Choosing Yet Another Integrated Amplifier on New Year’s Eve

【Various Listening Sessions】
Introduction Plan｜Speakers｜Budget Integrated Amplifiers

Just the other day, I got my hands on a wonderful speaker cable — a Dutch-made high-end gold-silver hybrid conductor cable. I was truly floored. The tonal beauty and realism are so extraordinary I literally have no complaints. And I was just about to post a review of that cable… when my main system’s integrated amplifier, the TAG McLaren 60i, decided to throw a tantrum yesterday. The sound itself is coming through, but with certain CDs, a gritty noise creeps in from one channel. It’s been over five years since I bought it in 2000 — the volume pot crackles when it’s cold, and lately one channel sometimes refuses to produce any sound for a while after switch-on. My amateur diagnosis: the volume pot and relay have probably given up the ghost? (※ Update: it resolved itself naturally. The noise apparently turned out to be coming from something other than the amplifier.)

And on the very same day, the Mitsubishi air purifier MA-803 I bought at Yodobashi last year suddenly stopped working. Oh no… the warranty’s expired too…. I can’t bring myself to go to Yodobashi during the New Year rush, either. ※ Afterwards, I sent it in for repair, and since it had only just come out of warranty, they handled it as a free repair. Further update: the motor was replaced with a new one, and I used it for about another two years, but then the motor failed again and it was retired for good.

I’ll send the TAG McLaren F3-60i in for repair after the New Year holidays, but in the meantime I’ve been casting around for an inexpensive, enjoyable amplifier to use as a stand-in. The cheapest option would be to nip down to the local Hard Off and pick up some old discontinued model, but now that I’ve started an audio blog, it would be better to go with something whose report might actually be useful to readers. So, the candidates — the conditions I have in mind are: “inexpensive”, “something I can pass on to whoever wants it at a reasonable price after testing it for a while”, “something that can provide information useful to audio beginners as an entry-level machine”, “design-wise, small and attractive in a compact, cabinet-style way”, and “sound quality confirmed by in-store auditioning”… that’s roughly it, I suppose.

With all that in mind, I’ve listed a few candidates below.

MARANTZ PM6100SA Ver.2 (RRP ¥30,000–35,000)

It’s been so popular that stock has been consistently thin, and as of December 2005 delivery is reportedly two to three weeks out. I heard it paired with speakers from German brand ASW at Audio Union in Sagamihara and was astonished. (※ I think the pairing with the ASW GENIUS100 is very good indeed.) Where the previous plain 6100SA had a slightly understated, gentle character — almost as if Marantz Japan had the European market in mind — this Ver.2 sharpens the attack and refines the mid-to-high frequency texture into a high-speed sound. The chassis is oversized for the internals, which I find a bit puzzling for a domestic product, and entry-level amplifiers have always inexplicably come loaded with tone controls and other superfluous features that only degrade the sound — but the circuit itself is simple, which is very much to my taste. The combination of this with the AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 seemed like a natural match both in design and compatibility… and then I discovered there’s no black-face version of the PM6100SA.

CEC AMP3300R (RRP ¥40,000–45,000)

A non-feedback Class A amplifier designed by Carlos Candeias, and the minor-change successor to the AMP3300. It features a large toroidal transformer and component quality that is second to none in this class, and additionally, the volume element — which had a poor reputation for noise — has been changed. The speaker terminals are now a proper insulated type as well. Looking at the specs, the circuit appears to have been refined in various ways too. The internals of the AMP3300 bear a resemblance to the analogue stage of my CEC CD player the TL5100Z, also designed by Carlos Candeias, and the ability to use balanced connections between CEC products is another attraction. Moreover, the output of 64W into 8Ω actually makes it a better match for the Vienna Acoustics MOZART T-2 than the higher-output model above it, the AMP5300. In that sense it’s quite a safe choice. Since the parts changes and the subtle output increase mean it isn’t identical to the previous model, whether the good “compatibility” with the MOZART T-2 holds true is something that can only be judged once they’re actually connected — but as a fan of C.E.C products, it’s a model I find rather compelling.

The previous model had weaknesses in build quality (which I believe the model change has addressed) and a design that was both plain and trying too hard to be quirky, resulting in something rather awkward. From the AMP3300R onwards, however, the design has become a thoroughly sensible one that shares a common concept with the higher-end CEC AMP5300, and although the price has risen somewhat, I feel the qualitative improvements made are well worth more than the price difference.

The AMP3300 is particularly recommended for those using Vienna Acoustics or Zingali compact horn speakers — and especially for those who seek a grown-up, analogue-flavoured depth of sound rather than the pursuit of surface-level high-frequency speed or resolution. The two domestic models, the MARANTZ PM6100SA Ver.2 and the C.E.C AMP3300R, offer good cost-to-value, but their full-size Japanese chassis puts them somewhat at odds with the compact, cabinet-style concept that is central to this blog. From that point of view, the models below are the real contenders.

ROTEL RA-02 (RRP ¥65,000–72,000)

A slim silver design that I personally find rather appealing. The build quality feels a touch spartan in person, but the sound is very Rotel — somewhat light, plain, and clean. The drive feels a little slight and I get the sense that not every last detail of the music is being drawn out, but there are no superfluous character traits or coloration to get in music’s way, and I don’t dislike that straightforwardness at all. It’s an exceptionally honest and orthodox approach to sound that will suit those who dislike any added Hi-Fi flavour or personality being imposed on the music. The current RA-02 has picked up WHAT Hi-Fi and EISA awards and received five stars from Hi-Fi Choice, so its reputation overseas is very strong.

