ripped to FLAC, but I often enjoy the physical experience of putting a CD in). I have a few SACDs where I just ripped the DSD layer to Roon, I think paying the premium for a dedicated SACD player might be overkill. TBH the redbook layer on my SACDs through my Audiolab CD transport sounds identical to the ripped DSD layer. I'm leaning towards the JBL amp and finding a cd transport that fits the aesthetic. Good call on USAudioMart I will check that out.

 

[notsodeadlizard]

Technics pair.
(you are a very lucky man )

 

[MAB]

I prefer the Yamaha, but that's me:

A-S1200 Integrated Amplifier - Yamaha USA

Acknowledging the golden era of Hi-Fi, the Yamaha A-S1200 integrated amplifier boasts an impressive array of technology to accurately deliver an emotional and musical sound.

usa.yamaha.com