Besides tube amplifier, is any good s/s integrated amplifier?

I am also looking a good s/s integrated amplifier to replace my CA 540A integrated amp., most probably SS for Sonus. Below are few that i have shortlisted, hope someone can give us some tips and recommendation to share: -

a) Krell KAV-400xi
b) Primare I30


Cheers

Update: delete (d) to (g), as grandspy had included in #1 of this thread

This post has been edited by auronthas: May 27 2008, 09:29 PM

You may be right, Roksan Kandy may not in the same price group as Krell, Primare, but i hv studied reviews, Roksan Kandy do provide sufficient power to drive SF concertino domus. Nevertheless, RK may not have adequate power to drive others high range SF compared to Krell, Primare. In short, Krell, Primare can last longer.

Are you talking about Bladelius Thor MKII?  It's quite expensive, almost RM 20K, right? How about italian made tube solid state integrated amplifier such as Unison Research Unico Line or Unico SE?

I may think twice on Roksan then.

I have a rather small listening 'room' (3m (w) x 4.2m (L) x 4m (H) , my speakers are placed 1.2m and 0.8m from rear wall and side wall respectively, my speakers distance are approx. 1.5 m apart. My listening position is 1.2m from speaker with slight toe in. (usually, the listen position shall be 1.5m (golden triangle rule), however it was recommend by SF R&D engineer - Dr. Pablo to position 0.3 m closer towards speakers)

Just bought Chord Carnival Silver Plus single wire speaker cables last week replacing Van den Hul Goldwater, still under burn-in period, bass and treble sound superbly well, however, i find midrange (vocal) a little bit dull, perhaps, after burn-in, it would be improved.

Normal and cheap speaker stands with 80% sand-filled on its columns and it comes with speaker spikes. Speaker stands are placed on 0.5 inch marbles with anti-vibrapod.




This post has been edited by auronthas: May 25 2008, 07:17 PM

I saw Bladelius Thor MKII was listed 590,000 yen in Stereo Sound magazine, which is approximately RM 18k.

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Added on May 25, 2008, 10:16 pmI did not include Roksan Caspian M1 because its 70W/ch compared to Kandy MKIII's 120W/ch.

This post has been edited by auronthas: May 25 2008, 10:16 PM

No problem, it's good to share among forumers and i want to know more from others too on your experience.

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Added on May 26, 2008, 6:02 amI read Stereophile Editor-in-Chief, John Atkinson's measurement on Krell 400xi that he encountered overheating problem, hence, i worry if Krell 400xi can operate for long hour, or it may need a good ventilation system. Just my concern.

This post has been edited by auronthas: May 26 2008, 06:03 AM

Thanks for info. Was the demo on SFCD speakers?

How about Exposure 3010s (110w/ch - around RM 8k)
integrated amp pairing with SFCD? Read review from Audioart (Taiwan hifi magazine #232) also June 2008 Stereophile magazine reviewed by Art Dudley, not bad though. It's UK design

This post has been edited by auronthas: May 27 2008, 09:56 PM

Haven't heard about Italian made Synthesis, but i heard Unison Research, another italian made tube amplifier used to test with SF speakers (heard from Perfect Hifi), anyone?

Agree with u, Grandspy, it's hard to choose amplifiers as listed, need to pair with your source and SFGP/SFCD and make some audition. Not sure if Perfect Hi-FI has various listed amplifiers to test? Hopefully, they can bring some amplifiers to my home to test.

Also, thought of purchase Benchmark DAC1 to bypass CA 540C and Squeezebox internal DAC, will be the upgrading DAC has more improvement compared with amplifier?

This post has been edited by auronthas: May 29 2008, 06:36 PM

Thanks for yr opinion, kkthen.

Great, i have made some review and comparison among decent DACs such as Benchmark DAC1, Lavry DA10, Bel Canto DAC3, PS Audio Digital Link III DAC, etc. Benchmark DAC1 still the most valuable one.

What's your recommendaed digital coaxial interconnect? How much? Is digital coaxial better than SPDIF/toslink?

Cheers

This post has been edited by auronthas: May 30 2008, 05:46 AM

Wow, kkthen, what a review. Thanks for providing detail review for my consideration.

What's your hifi setup like, perhaps can share with us.

Cheers.

I hv no idea. You may be right, I heard Exposure 2010s is a good buy integrated amplifier.

Just read review from Stereophile on new Exposure 3010s integrated amplifier, it may not available here yet to make any audition.

I have made audition at Perfect Hifi with Audio Analogue Primo Settanta SS integrated amplifier paired with SF concertino domus lately, they sound superbly warm, but when they played track 1 - Bali Runof Four Play album, i noticed some music instruments at certain frequencies (upper bass i think) are mess around, have you guys has the same experience?

I was introduced also higher range AA Verdi Settanta (hybrid) integrated amp and AA Puccini Settanta integrated amp, unfortunately i have no time for audition or 'paisei', may be will listen to them next trip.

I understand a powerful amp will drive less sensitive 4 ohm speaker like SF and make the sound warmer, deeper, and clear.

This post has been edited by auronthas: Jun 9 2008, 06:15 PM

Great to know you also notice it.

Are you talking about speaker cable? It looks like Van den Hul, guess it's Royal Jade, dark green one.

My previous speaker cable was VDH Goldwater, i have changed to Chord Carnival Silver Plus last month (run in around 60 hours now), it gives a more neutral and warm soundstage. Love it.

Some speaker cables are too 'transparent', too analytical, it make the soundstage dry. It's subject to a person's taste.

As my post earlier, i like warm, neutral soundstage, that's why i choose SF speaker. I am searching int. amp which can provide warm, neutral pair with SF, i will make some critical listening to Audio Analogue (Primo, Verdi, Puccini) to compare.

Howdy grandspy, so long never hear from u. Where did u go?

Sure, i will report. One of the weekend, i will make audition again in Perfect Hifi, but i would not buy int. amplifier until next year, so just take more time to make comparison.

Btw, last week i bought AudioQuest Copperhead analogue interconnect replacing my old Daytona analogue interconnect, after run-in for 50 hours, it sounds superbly great, warm, can match with VDH the Source. Anyone has any good/bad feedback on AQ, please share.

Cheers.

Krell is definitely well match but it is way above my budget.

But i heard Audio Analogue Puccini Settanta is quite well match with Sonus Faber speakers. Due to busy schedule, i still have no chance to make audition.

Auronthas

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Added on July 11, 2008, 11:49 pmWell noted, thanks for clarification to all of us.



This post has been edited by auronthas: Jul 11 2008, 11:49 PM

Thanks for feedback, so you like 'tube' sound? are u listening to AA Primo?

I like more natural sound rather than analytical (sharp) as long as the music instruments are well defined especially classical music and jazz.

is KAV-300i (150W@8 ohm) good match with SF Concertino Domus? How much is KAV-300i?

Perfect HIFI

After visiting Norman Audio's Krell product on recent KLAV show, looking eagerly on this amp now, as the price of Krell KAV400xi dropped below RM10k.

Would try to audition on the amp with SFCD. Any SF fan club members have done this setup and audition? What's your feedback?

if i have a chance and perfect hifi has Krell KAV 400xi, i would like to do a critical listening if it suit my taste (jazz, classical, new age) not fast pace music pairing with my SFCD. thanks for sharing your experience, pcwork

If i can bring Krell back to my home for test audition, that will be superb (My dream), as other components such as speaker cables, analogue cables, surely provide different result from hifi shop.

Not like country in US that you can bring home to test with certain written agreement. I hope to see the first hifi shop in Malaysia can offer this.

Cheers