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Integrated  Amps over £1,000

Back to Integrated amplifiers below £999

Rega Elex -R

The Elex-R is an amplifier that falls between the ever popular Brio-R and the Elicit-R models, and as you’d probably expect it is closely related to both. For a start the basic circuit topology is common to the three models, and with the Elex-R you get a bigger transformer than the Brio-R combined with the full size case, power circuit and uprated phono stage of the Elicit-R.

To gauge its sound I spent time going between the Brio-R, Elex-R and Elicit-R (via CD to avoid the differences in phono stages) and it was fascinating to hear a sound evolve throughout a range so closely tied by design. Comparatively speaking, if the Brio-R has an obvious character is that it’s a little muddled and grainy in the lower mid, although it’s something that really doesn’t get in the way musically and if anything adds an appealing warmth to the sound. The Elex-R banishes this, sounding much cleaner, more potent and in control, in a very similar fashion to the Elicit-R.

Whilst it’s true that the Elicit-R offers even greater refinement, resolution and detail, it’s also a touch cooler in tone and not as tolerant of lesser recordings. When you start to consider the price, the Elex-R really does make a very good case for being the sweet spot in the range, offering a really nice blend of the toe tapping involvement of the Brio-R with the more mature presentation of the Elicit-R.

Rega Elex-R integrated amplifier: £1,045.00

Croft Integrated R

This is the top of the range Croft Integrated amplifier. As you would expect of Croft products at this level the power supply is complex and highly regulated which gives a forceful and potent presentation. Naturally this is built in the standard croft casework and due to the size of the power supply there is no space for an onboard phono stage, so this model is is live level only.

A version with a single volume control in place of the dual mono controls are also available, please click here for pictures

Croft Integrated R line level integrated amplifier: £1,800.00

Rega Elicit-R

Just in is the latest version of the Elicit amplifier, called the Elicit-R it combines the discrete FET pre amp stage of the previous version with a power amp design that has a lot in common with the excellent Brio-R amplifier.

The Elicit-R has a tape loop and a total of five other inputs, one of which can either be used for a line level source or its internal MM stage via a push button switch mounted on the rear. There’s also an output for a headphone amplifier and a pre amp output. A direct input is also included for use with AV processors (or any other device that acts as a pre amp).  

The Elicit-R produces 105 watts per channel into 8 ohms and runs relatively warm even without a signal playing. As you can see in the picture above, a fairly substantial toriodal transformer forms the centre of the design, the ‘dual mono’ power amplifier stages are mounted onto the heatsinks on either side, with the line and phono stages in the top right hand corner.

It wouldn’t be a Rega product without a cryptic message on the circuit board, this time telling us that “Ernie’s Troughline Stereo Tuner is a-working in a system again” (for anyone not familiar with it, the Troughline is a classic and highly regarded Leak valve tuner dating from the 1950-60’s.

The Solaris remote is included, and despite it having a huge number of buttons it is rather nice to use, with the important ones seemingly falling to hand readily.

At the time of writing the amplifier has only been here for a few hours, so I’d expect it to change over the next few days as it settles in, but from the outset I think it’s fair to say that the Elicit-R has addressed my main reservation of the previous model, which was rather too lacking in dynamics and timing for my tastes. The new model has good speed for a transistor design and tracks dynamic contrasts effectively. The presentation is cultured and smooth, with superb image width evident, even straight out of the box.

I’ll come back and edit the above text once it’s had time to settle in and I’ve had a chance to try it with a wider range of different ancillaries, so please check back for updates.

Rega Elicit-R amplifier: £2,000.00

Audion Sterling EL34 SE integrated

   

The Audion Sterling EL34 uses a single EL34 per channel in single ended topology, producing 12 watts per channel. Like all good single ended amplifiers these have remarkable speed and openness, and an ability to drive speakers that belies their low rated power output. This amplifier features 6 line level inputs

Two versions are available, the mk1 which has uses a PCB and the Anniversary (pictured above and below) which is hard wired and features superior components, output transformers and polished top plate.

Both models are exceptional at their respective price points, with speed, dynamics and musicality in spades. You really do need to hear what they can do to your system!

