The integrated I like is actually call Aspen Naksa 70, 125, the output as the number indicated is 70 watts and 125 watts, it has a plain jane look to it, with just a single input, a volume control and a power switch that is all. They are under $2000, they are solid state amp but sound like a 300B tube amp in the mid but with the power of 845 tube, work perfectly with efficient 91db tannoy speakers.
I have the „Little Brother“ of the Luxman L590 AXII, the L550 AXII. i love this warm, but detailfull Sound, it is a dream to listen Musik to this class a Amplifer. The AX 590 AXII was sold out at this time, so i bought this one, and i love it. (so i have had a little more € for wonderfull Speakers: ELAC Concentro S507) Greatings from Germany
Really enjoy your work. my all time favorite was 700$ in 1977 The Marantz 1200-b console integrate still have it and I don't know how they measured the watts but ever speaker I have put on it it just pumps out the sound. Started this goofy hobby about 60 years ago with a mickey mouse acoustic 78
Yeah, I have the Pass 150.8 power amp. About 13 watts in Class A. Kind of the perfect power amp. I guess there are better amps but ... sheesh. I would love to know them! I would love to hear a Line Magnetic. Also a Luxman.
I'll have to re-visit my Luxman L5 integrated. I bought it from a very weird suspicious guy from Georgia, many years ago on ebay before I changed my ebay username. I haven't taken the top off and looked inside it but it had that clinical and hard Sansui G series sound of the late 1970's. A Denon bottom of the line vintage integrated amp I had laying downstairs sounded so much sweeter, more pleasant and 3 dimensional. The L5 was the top of the line in the Laboratory series. The designation Laboratory Series, should tell you all you need to know. Clinical, harsh, aggressive. Luxmans are usually sweet and relaxed sounding. The only thing I liked it with was cassettes which are soft sounding as it gets.
My DENON PMA A-110 is a real joy to my ears. Very impressive for $3,900. High end-quality in parts and engineering. Love watching this channel. I just have to live in my Hi FI budget. I loved the review on the Klipsch FORTE IV. I just can’t seem to let go of my THIEL CS 3.5 speakers. I think the FORTE IV will have more bottom end. Enjoy your sound journey my friends…..
Not an integrated, but curious if you've ever heard a Yamaha B-3? Easily the best amplifier I have personally heard, and I've listened to many (to say the least). Fairly affordable too. Highly recommend you track one down!
I am curious how the Luxman L-509x and Pass Labs 250 compare to the Gryphon Diablo 120? Have you compared the (3) integrateds. Write you settled on the Gryphon? I have the Luxman L-509x.
@@DBTAudio Hi. Sorry for my Late reply. I have not tried the Luxman, nor the pass. Before buying my Diablo 120 i tried hegel h590, Devialet expert pro 140, VTL amp, and i have owned Naim pre/power amplifiers for many years.
@@henriksrensen3220 No worries concerning your response time. So, out of all the brands you mentioned, the Gryphon Diablo 120 was the best? I’ve been curious about how the Diablo 120 would sound over my Luxman L-509x with my Spatial Audio X5 speakers? Thanks for responding!
The DA30 has great potential................; Input pre amp tube................Telefunken ECC82 ( flat plates ) or RCA 5814 A Black plates; Phase splitter................RCA 5814 A Drivers .............ECC83 Telefunken flat plates. Output ........................6550A TUNGSOL ( vintage nos , not the reissue !!! ) Wonderfull.......................
Hi I have the int-250 with Harbeth HL5 40th anniversary with 2 large Rel Subs and Soekris ladder dac and i can say that the sound is mind blowing, everytime i listen to any music its epic
I believe you and the 3 amps. Those would be memorable times. But I gurantte you, the ones you have got now is the best of all .But because of fond memories, you would want to own them again . Thank you for your openess.
Live in Northern Ontario, closest city is 7 hours away. Have the Line Magnetic 210ia, great SET amp. Had to get it trucked to my location, but it was free shipping from China. Give off nice heat during this cold winter of ours ;)
Liked your views on this, I have owned Mark Levinson, Audia Flight, Sugden and used to own the Luxman 509x. However gone back to Luxman this time with the 595A SE and can honestly say it’s such a beautiful amplifier in every regard. I have predominantly turntable set up by Acoustic Signature and also use the Luxman EQ500 phono stage, speakers Larsen Audio, cables AQ Robin Hood Zero and Water.
Some people have sensitivity to pitch and it would be informative if you mentioned how these units compare in musicality and which type of music they are best at.
Let me say I love the DROK TDA7377 class AB board from Amazon pairing with McIntosh XRT18. The amp board is powered by a 46bit 12VDC regulated linear power supply (must have)
Interesting that you rave about the Vinnie Rossie L2i SE but didn't rank it - are you factoring in cost here? They don't come up for sale often, but second hand it can be had for about $12-13k (no phono stage or DAC). And yes, I fully understand that's still almost double the cost of a new Pass labs Int-25, but if we are talking top high-end integrateds over $5K...
