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HI-FI NEWBIE NEEDS HELP!

I am new to the higher end of music listening, actually I haven’t started the listening part yet. I have just purchased an Emotiva XSP-1 pre and a pair of Magnepan 1.7i’s. My listening room is 14x14 but one wall is not closed off completely and there is an additional open space connected that is 8x9. My budget has been unexpectedly diminished more by having to buy new connectors and speakers cables. I just assumed I would be able to use my old RCA connectors and my 50’ spool of speaker wire I bought from Radio Shack 25 years ago. I will pause while you laugh....Anyway, the jist of it is is that I’ve got $2500 left for an amp. I need advice on what would be good for my setup? What would last the next 25 years, as I am a poor man with expensive tastes and will probably not be able to make any further upgrades. Would something used and older be out of date technically in 10-15 years? Could I consider something new that would be adequate for that price point? Should I go mono or two channel? Thank you for your consideration and reply.
widespreadpanic

Showing 3 responses by gdhal

gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
You can get good "value" in that price category by buying new. Curious why you wouldn’t stay with or at least consider Emotiva. Another brand you could look to is Schiit.

And welcome to the forum!
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
There are many silly stories going round here about the sonic character of amplifiers. If an amplifier is any good it will not gave a sonic character, even in the most revealing system.

Every amplifier has a sonic character, just like every musician and band has a sonic character. That said, it doesn't mean two or more different amplifiers cannot have the same sonic character.
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
That been said, one point that I feel is critical to this debate and perhaps the ultimate arbitrator, is humans’ hearing physiology and how the brain processes the sound.

Right. One point that has been trumpeted by @atmasphere is how humans perceive distortion, but most egregiously so at the higher odd order harmonics. Glad to understand he designs his products with that (presumed correct) fact in mind. Unfortunate though that manufacturers do not include this type of data in their specifications. 
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