Hopelessly Confused


It is impossible for me to audition every amp I'm researching let alone with my speakers (B&W CM5 w/ SVS SB-1000 subwoofer). Therefore I'm reliant on research, word of mouth and attempting to decipher amplifier speak. Currently I'm using my Yamaha AVR as a preamp to an 80w Adcom GFA-5300. It sounds good, especially when I put the Yamaha in direct mode bypassing circuitry sending the signal to the Adcom. My room is 10x14. I typically listen to music in the 80 dB to 90dB range. My musical tastes are all over the place. Jazz, blues, reggae, Knopfler stuff, classical etc. 

I bought a 150w Parasound 2125 v.2 amp to replace the Adcom thinking more watts will equal more accuracy/detail in musical fidelity. At the last minute I posed a question on Reddit asking if more watts will achieve my goal. The answers were almost a unanimous no. When the UPS guy came to deliver my amp I panicked and refused delivery so I could rethink my next move. Indecisiveness is not my best quality.

For the time being the speakers stay. The Yamaha AVR stays for cinema. I'm using a different pair of B&W's for that purpose. The one subwoofer stays as is. I need my subwoofer to dual purpose with whatever 2 channel listening solution I arrive at. Looking at the 110w Parasound NewClassic 200 Integrated amp w/DAC $1195 it would check off a lot of boxes. 1) a little more power 2) preamp outputs for the Yamaha 3) 4K pass through 4) subwoofer output 5) bass management w/ crossover capability. Lots of bells and whistles but at the end of the day all I really want is to eek out as much sonic bliss from my speakers as possible. 

Am I on the right track or have I missed the boat again?

https://parasound.com/200_Integrated.php
128x128brian_holmes

Showing 1 response by jtweed

I went from an Adcom pre-power (GTP 502/pre, GFA 5300/power), Marantz 5 disc carousel, and Mission 781’s...
Next was a Plinius 8200, still the Marantz, and a pair of Kef Q300’s.
Then, a Coda CSiB integrated, an OPPO UDP 205, and a pair of Buchardt S400’s...(and a 10” lower end Kef sub)...
would I ever go back to the Adcom? NO..
I love the sound the system has now...
But, I’m looking into a pair of REL subs now...