Poll: Best Looking Stereo Integrated Amp

[dualazmak]

I ran a tri-amp'd system for some years. I really enjoyed it. What are you using for a crossover?

When you would have your relaxed occasion, you would please carefully read through my thread starting from the very first post!

I am using sofware crossover EKIO in upstream in Windows PC for direct digital 192 kHz 24 bit EQ/DSP processing with unlimited numbers of output channels.

 

[Doodski]

When you would have your relaxed occasion, you would please carefully read through my thread starting from the very first post!

I am using sofware crossover EKIO in upstream in Windows PC with JRiver MC for direct digital 192 kHz 24 bit EQ/DSP processing with unlimited number of channels.

Oh yes. I remember now. You are the guy with that system I like so much. Very cool system.

 

[watchnerd]

So why don't the Accuphase integrated amps have phono stages?

 

[Doodski]

So why don't the Accuphase integrated amps have phono stages?

Other than maybe abandoning the legacy hardware I can't think of any reason. Those 2 rear panel option slots are not for phono accessory cards?

 

[dualazmak]

So why don't the Accuphase integrated amps have phono stages?

Phono stage is provided by as option boards.
http://www.accuphase.com/model/ad-2850.html
http://www.accuphase.com/model/ad-50.html

I have AD-50 phono stage in my E-460 to be connected to my DENON DP-57L.

 

[watchnerd]

Other than maybe abandoning the legacy hardware I can't think of any reason. Those 2 rear panel option slots are not for phono accessory cards?

I guess they can be.

I got confused at first because their Add On page calls them "Equalizers":

http://accuphase.com/option.html

But using internal dip switches to set loading is a real drag:

http://accuphase.com/model/ad-50.html

Bleh.

Who wants to slide a card in and out to change loadings?

 

[watchnerd]

Phono stage is provided by as option boards.
http://www.accuphase.com/model/ad-2850.html
http://www.accuphase.com/model/ad-50.html

I have AD-50 phono stage in my E-460 to be connected to my DENON DP-57L.

Do you like it?

I don't see any options to set pF loading for MM carts at all.

 

[Doodski]

I guess they can be.

I got confused at first because their Add On page calls them "Equalizers":

http://accuphase.com/option.html

But using internal dip switches to set loading is a real drag:

http://accuphase.com/model/ad-50.html

Bleh.

Who wants to slide a card in and out to change loadings?

Yeah it would be much cooler to have the switching on the front panel but it does at least have a subsonic filter.

 

[dualazmak]

Do you like it?
I don't see any options to set pF loading for MM carts at all.

What is your point?
E-460 has MC/MM selection swich in the front pannel applicable for AD-50....

 

[watchnerd]

What is your point?
E-460 has MC/MM selection swich in the front pannel applicable for AD-50....

I'm asking how you set pF loading for MM carts.

 

[thewas]

There's a YouTube video of Yamaha's tuner and I think a engineer in Europe tuning one of the integrated amps. Apparently they change capacitors and other stuff to give it a sound signature.

Also there was somewhere a Japanese article about Panasonic tuning their midi systems sound with different feet and caps...
"Weirdly" all companies never show measurements in proof of such "tunings" and all 3rd party measurements show also usually no deviations from linearity...

 

[dualazmak]

I'm asking how you set pF loading for MM carts.

Understood, sorry but I never used/applied "set pF loading for MM", and nowadays I seldom use DP-57L....

I have already digitized all of my ca. 600 LPs into 192 kHz non-compressed AIFF format using DP-57L and Denon MC DL103 by software Audacity... (I also ripped all of my about 2,500 CDs into non-compressed AIFF format in my PC.)

 

[dualazmak]

Also there was somewhere a Japanese article about Panasonic tuning their midi systems sound with different feet and caps...
"Weirdly" all companies never show measurements in proof of such "tunings" and all 3rd party measurements show also usually no deviations from linearity...

