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(2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers

Antique Sound Lab AQ1003 DT Mk.II Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers

201009_asl_300wPrice: $1495

Website: www.tubehifi.com

Colin said: The Antique Sound Lab AQ1003 DT Mk.II is a good, robust, simple, attractive integrated amplifier that would serve as a fine entry into the world of vacuum tubes.

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Your first tube amp.

ASR Emitter I Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
  • Reviewers Choice

201008_asr_emitterPrice: $10,950

Website: www.asraudio.de

Uday said: The Emitter I is a fantastic product that’s so close to the audiophile ideal of a straight wire with gain that it’s hard to believe that’s true without hearing it for yourself.

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Read the SoundStage! review.

The gist: One of the best integrated amps in the world, bar none.

Audio Research DSi200 Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
  • Reviewers Choice

201008_arc_dsi200Price: $5995

Website: www.audioresearch.com

John said: I don’t care what you’re looking for, whether you’re on a budget, looking to downsize, upgrade, or whatever: You need to hear this integrated. But get ready to have your preconceptions about solid-state and class-D amps take a beating: The DSi200 can stand with the best separates I’ve heard. 

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Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Class-D from ARC? Yes, and it sounds great.

Audio Research VSi60 Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
  • Reviewers Choice

201006_arc_front_300wPrice: $3995

Website: www.audioresearch.com

S. Andrea said: The Audio Research VSi60 is not inexpensive at $3995, but its sound and build qualities are commensurate with its price. When you consider that it’s designed and built in the US by a company with a long and solid reputation, that price seems even more reasonable.

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Read the SoundStage! review.

The gist: Get into classic ARC sound for under four grand.

Bel Canto e.One S300iU 24/96 Integrated Amplifier-USB DAC

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
  • Reviewers Choice

belcanto_s300iuPrice: $2195

Website: www.belcantodesign.com

Randall said: Bel Canto’s e.One S300iU 24/96 is a top-notch product in both performance and price, and the fact that it comes in such an unassuming package makes it one of the more unique high-end bargains I know of.

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Read the SoundStage! review.

The gist: Get a lot for a little.

Blue Circle Audio GDC Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Great Buy

bluecircle_gdcPrice: $1795

Website: www.bluecircle.com

Thom said: If you’re into the game of ‘my amp is bigger than your amp,’ the GDC will come up a bit short -- put it in an equipment rack and you probably won’t even notice it. But if your priority is fine, solid, realistic sound, the Blue Circle GDC is just the ticket.

Great Buy

Read the GoodSound! review.

The gist: Plain-Jane looks, real-looker sound.

Esoteric AI-10 Integrated Amplifier-DAC

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
  • Reviewers Choice

esoteric_ai10Price: $5000

Website: www.esoteric.teac.com

Philip said: With an onboard analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters, as well as a master-clock sync generator for use with Esoteric’s other digital products, the AI-10 occupies a product class all its own.

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Read the SoundStage! review.

The gist: Esoteric’s entry in the growing integrated amp-DAC product genre.

Hegel Music Systems H200 Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers

hegel_h200Price: $4400

Website: www.hegel.com

Uday said: The H200 may be new to North America, but Hegel Music Systems has brought to the table a formidable competitor in terms of both performance and price. Being able to perform as well as amps costing much more marks the H200 as a great value -- and in these trying economic times, even more of one.

Read the SoundStage! review.

The gist: From Norway comes competition for the Brystons of the world.

Icon Audio Stereo 25 Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers

201011_icon1Price: $800

Website: www.iconaudio.com

Kevin said: The Stereo 25 is a very good budget amp. Yes, there were some tradeoffs in sound, but they weren’t enough to interfere with my listening pleasure -- and that’s what counts.

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: $800 can buy a good tube amp.

Karan Acoustics KA I 180 Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers

201011_karanPrice: $10,500

Website: www.karan-acoustics.com

Michael said: It’s hard for me to admit that an integrated amplifier could be worth $10,500, but in this instance I must. Is the KA I 180 as good as Karan Acoustics’ separates? No. But it does provide a portion of what’s possible at that next level of performance without the buyer having to pay the prohibitive prices of Karan separates.

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Integrateds are getting better and better.

