2. amps-preamps
  3. 164947-122363

New Amp Choice

I am not sure what is left for a tangible improvement, but I am looking at trying at least one additional amp. I stared with high end receivers, but then bough a McIntosh MA7900 nearly 4 years ago along with Golden Ear Triton Ones. I find the the sound quite good though I had a low end Pioneer receiver once with some surround type Bose speakers, hisses noted, and they had a quality off whipping the sound while moving around me that I really liked. My current system which I described, is much cleaner and detailed, but there was an enveloping aspect that I still miss. Maybe a new amp will not supply any of this as it is a quality of the speaker, but I wondered if a tube amp has such a quality. I may purchase a pair of Bose 301's just to test, but I am still minded to try another higher end amp and to be clear while I likded that aspect of the Bose my current setup is in most regards more pleasing.

The contenders are:

Pass Labs Int-250
Musical Fidelity M8xi
Line Magnetic  LM-845IA   
Line Magnetic LM-845 Premium

The Luxman 509x was of interest, but they gimped the headphone output. 

nick63

Showing 2 responses by reubent

reubent
7,090 posts
 
Ohm speakers might be a "best of both worlds" compromise for you. I believe they are only sold direct these days. I also believe they are all still made in USA and offer a home trial/return period.

www.ohmspeakers.com

I'm not an owner and have no vested interest in Ohm. They have just always been around as a speaker that reportedly fills a room with sound. I actually had a home trial way back in about 1986 when they were still sold by dealers.
reubent
7,090 posts
 
Nick,

When you had the receiver and the "surround type Bose speakers", did you have a pair of stereo speakers, or did you have multi-channel surround speakers, i.e. 5.1 surround? Was it a HT receiver?
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