Some shops list it as 60W per channel, but the correct figure is 40W/8Ω. That said, Rotel integrated amplifiers — as opposed to their separates — give me the impression of sounding leaner than the specs suggest, so it may simply lack the fundamental drive power for use as a main system amplifier. The price is also a touch higher than the two domestic models mentioned above, and the fact that it sits at almost the same price as the Audio Analogue Primo makes the decision a tricky one — though it might work well in a Goto Sogo Onkyo tuned configuration. I have a feeling it would pair nicely with the Audio Pro Image 11 in particular, given that both lean towards a clean, uncluttered sound. The pure tonal quality I heard from the combination of the older RA-931 and British Monitor Audio MONITOR ONE GOLD was simply superb.

ARCAM DIVA A65plus (RRP ¥52,000–70,000)

British ARCAM‘s entry-level model. A light, plain sound in the same vein as the Rotel. At 40W/ch, drive power is modest. Setting aside the Hi-Fi performance, which yields to the higher-end models, it does let you hear the music properly (and that point matters), so for non-audiophiles I’d happily recommend it on its good looks alone. That said, if I were buying an ARCAM right now I’d really rather have the SOLO, the all-in-one CD amplifier. As for pairing with the Vienna Acoustics T-2, the drive power really calls for either the A85 or the A80. For anyone pursuing serious pure Hi-Fi with an ARCAM integrated, I’d recommend at least the A80 grade as a minimum.

Rega Research NEW BRIO or MIRA3

British Rega — their products come in light blue, red, yellow, all sorts of bold colours, yet their presence in the Japanese market is remarkably low-key. As a company with a long tradition of strength in analogue turntables, the sonic character is more natural and refined than most people would expect. It’s highly musical too, and in fact the sound is more solid than a same-class ARCAM integrated — I personally rather like it.

I always find myself mildly wanting one, and yet somehow the toy-like appearance keeps me from actually buying it — a strange existence (mysterious). That said, for anyone who has the Audio Analogue Primo on their shortlist, if an audition opportunity arises I’d really urge them to put this up as a rival and take the time to compare the two carefully. One note of caution, though: the chassis is so slim and compact that the terminal layout is extremely cramped, making it impossible to use thick high-end cables — so do bear that in mind.

Audio Analogue PRIMO SETTANTA (RRP ¥78,000–90,000)

The PRIMO SETTANTA — the most affordable, half-width integrated amplifier from Audio Analogue, an Italian manufacturer that has become a popular and well-regarded value proposition. It has wonderful drive power and a distinctly Italian character that you won’t find elsewhere. If I were to get a PRIMO SETTANTA, I know full well that I would inevitably end up wanting the matching PRIMO CDP and the Victor SX-WD5 speakers to go with it as a sub-system, and it’s the thought of those subsequent expenses that makes me hesitate…

Myryad Z-140 Integrated Amplifier

British MYRYAD… the Z-140, the most affordable integrated amplifier in the Myryad lineup. List price ¥98,000, street price around ¥70,000–80,000. ※ The image shows the successor model, the Z-240. Above it sit the CAMEO series and the T series. I’ve heard the company’s M series — the high-end models in the hundreds-of-thousands range — several times, and the sound is very British in its presentation: quiet, dignified, and extremely delicate. The lower-tier Z series, however, I have yet to hear at all. Buying without a listen does feel a bit risky…

EX-PRO Tokyo Sound Valve100SE (RRP ¥78,000–90,000)

The EX-PRO Valve100 I used for a while previously had a delicate, clear sound. It overcame the inconveniences and characteristic coloration of a typical valve amplifier, and was a wonderful product in the sense that it brought valve technology within easy reach of beginners and non-technical music lovers outside the world of old-school valve audio enthusiasts. The Valve100SE is its successor, with a detachable power cable. There’s something slightly odd about buying it back again having already let it go, but since I know the sound, it would be a safe choice. (※ Later note: I ended up purchasing the higher model, the Valve300, and used that for some time.)

～ Summary ～

So there we have it — eight models, and I’m puzzling over which to go for. Do I choose a domestic entry-level machine on the assumption I won’t keep it long, or do I go for something from overseas on the assumption of eventually building another sub-system around it? My own view has always been that amplifier and CD player are best matched from the same manufacturer and the same grade, both aesthetically and otherwise — which means that once I’ve chosen an integrated amplifier, a matching CD player from the same manufacturer will almost inevitably follow.

Of all these, the one I want most right now is, for the moment, the AUDIO ANALOGUE PRIMO SETTANTA. Though the SETTANTA probably won’t suit my main system tonally. It would be strictly for sub-system use, with the SX-WD5 in mind. In second place, the ROTEL RA-02, which seems like the best match for the Audio Pro Image 11. And the one I’d most like to review in proper detail would be the CEC AMP-3300R. If only they could all come down in price just a little…

【Various Listening Sessions】
Introduction Plan｜Speakers｜Budget Integrated Amplifiers