Ideas for Pre/Power $9000?


Currently need to replace a receiver. I don't have many local options for auditioning. My system consists of the following; Elac Debut F6, Pro-Ject Debut Pro, Pro-Ject S2 stage, NAS and streaming. I listen in a regular ol' family room with no treatments. Mostly like metal genre. Budget is $9k ish.

128x128lfromsalem

Do you have speakers in mind you want to upgrade to? For example a Klipsch and a Dynaudio likely would want very different amplification to sound their best. If going to spend up to 9k I would think you would want something that would work well with your eventual speaker upgrade IMO. 

I'd go with a new MA5300 for about $6K, and save the rest for a new set of speakers.  An amp of this caliber would deserve speakers at least in the $2-3K range.  

I'm absolutely open to used. As far as future speaker upgrades, I've only heard a couple B&W and they didn't really blow me away. 

As far as the MA5300, I don't really want to go with an integrated, but I'm not opposed to Mcintosh. 

 

 

You may be happier with an integrated.

Two directions you should investigate are McIntosh and Parasound, with polar opposite mid/treble sounds but robust power.

All the other brand combinations I can think of would be better for jazz, instrumental, folk, classical.

Another direction might be a top-end NAD integrated.