What is the best integrated amp you've heard?

Just checked the Internet Sony has a new 2 ch Integrated.

TA-A1ES CLASS A, 80 watts and available in SILVER. :D

Adjustable headphone impedance.

The price? Ouch! The implication is that this is a quality product.
 
Yeah...it's the big bro of the two I mentioned. The entire line is really impressive and I have my eye on the HAP Z1ES. (why are these names so awkward?) It's not an amp, but a server that stores 1TB of hi rez files internally. Really, really impressive in every way.
 
my Rogue Cronus is excellent, plenty of power with its new KT77's. I like my Scott 222c and can't wait to get back my unheard Eico hf-81 from the rebuilder guy.
 
Modern, and best-sounding: Luxman L-505u

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Pioneer A-27 Series 20

I'll put in a vote for a Pioneer A-27 part of the rare Series 20 line, class A/B rated at 120 watts from the late 70's.
 
How about Yamaha A1000 first ten watts class A then kicks into AB up to 110 more. This integrated Amp was very quiet using with ADS L1230s.
 
I think there are many good integrated amplifiers available, new and vintage. I would rate these three pretty highly and in no particular order of one being any better than the other, just different and extremely good when used within their capabilities: Any of the Naim Naits, but I prefer the early models up to the Olive Nait 2. The Croft phono integrated, a fantastic hybrid that sounds lovely on Harbeth or Stirling monitors. Most any of the Plinius integrated models, I currently own an 8150 that was factory upgraded to an 8200 MK1. This thing has extreme drive capability yet can be so very delicate with the music when called for, a bargain in the used market. Tim
 
HAP-S1 or UDA-S1 depending on your needs. I heard both last weekend and just shook my head: hard to believe how far digital audio has come and how it can sound so good at a modest price.

Thanks!

I will be going to the Sony Store in Manhattan one of these days just to see
what these new Sonys are about.

Sony has been an extraordinary innovator in many sectors of audio.
 
Folks seem to either love em or hate em but I've been very happy with my HK990. It's driven Vandersteen 2ce sigs and Paradigm Studio 20's effortlessly. The DSP is kind of a cute feature too.


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@the_nines - I wont paste another copy of the Leben into this post, but FWIW longtime AKer and Head-Fier Skylab owns one and he absolutely loves it. When someone who has heard literally hundreds of dedicated headphone amps tells you that the headphone stage in his Leben is on par with any of them, I tend to take notice. Unfortunately, the company appears to have dropped the ball with their quality control back in 2011 - I sincerely hope that this is a one-off and they have rectified the issues:

Thanks for the link.

I bought my CS600 in 2008 and simply just love it.

As for the QC issue, I don't know what to make of it. Is it an isolated thing? ... I hope so as well.
 
The 1980 Akai's AM-U02, 03, 04, were excellent with dual power supplies, large transformers and caps, but the better integrated amp was the Akai AM-U06, which had the pulse power supply. Using a small transformer on a flip,flop transistor board, putting out high voltage, 300V+, at an extremely high pulse frequency, which is then rectified to a very stable DC. This negated all the disadvantage of hysteresis and EM incumbent with large transformers. The epitome of this type of power supply was used in the PA-W04, PA-W06 power amps, with their matching PR-A04, PR-A06 preamps. Excellent specs and matching excellent sound from these separate amp, preamp units.

After this innovative apex, Akai went down the conventional solid state stereo amp road, same as all the other mainstream audio companies like Marantz, Nad, Denon, Luxman, etc., (competition of course). But their faceplate designs became too plain and "tinny" looking, and the black face was the beginning of the end.
 
Akai AM-U06 integrated amplifier

Power output: 68 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)

Frequency response: 6Hz to 100kHz

Total harmonic distortion: 0.008%

Damping factor: 180

Input sensitivity: 0.8mV (MC), 3mV (MM), 20mV (DIN), 150mV (line)

Signal to noise ratio: 84dB (MM), 97dB (line)

Channel separation: 60dB (MM)


Akai PA-W04 power amplifier

Power output: 48 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)

Frequency response: 1Hz to 100kHz

Total harmonic distortion: 0.008%

Damping factor: 100

Input sensitivity: 1V

Signal to noise ratio: 115dB

Bought new in 1980 and still sound awesome. Slight repair to both, but still have the
original caps that seem fine.

I would put these amps up against any other solid state amp. The specs alone are hard to match, and in fact several listening tests on youtube always have an Akai amplifier and/or receiver come out on top against several "high end" competitors. After about 1988 the quality started to suffer, as did all Japanese stereo equipment. I have had several newer Pioneer, Nad, Luxman, Sony, etc., (junk), and listened to friends Carver's, Sansui, Yamaha, and more, and I, and my friends agree, the Akai sounds somewhow the best, especially after listening for an extended time. Easy to listen to.
 
No idea what integrated is "best"; maybe an Accuphase or Luxman. There are/have been lots of competent and even very good integrated amplifiers... to date, though, only one has brought tears to my eyes (in a good way) while listening to it. This one.


HF81 by mhardy6647, on Flickr

(I wouldn't bother with the phono preamp, though)
 
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