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I am purchasing a new pre/pro (Not a Parasound) ( I sold my Rotel 1098) and I am lookin for amplifier ugrades. I am thinking about a Parasound A51 or a Bryston 6BSST with my Aragon 8008. How does the Parasound acclimate with the B&W speakers in 5.1 an especially 2 channel sound. I am running N803's and HTM1 and N805.s.
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Stan -
gostan:
I am using the A21 wiht my b&w 805S. I find this combination to be very good. Check out my review in this forum "A21 vs 1080: Initial impressions" -
tboooe:
I did see your A21 review and it was a good detailed one, at that. I am considering several manufacturer's amps, but the Parasound Halo A51 and the Parasound Classic 5250 are near the top of the heap. I know that they will achieve the warmer sound I am looking for from my speakers. But I am still trying to determine if I need to spend the $$ for the Halo amp. Yes, it is beautiful, but it is a giant (20" deep) and will present some difficulty in my rack and it is silver and the rest of my gear is black. Do I really need the Halo amp? I do not know yet. But I would like to know more about the Classic 5250 and hear more from B&W/Halo owners.
Thanks,
StanStanComment
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Stan, thats a good question (whether or not you NEED to spend the $$). This hobby isnt really about need its about want. Thats what I tell myself and my wife when I spend $4K on Cary cd player!
What are you looking for in an amp that the 1090 did not give you? You mentioned warmth. What would be your other options and would they be cheaper? One thing I have been seriously thinking about is getting more and more into tubes. I think tubes would compliment the detailed (and maybe bright) nature of my setup very well. Maybe by using tubes I can get the best of all worlds, warmth without giving up detail and clarity. I am thinking of a tube preamp and CDP with a solid state amp.
Anyone, just my ramblings. Perhaps if you can tell us a little more about what you are looking for in your next preamp/amp we may be able to offer more suggestions.Comment
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Well, I sold my Rotel 1098 pre/pro and my Rotel 1075 5 channel amp. I have purchased an Arcam AVP-700 processor and I am looking for a better sounding higher power 5 channel amplifier to replace the 1075. Then, I will either keep my Aragon 8008 for 7.1 or for a future 2 channel only room. My demo of the Arcam 700 showed that it is a great 2 channel preamp (cleaner and quieter and more dynamic soundstage than the Rotel 1098) and a very good ht surround processor. I am looking for an amp that I will not have to think about replacing in a few years. But I would like to show some sense of frugality so that I have a few $$ left for a stand alone cd player to go with my recent dive back into analog vinyl. I listen to a lot of jazz and vocals, so I am looking for an amp that will have low distortion and provide enough power to make the mid-range of the 803's sing. I probably should consider the Halo A51 instead of the 5250, but I honestly believe that sometimes there are diminishing returns in paying for the top of the audio heap, when the second tier can almost give you a sound which cannot be distinguished from the more expensive component. We all do not need more current or better specs or a fancy faceplate in an amp or other audio unit. I believe that if your preamp is quiet that your speakers and the source are the most important pieces of the puzzle. Your decision to go for the Cary cd player is an example of putting good money in the right place. Hopefully, I can do the same. Now I will stop my own meanderings before I go too far overboard.StanComment
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