My Favorite/Best Integrated Amps under 1200e! 

Hey thanks, really appreciate you wonderful comment. And sending all the best wishes from neighboring country of Serbia.

I am super glad you like your Music Fidelity M3si! Have a great and fun time for a long time with this amp.

Really thanks man, it is appriciated that you watch and enjoy this content.

Really happy that you enjoy M3si! And thanks for watching my videos!

I did not want to focus too much on engineering in this small reviews, as to me it was important to quickly explain how I fell about this amps and how they sound. I dont agree from my perspective that Audiolab sounds the best(in this group), but I do agree whit second part of comment that you need more efficient speakers, for it to drive to have some energy and drive. And thanks for watching my video it is appreciated.

Marillion are one of my favorite bands!

*Chef kiss* amazing combo! In my previous video of favorite speakers, I mentioned how much I love Dali speakers, and Arcam is certainly grounding that treble a little bit, but giving sound more bigger fuller sound. Really glad you enjoy your setup. And thank you for watching my video it is appreciated.

Any thoughts on how the MK2 Opticons differ from the first version? I am tempted but have the Opticon 1 MK1.

Without a doubt, better to go up Rubicon . Dali is my favorite brand of speakers.

Well prices in UK are among the best for hifi gear. Where I am audiolab 6000a is around 800/900 euros. While music fidelity is around 1200 euros. To me there is no completion, I love audiolab so much, but m3si is a better amp. Now in that equation, when it is double the price, audiolab is certainly a much better value, no doubt.

That's crazy, I just went back to do a quick peep, and it ranges from 1200-1600(these are normal prices, I even saw few discounts) dollars in my stores. In that price range, it is certainly not double the price better than K3 and Cambridge.

I personally like more Rotel A11 mk2, but both are awesome amps that does some things better than other. For example I think Audiolab disperse and images a little bit better. But Rotel have more grounded and dynamic rich sound. So it is all what you like and preferer. And it is going to be a big step up from that amp.

@@HIFIDaydreaming, thank you!

I hove some small concerns, but I think it should work really well. One thing I know for certainly is soundstage is going to be great, also those mids are going to be rich and defined, bass is also going to be pretty neat. It might lack little bit in passion, than some other combination, as treble will not open as much with this combo.

@@HIFIDaydreaming thank you) Maybe you can recommend some other inexpensive amplifier for my acoustics? Maybe Arcam SA10 ?

@@man_of_the_north1 well if you want big soundstage go with audiolab. If you want passionate, rhythmic sound go with rega brio or some yamaha s amps. Arcam will make sound bigger and bass stronger. So you have to pick your poison. I would actually pair this with yamaha or rega. Than second option is audiolab. I would not pair then with arcam, i don't think that synergy will work well.

What is your budget for speakers? And what kind of sonic signiture you like. More bass, more transperancy, more upbeat etc.?

If I ever see a store that have them, will definetly check them out, the way you wrote it they seem interesting. Maybe you should try roksan Attessa, you might like it. And man you should try to do reviews, you are doing great with this descriptions. 🙂 And thank you so much for watching my video it is appriaciated.

