Changing amps?


So I am curentley thinking about changing to a different amp. I curentley use a Pioneer VSX-1014 7.1ch reciever. I use it to drive a set of JM Lab 906 speakers. My question is would it make sense and sound good for me to go to something like a NAD 7100 integrated or a Arcam Diva A 65+? Or would it be better to go with seperates if I can find them used. I was also really toying with the idea of a tube amp but I dont think I really have the budget for one. I have found a few cheap tube amps here on audiogon like the electric baby but I dont know if it could power my speakers well enough. Thanks for any advice.
accorddude

Showing 1 response by mr_hosehead

Hmmmm - by "a set of JM Lab 906 speakers" do you mean a pair of 906s or an HT setup (of more than 2, as in 5 or 7)? If you just do stereo w/ a pair that would make a bit of a difference in which way to try (at least to me).

One of the things to maybe consider for now is to use the 1014 as a pre/pro and to get yourself a separate amp. That Pio is essentially an Elite in sheep's clothing, so it's not exactly chopped chicken liver. You could choose from a pretty wide variety of amps - unless you pretty much already have your mind made up on a Nad or Arcam or whatever. You could even try toobs, although I'm sure that's probably blasphemy to toobophiles. Going w/ a separate amp gives you more flexibility to pick & choose your (then current) poison - something harder to do w/ an integrated. You might (eventually) like flavor-A preamp w/ flavor-B amp - something you can't do w/ integrateds (w/o a chainsaw and really good glue... ;~). Just my $.02, YMMV, and good luck w/ this!