Audion Sterling EL34 mk1 integrated: £1,908.00

Audion Sterling EL34 mk1 integrated with remote control volume: £2,395.00

Audion Sterling EL34 Anniversary integrated: £2,378.00

Audion Sterling EL34 Anniversary integrated with remote control volume: £2,865.00

Pure Sound A30-R

The original A30 was in successfully in production for 13 years, testament to a design that was ‘right’. The new ‘R’ version simply evolves the recipe. So the core design, with its triode 6N8P (a 6SN7 equivalent) and 6N9P (a 6SL7 equivalent) for input and phase splitting duties feeding 6550 output valves in class A push pull (switchable between Triode and Ultralinear remains unchanged. A new output transformer is used, with improved lamination material and revised winding techniques which results in wider bandwidth, output remains at 30 watts in Ultra linear setting. Two mains transformers replace the original single one, so now the filament supplies are run separately from the HT supply, this helps lower the running temperature. The two valve rectifiers (5Z3P/5U4G equivalents) and choke smoothing remains unchanged.

It features auto bias so there’s no need to make any adjustments when changing output valves and it uses high quality parts in the signal path.

A remote control of volume and muting adds some additional convenience, and the inclusion of an extra input (it has 4 line level inputs) makes it even more flexible. A valve cage is included, as pictured below.

Pure Sound A30-R integrated: £1,899.95.

              

Rega Aethos

The Aethos is a beautifully built integrated amplifier which fits in the range between the Elicit-R and the Osiris. The casework is the first thing that strikes you, with a near ‘milled from solid’ feel and clean aesthetic it certainly looks the part of an amplifier at this level. Internally elements of the Elex and Elicit are featured, with greater output, bigger power supplies and upgraded parts being the keys to the resulting sound.  

It’s line level only, so vinyl users will need a separate phono stage, but it does feature a headphone socket and naturally comes with  a remote control.

The resulting sound is big and bold, more akin to a giant Elex in presentation than the Elicit and with the ability to grab difficult to drive speakers very effectively.  

-Rega Aethos line level integrated amplifier: £2,999.00

Audio Note Oto SE

The Oto SE integrated amplifier uses EL84 valves in parallel single ended configuration, producing an output of 10 watts and is available with or without an internal an all valve MM phono stage. It’s all housed within the classic Audio Note casework which is available with either a black acrylic or brushed aluminium fascia. As you’d expect with a good single ended amplifier the sound is punchy and dynamic, whilst still being very natural and expansive. It may lack the completely grain less mid band of a 300B SE amplifier but it’s an exceptionally neat package and so involving to listen to that dissecting the minutiae of its performance seems to be missing the point. The phono stage is a very good quality design too, and not simply an afterthought like many. A fractionally more powerful push pull version is available, but we would always recommend this SE version for the best sound quality.

Audio Note Oto SE Line integrated amplifier: £POA at manufacturers request

Audio Note Oto SE Phono integrated amplifier: £POA at manufacturers request

Audion Silver Night 300BSE integrated

The Silver Night is one of our favourite sounding amplifiers - it offers so much performance at a very reasonable price. This line level design is a real purists delight, with no feedback and an output of 7 watts per channel it is ideally partnered with speakers of approximately 90dB sensitivity and upwards, although its much more potent than the power figure would suggest.

It uses one 300B directly heated triode output valve per channel driven by a 6H23/6922 input valve and has 6 line level inputs.

Don’t let its apparent low power put you off, it is not only exceptionally fast and potent sounding but also as open and airy as only a good single ended design can be.  

The Anniversary is hard wired, features a large choke filtered power supply, high grade audio components and a very serious pair of output transformers - as ever with a circuit design so minimalistic it’s the quality of the power supply and output transformers that dictate the results, and here it’s obvious that they really are superb.

The picture above is of the power amplifier version, the integrated option has a row of toggle switches to select between the 5 inputs.

Audion Silver Night 300BSE Anniversary: £3,528

Audion Silver Night 300BSE Anniversary with remote control volume: : £4,015

Integrated Amplifiers over £5,000

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