Need cool running integrated under $1500 new/used

[McPlanar]

Originally Posted by Bodhisattva

I would comfortably recommend looking for a 2nd hand Nad M3 Dual Mono integrated which should be comfortably in your price range.

There is one of these that just went up on Audiogon for $1500 OBO.

[Anatta]

Pioneer A-70, class D.

[ismelllikepoop]

anyone have any experience with the hk990? I know it got a good review from stereophile class b, but not a ton of discussion about it. the few I saw had it paired with less than stellar components. I like the idea of all of the features, but think perhaps a jack of all trades but master of none approach may not be the best. at msrp of 2500$ there's no way, but the going price of <1500 has me intrigued.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by ismelllikepoop

anyone have any experience with the hk990? I know it got a good review from stereophile class b, but not a ton of discussion about it. the few I saw had it paired with less than stellar components. I like the idea of all of the features, but think perhaps a jack of all trades but master of none approach may not be the best. at msrp of 2500$ there's no way, but the going price of <1500 has me intrigued.

poop.......Harman Kardon's HK990 can be purchased direct from HK for a nickel shy of $2K with free shipping and 30-day money back guarantee. I have seen it as low as $1322.00 on TigerDirect. That's a heck of a deal on a brand new 150 watt per channel integrated amplifier that offers a choice of six stereo analog audio and four digital inputs, plus MM and MC phono inputs.


. . . .

[ismelllikepoop]

That is a great price, even vanns and onecall sell it for 1500, never had good experiences with tiger. Call me prejudiced, but since no local shops have one to demo, I'm just concerned its going to be like a fancy two channel receiver. What I mean by that is I used a Yamaha receiver temporarily when my simaudio i1 was being serviced. It sounded anemic and had to have to pretty much cranked to get any volume, and that thing was rated at 100 into 8ohms. At that price I guess I can give it a whirl since they have a 30 day guarantee.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by ismelllikepoop

That is a great price, even vanns and onecall sell it for 1500, never had good experiences with tiger. Call me prejudiced, but since no local shops have one to demo, I'm just concerned its going to be like a fancy two channel receiver. What I mean by that is I used a Yamaha receiver temporarily when my simaudio i1 was being serviced. It sounded anemic and had to have to pretty much cranked to get any volume, and that thing was rated at 100 into 8ohms. At that price I guess I can give it a whirl since they have a 30 day guarantee.

poop.......I don't know if TigerDirect honors the 30 day money back guarantee that Harmon Kardon offers when buying directly from them. I don't shop TigerDirect because they charge tax in Florida. Double check the return policy and the tax for your state before you click the buy button if you're thinking of purchasing from them.

[jdandy]

poop.......You may want to ask Ivan for a quote on the TEAC AI 2000 integrated amplifier. It sports a lot of trickle down technology from Esoteric, has 125 watts per channel and lists for $1495.00. It is offered in Silver or Black.

[Josquin des Prez]

I would be all over a used Naim Audio NAIT XS for the $1500 range. You might have to pay a little more, but not a lot.

[brazil-nut]

I have had a PS Audio C100 integrated. They use B&O Icepower amps.
Runs cool at 100W/channel and sounds pretty good, just no XLR input.

[ismelllikepoop]

thanks for the replies, and sorry for going off topic from the OP. after finding a place to demo some stuff, ended up with the naim xs-2. one thing that's been bothering me is how specs don't seem to mean much, and/or how there can be so much variability in spec sheets vs what you hear in person. I mean to get a well regarded dual mono 150watt hk990 for $2400 let alone $13-1400 nowadays says seems suuper cheap, yet I chose/preferred a naim 60 watt amp for significantly more cash. I suppose that's why I posted earlier about concerns the hk would be like a receiver I got with "100some watts" that could barely drive my revel m20s.