Although I think I already shared this with you all, I like the nice comment given by Harlfway Tree at here with the cited words of Siegfreid Linkwitz, which can be read;
>But no matter how good the measurements are, at the end of the day our ears are the final arbiter as to whether we like the sound, and I do. As Siegfried Linkwitz used to say 'What is important to the eye is not necessarily important to the ear...,'

 

[thewas]

Although I think I already shared this with you all, I like the nice comment given by Harlfway Tree at here with the cited words of Siegfreid Linkwitz, which can be read;
>But no matter how good the measurements are, at the end of the day our ears are the final arbiter as to whether we like the sound, and I do. As Siegfried Linkwitz used to say 'What is important to the eye is not necessarily important to the ear...,'

But that's a completely different topic, namely when 2 audio devices measure differently which one an individual human will prefer.
I am talking about when 2 audio devices measure the same in respect to the known tolerances of audibility (since audio measurements are much more resolving than any ear), then they will not be distinguishable in blinded listening testing, the usually heard "differences" are bias/placebo.

 

[welsh]

Okay, I'm going to admit it -- I can't hear the difference between a 96 dB SINAD amp and a 120 dB SINAD amp.

And I only need 2 channels.

So I might as well buy my next amp purely on cool factor.

What looks really good?

Power can output can be anything, really, as I can always buy more efficient speakers.

What's the best looking stereo integrated amp under $10K USD?

Here are the finalists:

[After a lot of great discussion and submissions, it's time to vote on the Top 5].

The choices (in alphabetical order):

#1 Devialet Expert 400 -- keep the current amp

View attachment 99347

#2 Luxman LX-509X

#3. McIntosh MA8900

#4. Technics SU-R1000

View attachment 99348

#5 Yamaha AS 3200

The system your choice has to decoratively match and live within:

Mod Edit: Original post where the butchery began:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ereo-integrated-amp.18398/page-25#post-600530





Happy voting!View attachment 99319View attachment 99320

Okay, I'm going to admit it -- I can't hear the difference between a 96 dB SINAD amp and a 120 dB SINAD amp.

And I only need 2 channels.

So I might as well buy my next amp purely on cool factor.

What looks really good?

Power can output can be anything, really, as I can always buy more efficient speakers.

What's the best looking stereo integrated amp under $10K USD?

Here are the finalists:

[After a lot of great discussion and submissions, it's time to vote on the Top 5].

The choices (in alphabetical order):

#1 Devialet Expert 400 -- keep the current amp

View attachment 99347

#2 Luxman LX-509X

#3. McIntosh MA8900

#4. Technics SU-R1000

View attachment 99348

#5 Yamaha AS 3200
I think that the best-looking amp is the one you simply don’t notice. My Yamaha AS-801 fits the bill. And adequately drives my (definitely not ASR approved) Magnepan LRS Speakers.

The system your choice has to decoratively match and live within:

Mod Edit: Original post where the butchery began:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ereo-integrated-amp.18398/page-25#post-600530





Happy voting!View attachment 99319View attachment 99320

 

[MediumRare]

@watchnerd Sorry I missed the voting, etc. Did you buy anything?

 

[watchnerd]

@watchnerd Sorry I missed the voting, etc. Did you buy anything?

Not yet.

Just got new speakers, still enjoying that upgrade fix for now.

 

[Sprint]

Not yet.

Just got new speakers, still enjoying that upgrade fix for now.

which speakers did you buy. But my favourite integrated is Yamaha. I have listened to both McIntosh and Yamaha. I loved the Yamaha sound.

 

[watchnerd]

which speakers did you buy. But my favourite integrated is Yamaha. I have listened to both McIntosh and Yamaha. I loved the Yamaha sound.

These:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/dynaudio-heritage-special.17831/

 

[Count Arthur]

Just stumbled across this, I didn't bother reading the review, but I thought it looked nice: https://www.stereophile.com/content/ta-pa3100-hv-integrated-amplifier

It looks well built, as it should for north of $20,000.