Are my speakers now the "weak link"?

and there are much better amps and much better.....the thing is that if you love the sound of your speakers, then upgrade other components and see if you can coax the most out of your speakers. So many folks don't realize how important pre amps and then amps are. Go listen and notice the differences. What have you done to your room to make it sound better? Those can be inexpensive things like wall hangings for even record racks on the rear wall to diffuse. You can always change your sound, but is it really better? I actually like the Sophia's and I was never a Wilson guy. Do you have a local dealer who carries Wilsons and can guide you through what you are looking for?

I"ve heard the NuVista 800 once. I only heard it in balanced mode and it was powerful to say the least, but I went with the Ayre AX5/20 integrated instead. I felt it was much more natural with a deeper soundstage and a much lower noise floor which opens up everything else. I base my Ayre comments on the non 20 version as mine is in the que for upgrade to 20 status. I liked the Ayre over the MF integrated straight up and the 20 version will be much better.
I did spend a lot of time with the version 3 Sophias, Sashas and Alexandria's with the Ayre gear and they all sounded different which threw me off. I felt the Sophia's may have been the most musical. I like a more neutral and musical presentation that what I was getting the the Wilson line although I did like what I heard in specific areas. I need a coherent speaker that is clean sounding with no smearing. That's why I like Vandy's or Avalons or even some of the Verity line of speakers.

I recently auditioned the Wilsons with the Ayre reg AX5 which I purchased and it will be in the que to be upgraded. I liked the mk 3 version and thought it was much more musical and detailed than previous versions, however I'm going with new Vandersteen Quatro's. For me Richards use of carbon just makes these things sing as well as being detailed and flat. I can listen all day and once you listen for a few weeks you realize it just sounds right. That's to my ear, but you owe it to yourself to check them out if you possibly can. There are a few others in your price range that will give you most of what you are looking for. I needed the Vandy's for their adjustable bass too...

Yes Rcprince said it correctly. I have Ayre over all the others as I love the sound. Neither tube, nor SS. Just musical and detailed. The local Wilson dealer LOVES the ref Ayre gear with their Wilsons or anything else in the store.

My Vandy dealer where I got mine (Audio Connection) uses Ayre, AR and Aesthetix gear to audition their Vandy's. All are pretty darn awesome. There are many good lines out there and synergy is most important. I've yet to hear the Ayre gear not sound great and I have taken my integrated into dealers with me to audition speakers when I was looking. Even dealers who didn't sell the Ayre gear were amazed. To me that said a lot. It also made me take notice as to HOW BIG a deal it is to no just get a high powered amp and to get one that sounds right. I often felt that pre amp and then amp are not taken as seriously when putting a system together. Way too often people just buy a big name they know or a high powered amp when they could change their whole system with the right pre/amp. All components are huge when putting together a system. Not just speakers and source. Everything matters in between.

That said, look at your system to figure out WHAT you feel you are missing. The newer components available allow designers to get much more detail etc. out of their products than they could just ten years ago. That's why new components usually are better than vintage. (at least for companies who know what they are doing).