Shame you didn't get along with the Yamaha A-S3000. I had the A-S3000 and moved up to the newer A-S3200. the A-S3200 brings that magic midrange and a little quicker, punchier sound, which I thought the A-S3000 lacked a little bit. I had a Luxman L550AX and personally think the Yamaha A-S3200 has all the qualities of the luxman, but more refined, quieter, and better organised sounding but still lit and lively. love it.
My favourite for Years has been the Jungson JA 99 D Class A. I could never fault that tube like sound or could be the Class A signature What d you think ? Thanks for your review
Thank you for your clips. I've been following you for a few years now. But was always too lazy? to write. Anyway. My all time favorite integrated amp is and remains the Devialet Expert Series. I know you had one, in the past, but didn‘t understand why you had exectly changed from. Why I like the Devialet Experts? I like it simply also because of its neutrality. Garbage in is garbage comes out. The only thing I don't like about it is the streaming and phono preamp, other ones can just do that better. All the best. Cheers from a local subscriber here in Bavaria.
I enjoy your reviews and your passion for Hi-End Audio! I'm from NY where McIntosh was king in the 1960s-70s. I'm still on their mailing list and constantly see new products being produced. What is your opinion of their products, and is their quality control as high as it used to be?
Meine Frage: Kann der Pass Labs INT-250 mit der Vor.End Kombi XP-12/X250/8 mithalten? Rentiert sich der Mehrpreis der Kombi im Vergleich zum INT-250? Welche Lautsprecher sind am besten dafür geeignet?
The Bakoon integrated amps sound superb but are more speaker fussy than most SS amps.But they are also exceptionally natural sounding and free of grunge and smear.
Ok. Thanks. So I had the Esoteric F05 and the XA25 (not an integrated obviously) as a test of the PassLabs style. The best I heard was the F05 fed by either Lampizator Amber III DAC or better still my PSAUDIO PerfectWave DAC to PMC MB2SE. Previous was my LineMagnetic 518ia/845. This was playing into PMC Twenty26 at the time, I still have these speakers. I’ve sold both integrateds in favor of pre/pro of ARC LS10SE and Luxman M900u. Which raises the question of synergy. What combinations you’ve had that have worked really well together. And if you ask… what didn’t work find synergy?
There is now a new version of the Michi X-5, called the Michi X-5 Version 2, said to have 95 new parts including a new DAC. Please audition it, especially with the phono stage; thanks!
Your picks are interesting. A cross between You-Tube audio reviewers and 6 Moons reviews. The more takes you can get on this elusive hobby, the better....
I like your reviews of audio equipment, I really love music and I'm deaf. I'm severely/moderately deaf. I would like to ask of you to include your body feel of the music too, that will help me in understanding. thank you.
I have the Mc MA12000 pushing Wilson Sasha 2s that I love I also have a Levinson 5802 that I need to sell (probably) its too revealing of less than perfect recordings and it gets tedious looking for songs for it to do its magic on, IMO. Would like to try Pass and Luxman at some point. I couldn't look at that Line Magnetic for 5 seconds.
Yes because I was talking about line magnetic in general and their quality, just showing other offerings. As for speakers … I plan on doing a video for that as well. Thank you.
Pass Lab's Int-25 is around $7,250. 25 Watts of class A. Nice suggestions. Do you have plywood ceilings? Tried to do that in my new listening room. Wife said no. Did get knotty cedar plank. And she would say no to $2k plus amplifier, too. My current vintage integrated amplifier sells for up to $1800, but I bought it in 1978 new.
A Sansui AU-20000 Integrated Amp from 1977, paired with any Klipsch Heritage speaker, will either hold its own, or blow away any current Integrated Amp of any make, at any price, that is out there!
First of all great reviews, I've been looking to upgrade to something of these quality. I'm wanting better quality, deeper bass, what would be the first step?... 2 x rel subwoofers on my existing Marantz PM7000N integrated, or not get the rel's, but get something very high quality like these in your review would they improve driving of my speakers over the Marantz PM7000N (hence should I look at that first, or the subs first)?
My favorite is Gryphon Diablo 300. Probably the new model Diablo 333 (just announced at Hi-Fi Munich) will take the cake, but it is also double the price and almost double the weight.
I would like to know your opinion on Hypex nCore or Purifi based modules If you haven’t tried do give it a try They would be mostly power amps if y get your hands on
I audition the PL and the Luxman and they are extraordinary, but pricey!! For me I settled with the SMSL A1 (10 w/ 8 o) ab high bias!!! It’s not a PL or Luxman but sound great for less than $700. With my full range Omega speaker with analog is very nice and don’t hurt my pocket.
