@User_J , Three months ago I went on an integrated amp quest in your budget range. Did an enormous amount of research. Rogue Audio was high on my list as tubes hold a fascination. There are a very trustworthy company, made in Pennsylvania. For relatively affordable trusty tube gear, it’s Rogue Audio and Primaluna. It either goes way more expensive to audiophile brands, or for less expensive it dips into the Chinese companies, some of what can be great, though getting service may be shady. Rogue and Primaluna are more known and accessible quantities.
As for having an external DAC already, I suggest not limiting yourself to integrated amps that are DAC free. There’s a movement towards all in ones, and in the budget amps, the companies don’t invest heavily into the DAC. It’s sort of like a free bonus. What’s most important is you like the sound of the amp.
Also, consider going class A/B instead of class D.
In the end, for me, it came down to Rogue Audio vs Hegel. Debated that decision long and hard. Because I had an urge to get the Magnepan LRS speakers, the Hegel won out - and I got a new unit on sale for 35% off. I use my Border Patrol SE-i external DAC with the Hegel, essentially ignoring the Hegel internal DAC.
Perhaps the most important thing is to purchase from a place with a healthy in home trial and no hassle returns. Research and forums only go so far. How it sounds to you, in your room, with your gear is something only actual experience can provide.
There are Cyber Monday deals to be had. I just got an email from my Hegel dealer, Listen Up. They have 15% off site wide on Monday. Audio Advisor and HiFi Heaven are good Rogue options, with HiFi Heaven often having used Rogues.
There is nothing wrong with Chinese brands. Wharfdale, for example, is an old UK brand that has changed hands many times and is now owned by IAG, who also own Quad, Audiolab, Luxman and Leak. They are made in a state of the art factory in China that would would be the envy of most USA companies. Most of the brands are still designed in Huntingdon, UK.
Prima Luna is a Dutch brand that is made in China under close control by the owners and so they can make great products for sensible prices. They are still more expensive and less powerful than solid state for a budget system.
My comments about potential challenges obtaining warranty service were exclusively directed to budget Chinese origin tube amp companies. Not western companies who have shifted manufacturing to China yet maintain a global warranty network like Primaluna or Wharfdale
Willsington & Yaqin for instance. Well thought of budget tube amps, Rogue Audio (USA) or Primaluna (Dutch and Kevin Deal) both have far better USA service networks.
My Hegel is a Norwegian company who manufactures in China. I ain’t got nothing against Chinese audio companies!
If looking at separate pre and power amps, and want trumpets and other instruments to sound “real”, you may want to consider a Schiit Freya + tube pre-amp combined with a PS Audio S300 solid state power amp and connect the Freya to the S300 via XLR balanced cables.
For speakers, take a serious look at tmraudio.com that sells lots of used speakers and equipment. They currently have a pair of full-range Quad Z3 speakers (with a ribbon tweeter) for under $1800. https://tmraudio.com/speakers/floorstanding-speakers/quad-z3-floorstanding-speakers-piano-rosewood-pair-z-3/
Thew law in the UK is that legal responsibility rests with the distributor. So if I buy a car from Honda, it’s not the dealer, it’s Honda UK who are ultimately responsible. iIn the UK and Europe there is a 2 year statutory manufacturer’s guarantee.
I agree that if you buy factory direct from China - good luck!
Servicing is very important. Most of the IAG products made in China can all be serviced - or completely rebuilt - at the service centre in Huntingdon. They can rebuild any Quad ESL back to ESL57.
Bryson, for example, are distributed in Europe by PMC, not least because PMC have used Bryston power in their speakers for 30 years. PMC have a full service factory and now make their own amplifiers. So there are no worries about local service, in or out of guarantee.
My Devialet has door-to-door servicing and upgrade, its only weighs 15kg and they have a global deal with couriers. You book it in, someone picks it up from home and delivers it back 2 weeks later. Easy peasy.
The worry is buying a 40kg amplifier that has to be shipped overseas or transatlantic for an out-of-warranty fix or service. That’s a non-starter for me.
Those Quad speakers are often under-rated. The bookshelf versions are exceptionally good value, but the Z3 is a good recommendation. They were designed for the Artera system, which has been very successful as it’s very good value for money and doesn’t look like it was designed in 1970 (like most Quad stuff).
Local content is a factor when purchasing, why would you not support your own economy. And yes since Corona I have become more mindful of local manufactured products.
But the times are definitely gone that we can claim that Chinese products would be inferior in quality. And if you factor in the features then they may become even 1st choice.
So when I purchase I definitely look at where it is produced, the more local the better, but not at every price.
As an example, I wouldn’t buy a Linn streamer. Although it would be my preference as it is top built quality from Scotland, it is simply outperformed on features by Auralic or Lumin or TEAC in comparable quality.
My top preference is Mola Mola as it is Dutch made with parts imported from Taiwan, made under Mola Mola’s quality control though. It ticks every box I have except the “in budget” box (a typical Dutch thing too, I am afraid😉), so I keep saving.
At the end of the day every electronic device includes Chinese content.
With limited budget why not look for surplus stock from dealers/distributors or hardly used (ex-demo) equipment so one could end up at a higher level. The go-to source over here in the Benelux is Highendaudio
Rega is a good example of a company with a very large product range, a superb supply chain of many longstanding local companies in the UK, all assembly and quality control in their own factory resulting in a high quality and exceptionally good value products. In the UK their amplifiers are rated just ad highly as their turntables.
Totally agree, I have 35XT’s in my den with a Sprout100 (this was my first system) and they are really fantastic speakers, very under the radar. Big AMT tweeters are sublime.
good luck