Until recently, I was using an A90 in bi-amp configuration with a P90 and found the combination excellent for rock and reggae, with exceptional clarity and very tight bass. I didn't try the A90 on its own, so I'm afraid my experience isn't directly analogous to your query -- but I would assume the same qualities would be present, with perhaps a bit less slam if your speakers required a lot of juice. I eventually replaced the A90 with a tube preamp, because I listen mostly to classical music and decided that the midrange was my top priority. But if rock is your #1 genre, I'd concur with Dlstephenson -- my new setup doesn't quite deliver the R&R thrills in the same way, nor does the tube integrated I use in my second system. FWIW, I also found the A90 a pleasure to use, with a number of convenient options and features.