GOOD integrated amps with DC protection £800 max

[Tryant]

Looking for a good integrated amp with DC protection for a second system, budget up to £800. Haven't come up with much other than Arcams. Anything better around these day?

[Light Dependant Resistor]

The aspect of goodness IMO begins to apply when separate power amps and attenuators are considered.
Is it possible for you to amend your requirements, as I cannot think of any good integrated amps, all IMO
are compromised in one way or another particularly with the poor quality volume controls they use.

[Tryant]

Do you think the volume control Arcam have been using is poor? I recently tried one of their amps and was actually impressed with the volume control. It had 99 steps and gave much finer control on low volumes than, say, an Alps pot, which I suspect you're referring to. I didn't like the looser feel of it compared with the mechanical resistance of a conventional pot, but as a volume control, I thought it worked surprisingly well. Frankly, though, I'm less concerned about the volume control than DC protection. A crackly Alps pot is a cheap simple fix compared with the disaster that can happen with a blown output transistor.

[struth]

used to have an Arcam integrated... thought the vc was quite good, as was the amp. not cheap tho.

[walpurgis]

I've tried an awful lot of amps, but the Creek Destiny 2 is probably the best integrated amplifier I've heard. It has plenty of power and uses output protection. Lovely sounding piece of equipment. Not many about second hand, but you might just get one for £800.

https://www.creekaudio.com/old-products/destiny-2-integrated-amplifier/

[simon g]

The Creek Evolution 50A is a very good little amp, which does have short circuit and DC offset protection.

[Tryant]

Creek are on my radar. I've had a few and still have a Classic 5350SE. In my experience, they are not the most reliable things, due perhaps to some cost cutting on the internal bits and bobs, but another one might be good. Never tried the Destiny but remember when they appeared. I wonder when they started to include all that protection circuitry.

[walpurgis]

The Destiny is a leg up from the 5350SE and the later Destiny 2 takes that development a stage further. A friend has one that I've tried and it sounds quite remarkable. He was impressed enough to buy a second one.

[southall-1998_mk2]

Not a helpful reply. But If you fancy a punchy live presentation. Put down the Roksan Kandy K2 on the list. I'm sure it has protection etc.

S.

[hifinutt]

The Creek Evolution 50A is a very good little amp, which does have short circuit and DC offset protection.

https://www.audioemotion.co.uk/creek-evolution-50a-integrated-with-phono-board---preowned-16819-p.asp

[Tryant]

Ok, I've got a paddle, is there anything else out there I'm missing? Something a bit left-field maybe?

BTW, I should add I have a Quad 306 and 34, which I'm very fond of and could happily live with forever. I'm looking for an amp for my better half, who has much better hearing than I do and doesn't get on with the Quads (nor the 5350SE for that matter, which she finds a touch too analytical).