With highly efficient 8 ohm speakers, I think a great sounding system is possible with integrated gear. I have 4 ohm inefficient Maggies though, and that choice strongly influences all the rest. I tried driving them with my Denon 3803, which is only rated down to 6 ohms (170 watts/ch @ 0.7 % THD). It sounded clean enough, but compressed and flat. Piano never pleased me on this system. I don't know of an integrated A/V receiver capable of providing a suberb sound with these speakers. So, I ended up getting separate amps for the mains (Adcom 5802) and center (Outlaw M200). Now the system sings to my complete satisfaction and I planned no further updates. Since my DVD plays DVD-A, however, I decided to try out the new surround music format. Surprise, next I had to buy an ICBM to manage the bass and a bunch of interconnects. Don't know where it's going to end. I'm happy now, but my system is embarrassingly complex and rational non-audio people look at me funny when they see it. I don't see how to make it simpler and sound as good.
How does one get off the merry-go-round?
I'm interested in hearing from or about music lovers who have dropped out of the audio "hobby." I don't mean you were content with your system for 6 weeks. I mean, you stood pat for a long time, or--even better--you downsized...maybe got rid of your separates and got an integrated.
(I suppose if you did this, you probably aren't reading these forums any more.)
If this sounds like a cry for help, well, I dunno. Not really. I'm just curious. My thoughts have been running to things like integrated amps and small equipment racks and whatnot even as I continue to experiment and upgrade with vigor (I'm taking the room correction plunge, for example.) Just want to hear what people have to say on the subject.
---dan
(I suppose if you did this, you probably aren't reading these forums any more.)
If this sounds like a cry for help, well, I dunno. Not really. I'm just curious. My thoughts have been running to things like integrated amps and small equipment racks and whatnot even as I continue to experiment and upgrade with vigor (I'm taking the room correction plunge, for example.) Just want to hear what people have to say on the subject.
---dan