Micromega IA-180 Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers

Micromega IA-180Price: $2495

Website: www.micromega-hifi.com

Ron said: I like Micromega’s approach: Pack the biggest, most accurate sound into the smallest possible box. Anyone who values quality over quantity should give the IA-180 a listen.

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: A good little French integrated.

Musical Fidelity AMS35i Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers

201009_ams35iPrice: $8999

Website: www.musicalfidelity.com

Vade said: Who should be interested in the Musical Fidelity AMS35i? Someone who loves the sound of tube amplifiers but not the hassle of maintaining them, who has reasonably sensitive speakers (95dB or higher), and who listens to unamplified music (classical or jazz) at less than ear-splitting levels.

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Low-power class-A in a really good integrated amp.

Musical Fidelity M6i Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers

201009_musicalfidelityPrice: $2999

Website: www.musicalfidelity.com

Ron said: Musical Fidelity and Antony Michaelson promised -- and have delivered -- an amplifier based on the design brief that less is more (except, of course, in the area of power).

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Lotsa power in a tank-like package.

NAD Classic Series C 326BEE Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers

nad_c326Price: $499

Website: www.nadelectronics.com

Jarrett said: In the end, for those looking for a solid integrated amplifier that puts out a healthy 50Wpc and excellent sound quality at a reasonable price, they should consider the NAD C 326BEE.

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: NAD proves yet again that good sound doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

Naim Uniti All-in-One Audio Player

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
  • Reviewers Choice

naim_unitiPrice: $3795

Website: www.naim-audio.com

Jeff said: Sure, it plays CDs and plays them well, but the Uniti’s real benefits -- its integration with the Apple iPod and its ability to stream Internet Radio -- render everything else redundant at best, and at worst, obsolete.

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Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Naim defines a new product genre.

Peachtree Audio Nova Integrated Amplifier-DAC

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
  • Reviewers Choice

peachtree_novaPrice: $1199

Website: www.peachtreeaudio.com

Kevin said: The Peachtree’s sound won’t threaten products costing three or four times as much, but the Nova is a transparent and composed integrated amplifier with an overall musicality that anything at or anywhere near its price will find hard to beat.

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Read the SoundStage! review.

The gist: Ushering in huge value by skillfully combining two product genres.

Raysonic SP-300 Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers

201011_raysonic1Price: $2690

Website: www.raysonicaudio.com

Jeff said: . . . in the tube world, the Raysonic SP-300 is a powerful, sweet-sounding, easy-on-the-eyes, reasonably priced honey of an integrated amp.

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: Stylish tube integrated with good power rating.

Simaudio Moon Evolution 600i Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
  • Reviewers Choice

simaudio_600iPrice: $8000

Website: www.simaudio.com

Philip said: The 600i is exceptionally transparent, and sounds completely effortless in everything it does. Connect it to a pair of high-quality speakers and a decent source -- I enjoyed immaculate sound from a $500 CD player, which goes a long way toward saying how much performance the 600i is capable of -- and get ready to pick your jaw up off the floor. If audio reproduction gets any better than this, I haven’t heard it.

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Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: The integrated that takes no prisoners.

Stello Ai500 Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
  • Reviewers Choice

stello_ai500Price: $3495

Website: www.aprilmusic.com

Philip said: It’s taken a long time for an integrated amplifier to come along that I’ve enjoyed as much as the Bryston B100 SST, but the Stello Ai500 has finally arrived, and with it, April Music has a clear winner on their hands. Although it’s not cheap, I suspect that significantly improving on its performance would require spending many multiples of its price, and in this sense the Ai500 offers excellent value.

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Read the SoundStage! review.

The gist: Joins the upper ranks of mid-priced integrated amps.

TEAC CR-H500NT CD Receiver

Details
Parent Category: 2010 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2010) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Great Buy

TEAC CR-H500NTPrice: $799

Website: www.teac.com

Thom said: It’s a great piece of gear, and I don’t want to return it to TEAC. It’s incredibly versatile, compact, and fairly full-featured, with enough power to fill with excellent sound a room of moderate size. It has all the latest kit -- USB port, Internet Radio, iPod connectivity, etc. -- while looking backward as well, with a competent FM tuner and a fine-sounding phono preamp. The CR-H500NT can serve as the foundation of a very fine stereo system, and for all it offers, it’s inexpensive. I heartily recommend it.

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Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: A great foundational component for a small stereo system.

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