Constellation Audio Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0 experiences?

[Vangelis]

I am considering Constellation Audio Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0. Any Inspiration owners have any listening or comparison experiences they could share regarding this integrated amplifier?

 

[Joe Fedenecz]

I know I'm over a year late but did you ever get the Constellation Integrated 1.0? I am wondering if it would be a significant upgrade over my Luxman 509X. Thanks.

 

[Vangelis]

I know I'm over a year late but did you ever get the Constellation Integrated 1.0? I am wondering if it would be a significant upgrade over my Luxman 509X. Thanks.

Hi Joe, that’s great question. And I’ve considered both units. What I ended up buying was something that sounds pretty spectacular, that being the Mola Mola Kula. It sounds like a blend of solid state and tubes and the on board Dac is the same as their 13k Tambaqui. I have compared a half a dozen highend DAC to this To this integrated and none have really compared the on board SAC. it’s a state of the art Integrated that only weighs around 30 pounds and for aging audiophiles like myself that‘s a factor. This amplifier search has wet my whistle again for entertaining a tube integrated. I am giving consideration to thought to the new BAT VK 80i. This with a separate Tambaqui DAC would be more expensive nonetheless the Kula may be going up for sale. Check out the reviews, it’s very good, especially if you don’t want to deal with tubes.

 

[Joe Fedenecz]

Thanks, I will investigate! I don't stream, I have an Esoteric SACD player which sounds great. Be well.

 

[Joe Fedenecz]

Also, I am intrigued with the Ypsilon Phaethon which I have seen for sale at half it's 25k price used. I am not close to changing from my Luxman, it's a great match with my ML 11a's, but you know how we are!

 

[Puma Cat]

So, I'm even later to this discussion, but I've had a Constellation Integrated here since mid-November, on loan from a friend. Moreover, I'm coming from the perspective of a long-time tube guy (First Sound Presence Deluxe III-Si 4.0 with Paramount SE upgrade preamp and C-J LP70S stereo amp). The friend that loaned this to me has a lot of gear and had not even opened the box on the Inspiration, so I've been running it in, as well. Now that its got more than 200 hours or so on it, I have to say the Constellation Inspiration is of one of 3 best integrated amps I've ever heard, the other two being the...Constellation Argo (no surprise there) and the mighty DarTZeel CTH-8550. There was a review of it in TAS by Neil Gader in 2018, IIRC, and those comments were spot-on.
Ref here: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/constellation-inspiration-integrated-10

I had a buddy over around Thanksgiving, and he was very impresssed, too. We spent the evening listening to a wide range of content on the Inspiration, and he said it had the finest reproduction and resoluton of vocal texture he had EVER heard.

Anyhoo, I am SUPER impressed with this integrated. I could live with it as the core "amp" in my system, along with my Lampi Baltic 3 DAC, and a Rega P10 TT forever and be a blissfully happy man that entire time. VERY impressed.