I put a certain amount of money each month into my audio kitty. Pretty much my last remaining hobby, other than writing, being mostly housebound. My system sounds great to me, and I do enjoy it, but I know it could be better because I had many opportunities, years ago, to hear a variety of electronics with Klipschorns. The best sound I ever heard from them was connected to a 110lb-each pair of Audio Research M300 tube mono-block amps and an SP-10 two-chassis preamp. I listened to that set-up five days a week, hours per day, for more than a year. TOTL components in their day, and kind of good.
Right now I'm using a latest-generation Emotiva XSP-1 preamp - their TOTL stereo pre - with a bottom of the line Emotiva BasX A-100 amplifier, aka the Flex-Amp. I own two of those little amps, and probably have more respect for them - at their ridiculously low price - than most of you. I think the pre-amp, also, is damn good for its price. But it ain't ARC. My Emotiva components are competent, very competitive at the prices I paid, but certainly not extraordinary. And my cabinet won't accommodate a full-width amp and preamp (the little BasX amp is half-width).
While it is true that the super-efficient Khorn doesn't demand high power, I know a bit more would only benefit. I have 50wpc, and a bit more headroom can't hurt. An integrated amp will fit my cabinet, and the models I am considering offer more, and better.
I require at least five unbalanced inputs, and greatly prefer at least six, making the search a bit tougher. A tape loop would be nice. Don't care whether it has HT bypass. Pre-out, or sub-out preferable. Remote control absolutely required, including source selection as well as volume and power - the more the merrier.
I'd prefer to spend twenty bucks. However, that don't buy what I want. I'd really like to keep it at three grand or less, but would go to four (maybe even five) for the right component, which is hard to find. Analog inputs in my price range tend to number one, two or three quite often. Another problem is I can't get out to visit a dealer - my shopping is online.
Last night I found an integrated that had plenty ins and outs for my purposes, and gets good reviews - the Rega Elicit-R. I've never heard one, nor any Rega gear actually - there were no dealers in my home state. The one I found last night was for sale at Audiogon, 6 months used and like-new condition. Guy's ask was $1800; a new one from AA is $3k. I read and read everything I could find and decided to buy this one, but couldn't recall my password from when I registered on Audiogon years ago. So I decided to go to bed and order it when I woke up this morning.
And it was gone, of course. I plan to keep watch for another used one, but would also appreciate suggestions for others I should consider. I'm at a loss when I search and find strange, unfamiliar brand names and models.
Since my Emotiva XSP-1 is pretty new also, this seems wasteful. But I have three systems that all improve in ripple effects when I replace something in the main rig. I may end up with a pretty new BasX PT-100 for sale or storage in the closet or even gifting when/if I make this move.
I will not consider tubes. My systems run too many hours per day for that.