2. amps-preamps
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Amp choice for VA Mahlers

Anyone hve suggestions on which would be best amp choice for a VA Mahler as part of HT set up. I was thinking of GAmut D200 but not sure what to match to run center and back. I thought of Theta , Classe CAV180 (perhaps too much like current MArantz MM9000 AV9000), Classe CAM200 or CAM350. At least if i buy the monoblocks I can use the roksan that I own for now, and upgrade the rest of the channels later. I have heard the Classe CAV180 driving BW803 and was impressed with wide soundstage in Stereo . WIth BW the whole thing got too bright but i dont think this will be a problem with VA any thoughts?
quigly

Showing 1 response by jmcgrogan2

jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Quigly, there are many good recommedations here. I currently have the Strauss being driven by a Threshold T400 with great success. I do not beleive, however, that you will get the full benefit of the Mahlers or a new amp while using a SSP. If you listen to a lot of music (I'm 80% music and 20% HT), I'd recommend a stereo preamp with a SSP bypass. There are many quality choices out there, Audio Research, BAT, Cary, Classe, Ayre, Sonic Frontiers, just to name a few. I own a Classe CP-60 which sounds better on music than any SSP I've owned or listened to. (I have owned units from Proceed and Classe and auditioned Anthem, Aragon, Krell). I have a Denon receiver for the center and surround channels and processing HT. Then I have the front L/R preamp outputs of the Denon feed into the SSP inputs of my CP-60, so I can use my Strauss as my fronts. I, for one, will never go back to the high end SSP category. If you are mostly HT and do not listen to much music, then you may be better served with a SSP.

Regards,
John
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