@@HIFIDaydreaming Considered reviewing awhile back but working on something else and audio reviews would get out of hand with time, equipment and competing with others. As I live in a small space, it wouldn't work and there are a few reviewers that specialize in smaller room/ small equipment systems, whether inexpensive or higher priced. While audio is my hobby as well as escape, there are so many different taste and attitudes it can get so political. I think it would be useful to consider how brands appeal to different tastes and needs rather than purely on specs, power, price points, etc. The things I have learned by watching reviewers over time is by first deciphering what they mean by the language they use, what their tastes are and the qualities they seek and hold most important in a particular product as to what influences their overall assessment. Aside from room, measurements and types of music, I think most equipment can excel in some areas and still fall in others. The question is whether those pros/cons can be accepted by an end user. Talking about those things can get complicated but ultimately more useful IMO. Also, providing an introductory view on how people may listen to music (movies as well), how they grow into this hobby and how to learn how to listen as I believe this leads to making good choices for one's needs and room at a particular time and should allow for being satisfied with purchases for many years without having the need to upgrade constantly and decreasing buyer remorse. Also addressing age, changes in hearing and tastes. Younger people hear differently than older ones, probably listen to more contemporary music rather than classical, jazz or other. I think those are nuances that are not discussed enough and it could help your channel by interviewing other enthusiasts or various ages and how they grew into this hobby as well as how their tastes may have changed. I am writing all of this in the hopes that it is useful in growing your channel and increasing your chance for respect from all the camps that people fall into. I can comment or give opinions on a variety of reviewers I have watched over time on how I see them. I think there's a way to review equipment honestly and still be subjective given the variety of tastes. For me, I have alot of budget gear but have been unwilling to go up a few classes not just because of cost but needs. According to some high end reviewers and I tend to agree, if one only listens at low to moderate SPLs in an untreated room, one may not realize anywhere near the potential their equipment is capable of. While alot of enthusiasts may listen to their reviews/opinions, I think alot of them are not in this market and can be satisfied with lower priced but highly capable gear. Take the CAM for instance who started out reviewing inexpensive gear that gave satisfying results at least subjectively to him and now has moved up reviewing more expensive gear which seems to have alienated some of his viewers for perhaps abandoning his cheap audio stance and who don't want to move up in price. But its a hobby that allows for growth and expression. So discussing the potential benefits and pitfalls in spending more/upgrading becomes an opportunity for you while still not alienating those who just want an overall good sounding system and be done with it, at least for a time and without feeling they made a poor decision at the time they purchased. I have opinions on dacs, amps and speakers, how well or not they can work together based on only my tastes, experience, room and own hearing which cuts off around 13K, so I can't even experience the full range of a recording due to age. But experience counts too. Not to mention how measurements can be used to assess or predict performance, not that its a guarantee you will like the SQ produced which is another can of worms so to say. With audio, like any endeavor, it takes time and commitment and how one chooses to describe various aspects of sound and how someone may or may not appreciate those aspects of sound produced for various reasons. Examples in a nutshell, I tried the Dali Menuet SE on both my E40 and Hegel h160. It sounded fine on both however, it really does lose its magic outside a nearfield setup and was too overly refined for me as well. The Dali Opticon 1 can do nearfield and further away offering more versatility but giving up a bit of resolution and body that voice and instruments displayed, but not by much and it wasn't overly refined which can severely affect how some frequencies in the upper mids and/or top end is displayed...but some prefer that level of refinement. I bought the ML 15i and it excels with being a small system home theater type with really good resolution and tone on the human voice once dialed in and with really good transparency IMO. Its fast, articulate but according to some reviews can sound muddled when things get complicated, as even more expensive gear can do too. I experience this on comparison with my other speakers in that it may have some glare if too much information is processed affecting separation. BTW, the MA Silver 100 had this issue much more and may be something to due with aluminum cone breakup. But for the few times this occurs, I tend to overlook it as it performs so well with everything else for movie watching. On music, I may or may not prefer the SQ outcome but I have 3 different sounding speakers to swap in and out. My Triangle Zetas are not as resolving but image really well, have a laid back but articulate sound and are not harsh to listen to despite using a metal dome recessed lie a cheaper version of the higher end horn-type tweeters Triangle uses. It has a V shaped curve that makes it a nice listen for music but still works well or movies. It was also the least expensive and outperformed for me alot of other speakers. So when a speaker provides alot of satisfaction one can overlook its deficiencies also which is that sibilance can sound like glare if its been bumped up in the recording which I think it is in alot of TV shows and some music. The mixer if recordings may due this by trying to appeal to those that perhaps are using cheaper less transparent equipment such as a soundbar, or a TVs own built in speakers. The Dali Opticon 1s are probably the most neutral, do not overly enhance anything and offer a balance the others do not. They are an easy listen for the most part, transparent and resolving in a really small package, about the size of the Lumina 1 I think but probably very different sounding. I have learned for myself I tend to like paper whether infused, doped, etc but not all the time, Aluminum is or it or miss and still has its issues, Kevlar...not so much despite it is stated to have the potential of greater accuracy. Magnesium is harder to find but did try the Dynaudio Emit 10 which alot of people love but I didn't. For me it was too darkened in the upper mids and highs and the low end punch was inconsistent, sometimes not there or too much and affecting the lower mids in a way I didn't like. So, hopefully this gives you some sense of discussion format that may be useful to use. I still get the urge to try different equipment but have found a good blending that works well in my system. The Opticon, Zetas and 15i each offer different sound but work well with my dacs and amps. Not perfect but I am not the arbiter for what is. I went for both smaller and more budget products vs what I have used for years which was the Hegel driving Focal 807Ws. From a heavy amp and large standmounts to smaller gear. I do give up some transparency and texture of certain instruments as its a really competent speaker that scales up in performance with better gear, but I am getting older and downsizing. Also found going up in price doesn't get one better in everything, there are still areas where lower end speakers can do better. But if one wants loud, the higher end speakers usually win. I still have the gear but will sell. So another area of discussion is how to downsize and make budget gear work vs going in the other direction. Headphones...something I know nothing about but I will buy a set sometime this year and another divergent and complicated area of discussion in audio. If I were to move up in an amp which still fits my needs without the bulk I would like to have one day a Van Alstine SET 120 Control Amplifier or perhaps an Exposure 2510 based on other reviews and/or measured specs. A few others as well. Not to mention some notable but discontinued products in the used market for amps and/or speakers, which is another topic to discuss and perhaps the strategy of those waiting for and buying when a product reaches the end of its production. Discontinued products, for a short window of time can be had for 40 to 50% off, which is how I typically buy, not always but typically. In audio, there's alot to discuss. Hopefully this helps your channel with some ideas.

Please forgive the grammatical errors, just didn't think further editing was useful as the jist of the content should be understood.

