Marantz PM5003 integrated amplifier for $449 with free S&H at Audio Advisor (via Amazon)

Audio Advisor (via Amazon) has the hard to find Marantz PM5003 Integrated Amplifier for $449 with free shipping and handling. Although not the lowest price I’ve seen for this unit (best price was $429 at OneCall with a coupon which lasted one day and expired March 15), it has been extremely popular (and scarce for the last few months). It was reviewed in the January, 2010 issue of Stereophile.  After waxing on about the various perceived sound differences between this and much higher priced equipment, the reviewer summed up his experience with the PM5003 with the following:

If I buy the Marantz, how will I stand?
You’ll stand mighty proud. The Marantz PM5003 is a stunning achievement: an uncolored, revealing, well-built gem with more features than anyone could possibly ask for at the price. I’d almost go so far as to suggest that all well-heeled audiophiles buy one, just to create a benchmark in their minds for what’s available for $450 from today’s talented electronics designers. I plan to keep my sample around for a while, as I seek out other components to couple with it as candidates to be included in complete two-channel systems that are highly revealing and musical but that retail for a total of no more than $1000. That ought to keep you youts happy for a while.