Some new components coming out of Pioneer for the 2-channel crowd. I read a review about these in some audio mag (What Hi-Fi?-?) comparing it (philosophically, not physically) to the A-400.

Looks like some nice gear for the next-gen!

Link to pioneer page (http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/products/42/97/418/A-A9-J/index.html)

Interesting features, including MM/MC phono inputs and a USB input, with "Sound Retriever" for re-injecting life into compressed music...wonder how that works?

*Edit*

Link (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/top/cat/article/0,,2076_310069657_310200478,00.html)to market-speak description of Sound Retrieval tech

...and take a look at the rest of the 2-channel offerings...

link (http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/products/42/97/418/overview.html)

looks well built for it's price, nice internal design too, I only think they should have used much bigger trannies, because those thingies in there aren't gonna cut it with medium sized floorstanders...

I wonder how they'd compare to other amps in their price category...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

I had looked at that gear a few months ago. Very nice appearance imo. A little pricey for what you get though. Again that's my opinion.

Quite like both the new amps, but i dont think the facia design is something that will go well with the normal facia appearance of other seperates.

Quite like both the new amps, but i dont think the facia design is something that will go well with the normal facia appearance of other seperates.

No, not at all! Oh well, I guess you'll just have to buy the whole set...:naughty:

Us Yanks are supposed to get 2 different *receiver* versions of that integrated amp as per a Pioneer press release, but checked their site again last week & still no dedicated page for it yet. :(

No, not at all! Oh well, I guess you'll just have to buy the whole set...:naughty:

:D, that thought did cross my mind to be honest, the sacd/cd player got a 5 star rating from our main hi-fi magazine here in the UK (what-hifi) , the A-A6-J variation of the matching Amp also got 5 stars.

The big brother of the 2 amps the A-A9-J only got a 3 star rating, i got the impression that you could get more amp for your money elsewhere with another brand.

Us Yanks are supposed to get 2 different *receiver* versions of that integrated amp as per a Pioneer press release, but checked their site again last week & still no dedicated page for it yet. :(

I don't understand why Pioneer has abandoned US hi-fi while the rest of the world gets neat stuff like this...

Martin

Very nice, with Yamaha's A series launched, this will be good time for 2 channel lovers who are not resurfacing in numbers.

I don't understand why Pioneer has abandoned US hi-fi while the rest of the world gets neat stuff like this...MartinYou'll note that the integrated, at 70wpc & ~25 lbs., is very similar to those offered by such UK companies as Arcam, Rega, Creek, etc. Seems to be targeted at the Euro market, where smaller, light-weight, moderate power integrated amps sell well. Denon, Marantz, Yamaha and Pioneer have all come out with considerably heavier/higher power integrated amps, as well. The Marantz(s) is(are) in NA now and the others are to be introduced at the CES next week (so my Yamaha dealer tells me). All have matching 2-channel CDPs, as well. Do hope they hold to their schedule, as I've placed an order for the 2-channel, only, Yamaha CD-S2000 SACD player.

If you dig around in this forum you will see pic's and links to all the new 'high-end' integrated amps and CDPs from these folks. The construction looks to be first-rate with big trannies (although underneath that can could be a flea-sized trannie - but I doubt it) and filter caps. They make 90wpc+ and weigh 40 lbs+, if memory serves.

Here is a link to the new Yamaha gear: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=133258&highlight=CD-S2000
Check out post #352 in this thread for the new CDPs from Sony, Denon and Marantz. They all have matching integrated amps: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1518353&highlight=Denon#post1518353

Read with interest that thread with the posts about the Mac 201 having problems & needing firmware updates. This is just me, but I think a player at that level (price, build quality etc) should work PERFECTLY from the minute it is removed from its shipping box. The operating standards for playing sacds and CDs are out there for any manufacturer to peruse waaaaaay before any actual manufacturing begins, so such a player should not need any updates, software or otherwise, for the customer to deal with.

Another once-proud company sliding down the toilet while the shareholders count their $$..........:no:

Read with interest that thread with the posts about the Mac 201 having problems & needing firmware updates. This is just me, but I think a player at that level (price, build quality etc) should work PERFECTLY from the minute it is removed from its shipping box. The operating standards for playing sacds and CDs are out there for any manufacturer to peruse waaaaaay before any actual manufacturing begins, so such a player should not need any updates, software or otherwise, for the customer to deal with.

Another once-proud company sliding down the toilet while the shareholders count their $$..........:no:

:lurk:

These new components have finally shown up on Pioneer's USA website, and now there are *two* sacd/CD players:

"Hi-Fi Audio" (http://www.pioneerelectronics.ca/PUSA/Products/HomeEntertainment/AudioComponents/Hi-FiAudio)