@@nc3419 there are a lot of great points here, and ideas for some future videos. After the 3 next product reviews, i will do something like you suggested here as some, more general hifi videos, explaining theemynology and my views on hifi. I try to review from my subjectivity as much as i can. How it works in synergy, what is a sonic quality and characteristics, how i compare and how much value it brings in its price point. I am not a technical guy, i learn everyday but there are reviewers that are really much better at that than me. My idea is to viewers to understand me and my tastes, so you can trust my opinions. As building trust is what i am doing with this. If was to buy a Dali speakers next, which one would you like for me to review? Max price level of 2000? I feel there is a lot of growth still needed for me as audiophile, and as a reviewer. And that will probably reflect on this videos going foreword, as i mature devices I review will also do so. But i will prefer to stay in my favourite price rang and that is from 1000-2000e as i think that is a sweet spot in hifi. But for now, join me in this crazy ride of driving head first in this rabbit hole of Audiophile madness. I will try to be a good and thoughtful driver.

@@nc3419 and generally you spoke about how different age here's different dynamic response. And i was thinking about that, how for example me and Steve Gutenberg, there is a significant age gap between us, how we probably perceive sounds differently. And how treble is diffident for us probably. And it certainly affect our reviews as well.

Yes I did, but I really like much more Music Fidelity M3si, which is in same price range. I think in my review of M3si there is a small review of CXA81 and why I little bit more prefer M3si. I don't know will SA20 full review ever reach a light of day, but I just bought Arcam A15, and you can expect that review in near future. :)

Hi you can check here some recommendations, ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fQvLd857RF4.html . From 12:39 in that video I explained in detail what kind of amps works best with Oberons.

Arcam SA20, Music Fidelity M3si, and Audiolab 6000a(supposedly, never tried). I would recommend to go with Arcam, as they are the company who sort of invented that, and started implementing it in it own integrated amps.

Hey man, thanks for watching my video it is appreciated.Well firstly off you need an amp that have pre-in. I heavy recommend to look in Denon amps, to pair with AV receivers as they have this weighty sound that is full and rich. Good example is Denon PMA 1700ne. And to have one channel dedicated to stereo 2.0 setup for listening music, and to have all other channels for wathcing movies and enjoying Atmos. Your AVR also needs to have pre-out, It does not have to be Denon, it could be any amp, as long as it have pre-in, to be sort of slave in the synergy of your system.

I can not speak in favor of Ifi Zen Phono, as I have never heard it. But to me if you intend to invest in your Turntable, phono preamp is a necessity. It just unlocks your gear, and opens all the talents it possesses. Phono inside integrated amplifiers are always going to be a bottleneck, and lock the sound from truly expanding. I have a great review here of Pro Ject Tube Box S2, it is a phono preamp but also in that same review there are recommendations, for other great phono's so you might find something for yourself there. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2Q95cm60GTU.html

@@HIFIDaydreaming ok thanks I'll have a look. Thanks for your advice 🙂

What speakers do you have? As primare and roksan are balanced, so you will need speakers with a bit more verve, and treble to fit really well. But it is a nice combination.

@@HIFIDaydreaming i use Triangle comete 40th anniversary

@@zoranjovancic9816 everytime i was in store they presented me with them. And i even considered once buying them. I liked them how they had energy to them, but not that much to transfer mids and treble into unbearing. And had decent soundstage. This combo should work really good together. It won't be the most upbeat music you can mix, but separation, soundstage and richness in mids will be great

@@HIFIDaydreaming can you be more clean on not the most upbeat music i will be able to mix?

@@zoranjovancic9816 it is this synergy puts emphasis, on clarity, separation and dynamic rich mids. That way you have a great soundstage. But they don't emphasis so much details in treble, and high sound in mids. When sound is treble rich it is usually perceived by listener to be more fun and foreword as rhythmics are highlited. That makes music more upbeat. Problem with that sound it can sound for some really bright. Some people really like that sound, someone hate it as they feel they can not listen music like that for prolonged time. Hope this helped.

You could, or you could also buy Arcam a15 which is a monster! But 75/80 Watts is a great sweet spot to drive many speakers at many price ranges.

Thanks man, and thanks for watching!

Really discounted? Yeah, now I see on Yamahas web site, I did not know this! But all my shops in country still sell them. I checked all this amps price points in my stores, before making this video just to be sure. Than I guess closest choice definitely is A-S701, they are very similar.

@@HIFIDaydreaming thank you so much.

Agree. Budget gear, high performance.

In Europe it goes from 1190 to 1290 dollars, and I think it is a catch in that price range. And probably if you look hard enough you can found it somewhere at discount for cheaper money.

I tried the MF M2si which was $599 a few years ago but sent it back. To me the bass was flabby and overdone while there was some graininess in the upper mids. Sent it back but see it working for those that listen to alot of Rock. I agree the amps are somewhat overpriced for what you get.

When you look inside of it, there's not much there. It's strictly a bare-bones offering. At least the M3si has something going for it in the way of dual-powered channels. @@nc3419