Hi, Warren, hope all is well in the Great North! I’m just loving my new Icon Audio ST 40 David Shaw Signature Edition. I have listened to many amps in my 55 years of enjoying music and at this price point, I think it would be very hard to beat. I personally feel you would have to spend thousands more on anything solid-state or tubes. It is an integrated amplifier and anything this good in a Solid State with say a few very pricey examples are sold as separates. No preamp or preamp DAC is needed. My system: The main amplifier is a Rotel RB-1590 Mkll at 350wpc both driven into 8 or 4 ohms Rotel RC-1590 Mkll preamplifier with a Texas instrument medical-grade audio DAC and a MM phono input. My sources are now a Rega Apollo CD with wolf DAC. The Ti DAC sounds better though. For streaming audio, a Bluesound Noed also has a DAC and the DAC is nice. There’s a Rega P6 with a new power supply, Rega Enta Pro MC cartridge running to a Sutherland insight MC phono stage into aux input of new ST40. This sounds so good. My speakers are Klipsch Cornwall 4’s. And anyone who’s worried about the ST40 only being 50wpc or even 30wpc in triode mode - don’t be, this easily keeps up with my 84 pound 350wpc Rotel amplifier and does it better in every way. The Cornwall speakers are very easy to drive. I did not try this amplifier on less efficient speakers though I am sure it could drive almost anything on the market today as l have barely gotten passed 11 O’clock and in my room, this is pretty loud. Warren thank you for this great amplifier and all the help and time you afforded me with my purchase - top-notch. Peace and love. Scott. Thanks again Warren.
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