which amp is the best for 2 channel and HT?

For $3000 the ML 333 is a great amp. I assume you are talking about a two channel amp and including the Theta as a two channel amp given the price range. A friend has the Pass labs X250, but I have not been over to listen to it.

I currently have the EAD PM2000 and the Signature. Together they have incredible synergy. I have tried and heard the Dreadnought I, but went with the PM2000 for more bottom end control and a slightly less revealing top end. I use to own Aerial 10T's which are great with the Dread, but now with Magenpan 3.6R the PM2000 sounds great. Who says maggies don't have bass. I am currently playing with tubes and I can see all the hub bub about them. Hence why I posted my system for sale. We will see.

I can tell you amps sound diferrent no matter what anyone says.

If you like the simplicity of a 5 channel amp the Dread or the PM2000 may be the answer. Like Angela, A two channel and a smaller 3 channel amp for center and rears may be the way to go.

It will help to include your speakers as many of us have been there and done that.

Angela how are you enjoying your 8000 pro? Were you a previous EAD users? I hear great things about the unit. I was wonderign when someone was going to review it.

I compared the Ovation-8 to my Signature and I felt the Signature was a better performer in two channel with the digital flywheel set at 1. The Sig had a warmer more textured sound while the Ovation-8 was a bit brighter maybe more transparent. For HT it was a toss up. Then again I was using the Maggies to listen.

Happy listening

Jimmy

Get the Dreadnaught and end it- mine is fantastic!

Sorry I am using B&W 802's N.

Depends,
If you want a warm kinda sunset at the beach sound with utmost fidelity try Sim Audio.
If you want excitment and spunk try Bryston, but it can be harsh.
The Mark Levinson is clean and bass heavy.
I think the Theta will have that a sound not unlike the Sim Audio amps, but better sound stage, which is not so important if you are running multichannel.David

If 2-channel is your priority, I would not sink so much money into a 5-channel amp. Instead, I'd spend the most money I could on a stereo amp and buy a decent 3- or 5-channel amp for the center/surrounds. I've heard Classe works well with B&W, but I know that B&W themselves use Levinson amps in the listening rooms at their factory, so I would certainly factor them into my demo schedule. Then I'd probably buy something like a used 3- or 5-channel Rotel amp for the rest of the system if I didn't have enough amplification laying around. Not optimal, but like you I care more about critical 2-channel listening than surround stuff, so that's where I'd put the lion's share of my money. Best of luck.