Do you use an integrated in your main system?

I’m old school, my integrated’s are all I use - HH Scott’s finest tube amps, the 272, 296, 299C and 299D. It’s all in the transformers, they say.
 

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The argument for integrated amps has become compelling. I'd love to hear the new Esoteric F series. I own the Bladelius ASK integrated and it's incredible. The performance of ASK and Spotify is way beyond the asking price.
 
brodricj said:
The argument for integrated amps has become compelling. I'd love to hear the new Esoteric F series. I own the Bladelius ASK integrated and it's incredible. The performance of ASK and Spotify is way beyond the asking price.
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The new f-01 is probably the best integrated I’ve heard (in its power range).
 
Yes.
Mike said:
The new f-01 is probably the best integrated I’ve heard (in its power range).
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Yeah, I'd love to have an F-01. If only I could afford one. Sigh... :)

I do love my Constellation Inspiration integrated, though...its pretty wonderful, too. (y)
 
Puma Cat said:
Yes.

Yeah, I'd love to have an F-01. If only I could afford one. Sigh... :)

I do love my Constellation Inspiration integrated, though...its pretty wonderful, too. (y)
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The Constellation is more expensive than the Esoteric.
 
Mike said:
The Constellation is more expensive than the Esoteric.
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Interesting, I didn't know that. I bought my Constellation used, so I don't know what the retail price was at the time the person who sold it to me paid for it. I know it's gone up a lot from it's original $11,000 price from when it was introduced in 2016, and reviewed by Soundstage Ultra at that time.
 
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Puma Cat said:
Interesting, I didn't know that. I bought my Constellation used, so I don't know what the retail price was at the time the person who sold it to me paid for it. I know it's gone up a lot from it's original $11,000 price from when it was introduced in 2016, and reviewed by Soundstage Ultra at that time.
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Is this the same Consetellation integrated amp that was given to you brand new/still sealed in the box to listen to by a friend that you posted about when you first got your hands on it?
 
Over the years I've flipped between integrated and separates.

Integrateds:
Accuphase E-202
Gato DIA 250
Lyngdorf 3400

And currently Goldmund Telos7

sxS3Jev.jpeg
 
I can’t believe I started this thread in 2018.

I’ve resurrected my Hegel H590 and can’t believe how good it sounds. I’m itching to upgrade, but it’ll take a little while before I do. I still love my Job gear, too bad it’s no longer made.
 
Mrppv said:
Over the years I've flipped between integrated and separates.

Integrateds:
Accuphase E-202
Gato DIA 250
Lyngdorf 3400

And currently Goldmund Telos7

sxS3Jev.jpeg
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I’m a big Goldmund fan. That Telos7 has to sound fantastic.
 
joeinid said:
I can’t believe I started this thread in 2018.

I’ve resurrected my Hegel H590 and can’t believe how good it sounds. I’m itching to upgrade, but it’ll take a little while before I do. I still love my Job gear, too bad it’s no longer made.
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Joe,
Good to hear from you again. Resurrected?
 
joeinid said:
I can’t believe I started this thread in 2018.

I’ve resurrected my Hegel H590 and can’t believe how good it sounds. I’m itching to upgrade, but it’ll take a little while before I do. I still love my Job gear, too bad it’s no longer made.
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Heard and read great things about the Hegel integrated amps. If I didn't have my Constellation, I'd be looking at Hegel and Esoteric.

I love a nice integrated, makes for simpler system. And simple is good... ;)
 
Puma Cat said:
Heard and read great things about the Hegel integrated amps. If I didn't have my Constellation, I'd be looking at Hegel and Esoteric.

I love a nice integrated, makes for simpler system. And simple is good... ;)
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Simple is better sometimes. Once I sold most everything off, the Hegel was one of the last pieces. I’m actually happy I was able to keep it.

I still have some random gear that either will be tough to sell or in some way has an emotional attachment.

Just trying to figure out what to do system wise. This is the fun part.
 
Joe, I use a integrated as well, a Constellation Inspiration integrated I bought from a friend at a great price. Here's a pic of my current setup with my Inspiration (bottom left) and my Lumin P1 (top left) The Lumin P1 is fabulous product, and in my setup, it functions as my streamer, DAC and preamp. I set the Inspiration to Unity Gain and it functions as the power amplifier. This is because the LEEDH digital volume control on the Lumin P1 sounds better than the analog volume control on the Inspiration. Oh, BTW, and Mike is a Lumin dealer, also ;)

CA-Rack-1pt-Rev2.jpg


Getting the Lumin P1 and using the Inspiration I was able to remove., get this....15 pieces of gear (components, ICs, PCs, cables, yadda, yadda) from my main rack alone. Not counting the TT setup, I now only need 1 pair of ICs and 2 PCs. My EAR 324 phono stage designed by Tim (RIP) and Michell TT/SME/Koetsu are on the right rack. I use the TT occasionally, but mostly these days, I stream from a remotely-placed Roon music server via LC/LC optical fiber to the Lumin P1 (which also has an optical SFP port).

It's a much simpler setup than I had previously, and simple is really good because simple always works.(y)

Cheers, Joe!
 
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Joe, here's a picture of my current setup with the remotely-placed Roon Music Server (named "Alita" as in "Alita, Battle Angel), which is located in a spare bedroom (to put it on another AC mains circuit than the main system). You can see how simple this is from a set-up perspective.


Streaming-System-Setup_P1.jpg
 
No intregrated in my main music room. In my 2-channel HT system in my great room I use a Boulder 866 with Magico A5s. Plenty of wallop for me and I don't have to worry about A5s blowing up when something on the TV does.

I did use a VAC Sigma 170i in my music room for a while but I soon migrated to VAC separates. The VAC integrated is really a sweet taste of the separates.
 
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