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HT amp for music- please help

The decorator is coming and my wife has asked me to pair things down. I need to buy a 5 channel amp that will take on both 2 channel and movies.

My musical tastes run across the entire spectrum except electronica. Vocals, jazz, blues, country, folk-
I mean Dylan to Puchini

My current and steady amp is a Muse 160 which I have had in my system since buying it new. What can slip in as a replacement that wont leave me flat. Movies are really secondary as it all sounds pretty good to me, but music is what I spend most of my time with.

I am not going to drop a ton on an amp as I don't think it's needed. The Muse has been great and I simply want something that I can enjoy at least as much.

Parasound, Theta, ATI all come to mind.

Would someone please throw their thoughts into the ring- As an avid AG participant, I will not get to listen before buying so I want to be able to make the best possible decision based on this limitation.

Emotiva keeps popping up and I know the haters abound but it looks like a well build product and for a grand...

My mains are AP Tempo 3 rated at 4ohm - not sure about their efficiency- I would guess around 89/90

Suffice to say that I simply want the amp to sound good. Not looking for a lot of flowery descriptions

Thanks in advance for everyones input
128x128famoej
13 responses Add your response
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Does it have to be a 5 channel amp? In my experiences, if you value music first, as you say, and you are happy with your Muse 160 amp, I'd just go looking for a used 3 channel amp to add to that for HT purposes. Just look for a nice little used Acurus 200X3 to handle the center and rear channels.

I have heard of those that like the Theta Dreadnaught, and to be fair, I have not had a chance to hear one. However, as someone who has always been a music first type, I never found a 5 channel amp that I could live with for two channel audio, and I have owned 5 channel amps from Classe, Proceed, and Krell.
mgattmch
572 posts
 
I use a Krell TAS for both 5 channel and 2 channel stereo and could not be happier with the amp. Previously, I used a Krell KSA-250 for stereo playback, the TAS sounds better to my ears (cleaner, great bass and just as dynamic as the KSA-250 IMHO). Oops, sure I am going to upset some KSA-250 owners with this remark!
famoej's avatar
famoej OP
18 posts
 
I might be able to swing keeping one extra- at least I would reduce by one.
Cant imagine why you cant make a good sound 5 channel that would rock for music though-
internetmin
258 posts
 
I'd second your thoughts about ATI. The bang for the buck is incredible. Then again, it's their manufacturing expertise under the hood of Theta, Lexicon, Mark Levinson, etc. You get both power and finesse. Music and movies.
elevick
2,636 posts
 
Emotiva is great for theater. However, for audio only I have my preferences. My 6 channel Mac is awesome. Yes, it may be a little "soft" but I have never tired of it. A used Sunfire would please me too. For more neutral, an Anthem would be nice.
Personally, I had an Acurus 3 channel and thought it was a piece #$%#^%^$.
The advice on Krells is great but pricey. I have never heard a negative thing about ATI's either.
erikt
269 posts
 
Another 'vote' to keeping the amp you have now and letting the AVR drive the remaining speakers since you said movies are 'secondary'.

A good quality AVR will have plenty of oomph to drive a center and surrounds. And you can keep the Muse for the sound you cherish now for music.
famoej's avatar
famoej OP
18 posts
 
I like the build of ATI and know they are involved in the brands you mentioned. I have "read" that they can be a little firm on top, but that is as much to do with system makeup. I don't own an AVR and cant imagine ever buying one. I have had an EAD Ovation 8 but my family could not handle the remote. My MX132 was my favorite and I am sorry that I sold it. I have a Halo C2. All the theater stuff is fine but nothing was as nice as my dedicated AR LS9 Muse combo into Ariel 5 setup-

Know its all dig- Mac mini usd converted to spdif into the C2- sounds nice but.
I'd like to scap the whole thing but that is not in the cards so I need to build the best I can given my limitations. Wife factor and 40g's a year for my oldest at Indiana U.

Life goes on.

I just don't know anymore-
erikt
269 posts
 
If you do not have an avr, do you have a pre/pro that is the source you need for a multi-channel amp?
zd542
5,339 posts
 
"Parasound, Theta, ATI all come to mind."

If you can afford a Theta, I would go with that. It will be a big step up from what you have now. The Muse does bass well but sounds fairly dated. The mids and highs of the Theta are in a completely different league.
maplegrovemusic's avatar
maplegrovemusic
1,113 posts
 
I have a Proceed amp 5 for sale on cl in MN . Did not think about shipping as it weighs close to 95 lbs but could . It would fall within your budget .
Ag insider logo xs@2x
dbphd
1,630 posts
 
Five Parasound JC-1s should give the decorator something to work with.

If the Proceed Amp 5 is like the Amp 2 and Amp 3, it will have separate toroidal power transformers and power supplies for each channel. I used those amps for years before I moved up to the Proceed HPA 2 & 3 monsters, and their sound will not disappoint you.

db
famoej's avatar
famoej OP
18 posts
 
currently using C2 although I might go to an mx136
famoej's avatar
famoej OP
18 posts
 
I'm thinking an Intrepid- my speakers are 4ohm so it should have plenty of power.
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