Small Integrated Amp Recommendations?

We're moving to a new house in a few weeks, and I've been planning the sound system. I want it to be pretty much "audiophile-quality" throughout the house, but since it is "old construction", I'm not really looking forward to stringing wires through it, especially considering it's a 2 story house.

The only time I'm going to really be feeding music through the whole house is when we are entertaining, so it will be digital source from my laptop using iTunes (Apple Lossless compressed files, of course!) But I want to have speakers in at least 3 areas in addition to the main listening room (which is downstairs): Outside on the deck, in the kitchen, and in the living room, all of which are upstairs.

So here's my solution: Apple Airport Expresses... I'm going to run the laptop directly into the "main" system through a USB DAC (guess which one I'm getting?!?), and then feed the signal wirelessly through an Apple Airport Extreme to strategigally-placed Airport Expresses in the rooms where I want sound.

Attached to each of these units will most likely be some sort of integrated amps to drive some sort of smallish speakers for "ambience music" for parties and such. I don't want to get too crazy with these auxiliary systems, but I do want toe sound to be "better than Bose"...

I'm looking at Arcam integrated amps (the Diva 80 is on the top of the list), or maybe Krell KAV-300i's (if I can get them used for a good price), driving small Celestions, B&Ws, or maybe small Maggies...

So what I want to hear from y'all is opinions for small integrated amps. Like I said the Krell and Arcam are at the top of my list, but if y'all have suggestions in the under-$1000 range, I'd love to hear them!

Thanks,
--Richard

Richard,

Trend Audio's TA-10 certainly meets your requirement for a "small integrated amp". In fact I can't imagine a smaller amp fitting that description. And, it gets rave reviews. Here is one:
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/trends/ta10.html

A Blue Moon Award for a $120 piece which can be used as an integrated or power amp. $240 for a pair for bi-amping. I would not pair them with Logans or Maggies, though. But then I would also not use Logans or Maggies for "ambience music" either , unless I wanted to make a visual/fashion statement. OTOH, the TA-10s should drive a pair of Zus like the Druid Credenza really well.

Another integrated amp in the sub-1000 category which comes to mind is the Onix SP3. It should have no problems driving Maggies.

I happen to like the Arcam sound and visuals. I have not heard the A80 but did audition A90, P1000, P7, and P1s with Maggies and Vandersteens. I think any Arcam amp would be a decent choice.

If you can stand battleship gray, do consider the NAD 372. This inexpensive integrated has finesse and a lot of muscle at the same time. I heard it drive Maggie 1.6s on a few occasions; really nice sounding! This amp is fugly but it is a fine amp.

I have the Onix Sp3, although not powering MLs, but I love the thing.

ralflar said:

Richard,

Trend Audio's TA-10 certainly meets your requirement for a "small integrated amp". In fact I can't imagine a smaller amp fitting that description. And, it gets rave reviews. Here is one:
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/trends/ta10.html

Click to expand...

That is NIFFTY! Probably would work very well for his application too! I built my house so I was able to wire it in advance! Makes a HUGE difference in ease of set up. My kitchen is attached to open to the family room so it has music, I did wire to the formal living area, back and front porches, and the garage (home of the PORSCHE's, not to be confused w/ the porches ;-) and I LOVE IT! I use my Rotel RB1050 to power all of those and I have a manual switch box to turn each pair on and off independently. The other cool thing is that the Rotel RSP1098 can be sending a signal to the "Zone 2" speakers (everything listed above) without ACTUALLY being "on"... So, once I fire up all the Zone 2 stuff I want (usually playing from an iPod that goes into the RSP1098) I can turn off the living room system completely... VERY COOL!

Good luck and it sounds like you are on the right track w/ the AirPorts!

cambridge audio (NOT soundworks) would also be a nice fit and you could get all three "zones" for under a grand...also, the control hardware that they have would be a perfect fit...wouldnt need the airports

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/default.php


real nice sounding straight forward (in operation) gear. we are using there lineup to replace rotel. sonicly and build quality wise, performs on par with rotel, especially for the price points!

greg_slo said:

cambridge audio (NOT soundworks) would also be a nice fit and you could get all three "zones" for under a grand...also, the control hardware that they have would be a perfect fit...wouldnt need the airports

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I just looked at their info on their website, and it DOES look like a super-cool install. I especially like their control panels, and the fact that you can get them as table-top units, or made for in-wall installation. Very slick...

Only problem is that I'd have to pull a new line of Cat5 to each room, and like I said, this is 30-year-old constrution, and 2 stories to boot, so pulling new lines is not really practical.

Great suggestion if you'r building new, or doing a serious renovation, or simply don't mind replacing a fair about of wallboard, but none of those scenerios are mine, so it's back to the airports, I think.

I'll probably use a Phillips Harmony 1000 to control everything. It fits my needs perfectly for 3 reasons: 1) it supports almost every electronic device on the planet (including the Oppo) with factory-supplied downloadable codes, 2) You don't need special "dealer software" to program and set it up, like some of the high-end :home theater" controllers, 3) the software they ship with it supports Macintosh OS x (this one was actually a deal-breaker with me for EVERY other brand out there!) an 4) I can design and upload all my own icons for the menus. I'm a graphic designer, and the temtation to completely customize the visuals on my remote is just irresistable...

greg_slo said:

real nice sounding straight forward (in operation) gear. we are using there lineup to replace rotel. sonicly and build quality wise, performs on par with rotel, especially for the price points!

Click to expand...

Yes, I'd agree. I've heard Cabridge gear through Martin Logan Vantages (at a local Tweeter) and although it didn't have the "slam" that the Krell integrated had, it was WAY smoother and sweeter and more musical. The Krell has it all over the Cambridge in terms of resolution, but it a little dry and analytical for me. I'll definitely add the Cabridge to my list though. I'd forgot about them...

Thanks,
--Richard

Cambridge 840A, I think... good sound through Vistas. Kept me musically engaged.

Nice LCD screen also... very chic!

The fun thing is that you have many options. You could even do something different in each room if you wanted to. One option is to use a Sophia Baby integrated tube amp fed by a Slimdevices Squeezebox (SB3) or your Apple device. You can often find a used Sophia Baby on Audiogon for around $450. An SB3 new with remote is $300. They're hard to find used.

The Sophia is a small but nice looking 9"x11" tube amp that puts out a suprisingly powerful 10 watts. That may not sound like much but you will be surprised at how musical a mere 10 watts can sound (bass included) with 90db speakers or higher, especially in a smaller room. And the tubes glow nicely.

The challenge is in finding 90db sensitive or higher speakers that are not too large. As a general rule sensitive speakers don't come in small sizes. However, I did find a pair of Silverline Prelude speakers with a small footprint and rated at 91db. They work well with this amp and while they are about 40" tall they are slim with a small footprint and relatively inexpensive.

That's purdy. I'm drawn to that like a moth to a light.

Richard, Jolida makes some relatively inexpensive integrated tube amps. This sounds like the perfect time to have one of your systems tubed.