Not impressed

DJVERNE,How did you like the Fritz Rev 5 SE speakers?I'm considering buying a pair .... your comments appreciated!

djverne.......get the amp and preamp from the same company.....chances are they'll work well together.

Building a system is kinda like a marriage,gotta keep working at it until you get it right.But unlike a marriage when the amp leaves it doesn't take half.

OP you are dead WRONG!There has NEVER been a better time to get top quality sound from beer budget priced components!
DUMP the seperates and get an Integrated Amp,preferably all Tube or Tube/SS Hybrid...Then dump the Focus 110's,which are thin in the bass & have a nasty mid bass hump to make up for thin bass...Move into the Excite series,MUCH more natural & easier to drive...

Check the 'Buy By' Date. : )

well, Ill tell ya, why don't you just get an MC275 a decent pair of fairly efficient speakers, maybe good bookshelf speakers, good stands, and be happy for a long time.  The MC275 is really just a great music maker, maybe for somebody who just loves music and is not worried about the last enth of detail although it does a pretty amazing job with musical presentation.  Very analog sounding.  You may be amazed.  I actually think its the best sounding Mac amp in their lineup.  Its a music lovers amp.  Don't believe the the anti Mac stuff out there and listen to one.  Try to find an older one as they are built like a tank and will last forever.

The Fritz rev 5 was great but I did not have the right amplification or room setup up at the time. They did not pull double duty for home theatre as well as another speaker I had at the time but they were far more musical. Right before I returned them I had them in an open set up in my basement, they sounded so good in that space. Smooth with a big sound stage. 

Very interesting OP. There used to be an argument that it was foolish to spend really big $$ on audio gear, better to use less money and attend a lot of live music. Or, if the budget is big enough, which these days for the cost of some systems, it would be,...have the musicians actually come to your home and play, live ( for less $$ than the system in question!).

OTOH, this doesn't work if you want to experience great sound whenever you have the wish to do so. So, our systems have to be the answer.
Yes, audio can be a real PITA, what with folks who always know what is best for you, others who are constantly looking to fleece you, many who are happy to tell you the latest and greatest and then in mere months insist it was an error and the piece is now a boat anchor...and on and on.
Plus, in our hobby, it is only too easy to go three steps backwards and two forward..and at extreme expense in addition. 
Here's the thing, IMO, we all love music, and we all love what our systems can bring to our listening experiences, even if that is more fleeting for some than others. It's just a hobby after all...an expensive one, but one that can an does bring a lot of joy to a lot of folks. Best to hang in there