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What is your ideal integrated amplifier?

VintageFlanker

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Both for ≈5000€/$, with every features and inputs needed, along with performance close to SOTA for traditional AB amps:

The Rotel Michi X3
Rotel_Michi_X3_Onmag_3~2.jpg

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Rotel-Michi-présentation.png


And the Athem STR Integrated.
ANTHEM_STRIntegratedAmplifier_1-1024x1024~2.jpg
STRINTC.jpg
str-integrated-rear.jpg
 
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jkasch

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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
I hear you. I paid a couple grand for an HK990. It sounded wonderful, but was the most unreliable POS ever. The nearest authorized Harmon Kardon repair service was over an hour away. After dumping hundreds into repairs and breaking a third time, I decided to stop throwing good $ after bad and trashed it. I replaced it with a Parasound Hint. It's been solid.
 

mhardy6647

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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.
Works for me, you know?

DSC_9817 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
viscount and hk by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
DSC_0198 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

The best part about hifi equipment along the lines of the above this is that virtually all of the electronic components used in them are readily available as NOS or current production parts. Output & power transformers are sort of an exception, but not really, since companies such as Heyboer (in the US) will happily, and even cost-effectively either rewind or manufacture new transformers to spec! The EICOs above do "feature" the infamous PEC "modules" https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780080110646500147 but even those can be replaced with discrete components if the need ever arises.

It's a far different world than today's "5 years and they're obsolete" ICs and other components made of only the purest unobtanium. ;)
The "industry" (not to sound like a conspiracy theorist! ;) ) has cleverly diverted consumer attention from the disposable nature of high-cost components by ensuring that they're technologically obsolete (you know: 1k, 2k, 4k, more!) just a wee bit before they die! :) Of course, with the rise of the IoT, now the manufacturer can brick any unloved/unsupported/un-revenue-generating component remotely, at their whim!

Do I sound cynical? ;)
 

Synergy4

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I hear you. I paid a couple grand for an HK990. It sounded wonderful, but was the most unreliable POS ever. The nearest authorized Harmon Kardon repair service was over an hour away. After dumping hundreds into repairs and breaking a third time, I decided to stop throwing good $ after bad and trashed it.......

Reminds me of one time in around 1976 when I was working part time repairing stereos. I had to repair a Phase Linear amplifier. The output follower used a large number of TO-3 power transistors in a Darlington parallel output arrangement. I must have replaced 24 of those transistors for that one amplifier repair. Some of those old designs used matched Vbe transistors and very small emitter degeneration resistors, so one needed to match the parallel transistors carefully for proper current sharing. Using larger emitter degeneration resistors would have made it more robust.
 
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curiouspeter

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Reminds me of one time in around 1976 when I was working part time repairing stereos. I had to repair a Phase Linear amplifier. The output follower used a large number of TO-3 power transistors in a Darlington parallel output arrangement. I must have replaced 24 of those transistors for that one amplifier repair. Some of those old designs used matched Vbe transistors and very small emitter degeneration resistors, so one needed to match the parallel transistors carefully for proper current sharing. Using larger emitter degeneration resistors would have made it more robust.
Another reason why "commoner" audio systems do not have good components nowadays. The logistics of any repair will be too costly. They expect you to throw it out after the warranty period.
 

dualazmak

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Another reason why "commoner" audio systems do not have good components nowadays. The logistics of any repair will be too costly. They expect you to throw it out after the warranty period.

In general, I agree with you.

The warranty and repair service availability were critical portions of my various criteria for amplifier selection in my multichannel multi-amplifier project.

In my post here, I wrote: "You would please note that, in addition to my intensive evaluations shared in my preceding three posts, these amplifiers are Japan domestic products still with good warranty and service capabilities within Japan, even under the very difficult pandemic status which may not subside for another year or much longer."
 
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curiouspeter

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In general, I agree with you.

The warranty and repair service availability were critical portions of my various criteria for amplifier selection in my multichannel multi-amplifier project.

