Upgrade B&W speakers or MArantz Receiver?

The amp costs less and opens the door for you to transition more easily into seperates. You should really recognize a bigger improvement from that than going to a better receiver.

Save the extra money to put towards speakers or the most over looked item; a good preamp.

None of the moves is wrong, but I think starting at the source and working toward the speakers is a more efficient way of hearing what you are doing.

The RB 980 is a good place to start. You could build a reasonable system around that amp.

...and dats da name a dat tune!

First of all, the CDM-1's will be a definite upgrade from the 601's. But B&W Matrix 805's will be a HUGE upgrade from not only the 601's but also the CDM-1's. They come up fairly frequently used at around $800 but sell QUICKLY--you should scour A'gon & E-bay every day.

And IMHO, forget "upgrading" to a Rotel amp. Not that they're bad, but for $800-$1000 (used) I think you have a lot better choices. The top of the line Creek, the small Classe, (101?), the Bryston B60, even the Krell 300i for $1000 I think is better than a Rotel. And lots more choices I'm sure--maybe even an older Plinius.

My point is, you can probably upgrade a couple of levels beyond the gear you're talking about getting w/o spending much more, & move from "mid-mid fi", to a really happening little system.

And yes, sell of the surround stuff & concentrate on 2 channel, esp. if you're on a tight budget. Just my 2 cents!

Thanks for your responses,
The Rotel for $ 800.00 is a receiver with 75 x 5 watts and I was hoping to use it with a Power amp for the fronts and still be able to use it for surrounds without additional amps for the future.
OR I could just get the $ 250.00 used 120 x 2 amp for now and use it with the marantz receiver and try and get a little more cash to find the Matrix or cdms.

Whaja think?

I have to agree with steveaudio. You'll see an improvement going to the Rotel, but it won't be worth it. The speakers you have could sound GREAT with better amp and source. Of course, I am in love with the 805's. I'm afraid I have to say, hold off until you can afford a great amp. Later you can upgrade to a pre-amp with home theater pass through. This allows perfect two channel, but allows you to use the main speakers as part of the H.T. system. Use the marantz as a pre-amp until then. His recommendations are good ones. Throw in Aragon 8008, Belles hotrod in your pricerange. Add analysis plus oval 9 speaker cable- less the 200 used for 8 ft pair. Remember- You never see a Nautilus 805 in the store hooked up to a marantz cd player and receiver- start with the fundamentals and your current speakers will sound better. Good rigid stands are a help. Sorbathane or vibrapods under the cd is a great cheap tweak. Have fun.

Ps- Steveaudio and I are talking two channel amps. Use the marants for the surround. Thats why your 800 is buying a much more natural sounding front channel.

Steveaudio's advice on finding 805's used is the best for your upgrade in sound, followed by amp and preamp upgrade. After securing the Matrix 805 upgrade, which I've seen as low as $600/pair used, i'd consider getting at least another outboard amp, then a dedicated pre/pro ultimately...even by the likes of Outlaw audio.
Forget receivers! Yes, upgrading your speakers will NO DOUBT be the best sonic improvment overall. (you'll run em as "small" REGARDLESS, on your pre/receiver anyway for movies at the very very least). After that you really need to consider separates in the near future. Receivers are sonically limited to higher noise level, less channel separation, less refinement, less dynamics(even in the preamp section), etc, etc. Basically, higher end refinement of sound comes from quality separates. And quality power improves even more!
Receivers only hope for qulaity is usually a digital connnection, running speakers as "small", connected dirrectly from a DVD player and such. Still, even here most dedicated pre pro's walk all over what a receiver can do...again, even something like used Acurus Act 3 and Outlaw audio 950.
I'd stay with a receiver as a budget budget only option. Then, I'd be looking for a separates upgrade as soon as possible.
Still, yeah, as an immediate upgrade I the 805 recommendation is as solid as they come for your next step.
Good luck

Excellent...
So here is what I gather.
A good quality Amp will make even my exisiting speakers sound better BUt If I really want good sound start with the speaker upgrade...And then Add a Quality Amp(Used with my existing receiver) and eventually get a separate pre-pro.
Hopefully I can acheive this in a year or 2...
For now Iam selling my surround and center crap and on the hunt for Matrix 805...
Thanks so much guys..
CHEERS!

Yep, that's about right! Really can't go wrong from what you just summed up Dharub. good luck
Then all you have to do is learn how to set everything up and tweak for good sound!...and learn acoustics considerations as well. Soooooooo much to learn here. The room/setup/calibrating/acoustics are easily 2/3's of your performance. Enjoy

I concur with Steveaudio...moving from your existing 601s...and staying with the B&W line(which seems like you want to do)...going to a B&W speaker that has an exposed tweeter such as the matrix 805s, etc.,will indeed be a substantial upgrade...and this is where B&W becomes "B&W" in my book...if possible keep your 601s for surrounds...they still are very good speakers for this application...and even for smaller rooms/seconds sytems,etc...I would also pass on the ROtel...just my .o2..