In my post here, I wrote: "You would please note that, in addition to my intensive evaluations shared in my preceding three posts, these amplifiers are Japan domestic products still with good warranty and service capabilities within Japan, even under the very difficult pandemic status which may not subside for another year or much longer."
Warranty is definitely important even if one never hopes to use it.

A manufacturer who has made the commitment to stand behind its product at a great cost is simply more likely to build products that require less repairs.
 

Kling75

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Luxman L 509X

After several Amps i settled with the Luxman L 509X. My first propper Amp i bought with 16 years old was a Luxman L-530. Now i will never have to think about searching for a Amplifier again......
 

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jkasch

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Luxman L 509X

After several Amps i settled with the Luxman L 509X. My first propper Amp i bought with 16 years old was a Luxman L-530. Now i think i will never have to think about searching for a Amplifier ever again......
It certainly wins the beauty contest.
 

dualazmak

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Luxman L-509X and Accuphase E-480!! I fully agree with you for the beauties of these elegant amps....

Are you aware of this thread: "Poll: Best Looking Stereo Integrated Amp"?

Just for your reference, let me share with you a photo of my current multichannel multi-amplifier setup with Accuphase E-460, Yamaha A-S3000 and Sony TA-A1ES, and OKTO DAC8PRO;
WS001340.JPG


As wrote before, I will hopefully consider replacing TA-A1ES with one of Luxman's Class-A integrated amps with nice VUs.
 
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Kling75

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Nagra Audio Classic Amp

High-End Audio handmade from the region of Geneva Switzerland..

Not necesseraly a beauty, technically very much.
 

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Kling75

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Nagra originated from the Kudelski company which is famous for their portable reel-to-reel recorder.
This marvel of analogue audio technology was developed in the early 1960s at the request of John F. Kennedy :cool:.
 

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Kling75

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Luxman L-509X and Accuphase E-480!! I fully agree with you for the beauties of these elegant amps....

Are you aware of this thread: "Poll: Best Looking Stereo Integrated Amp"?

Just for your reference, let me share with you a photo of my current multichannel multi-amplifier setup with Accuphase E-460, Yamaha A-S3000 and Sony TA-A1ES, and OKTO DAC8PRO;
View attachment 116456

As wrote before, I will hopefully consider replacing TA-A1ES with one of Luxman's Class-A integrated amps with nice VUs.

@dualazmak

Thanks for the Link "Poll: Best Looking Stereo Integrated Amp". As a proud owner of the L-509X i certainly agree with the Poll.... ;)

The wonderful irony is it sounds much better than it looks - and it looks much better in real than of all the postet pictures....:cool:

Manuel
 
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Plcamp

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This thread reminded me that my favorite integrated amp (the one I yearned for before I could afford it) is sitting in (repaired) pieces awaiting my final assembly and test. I bought this more than 20 years ago in absolutely horrible shape...fingernail thick nicotine ... but the power amp modules worked.

it was my fav because of looks. It is very clean now, and I only need to find the phone impedance potentiometer replacement to finish and reassemble.

Inside, the unit has one huge design flaw...the power supply is a crazy design. I might completely redo it.

but I still love the looks

1615205903610.png
1615205903610.png
 

dualazmak

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@dualazmak

Thanks for the Link "Poll: Best Looking Stereo Integrated Amp". As a proud owner of the L-509X i certainly agree with the Poll.... ;)

The wonderful irony is it sounds much better than it looks - and it looks much better in real than of all the postet pictures....:cool:

Manuel
Very nice to hear so! I often look at and touch on L-509X at several HiFi audio shops in Tokyo with my hungry eyes.

Your enthusiasums lead me considering another option of replacing TA-A1ES with L-509X; so that I may try (I may have fun of) many combinations of Accuphase E-480, Yamaha A-S3000 and Luxman L-509X, all have nice-looking VUs, in the provisionally completed setup of my multichannel multi-amplifier project...:D
 
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