For an update, I decided on the 4BSST. I made a few offers on used Pass X250s but no takers. The Pass is so deep, physically, that a new rack would be necessary. Surprisingly the SST isnt killed by the Pass, in fact its a pretty close race.
I decided to go with a 2 channel and a 5 channel Amp. The 2 for the stereo mains and the 5 for center and surrounds. I can biamp the center, run the two surrounds, and still have one channel left over for the rear center (6.1 setup). Plus I want the 2 channel path discrete for future upgrades.
All this is helped along by my loss of enthusiasm for multi channel hi-rez. I dont have, nor have heard, a single hi-rez disc in which I preferred multi channel over two channel. In fact, my modest Jolida CDP usually sounds better with the hybrid layer! Maybe that will change when funds become available for a source upgrade. Though redbook will be my main focus.
Secondarily I want to have some Vinyl experiments, which has my Wife all excited, BTW. When she figures out what that really means I'll probably have to take her shoe shopping or something.
I decided to go with a 2 channel and a 5 channel Amp. The 2 for the stereo mains and the 5 for center and surrounds. I can biamp the center, run the two surrounds, and still have one channel left over for the rear center (6.1 setup). Plus I want the 2 channel path discrete for future upgrades.
All this is helped along by my loss of enthusiasm for multi channel hi-rez. I dont have, nor have heard, a single hi-rez disc in which I preferred multi channel over two channel. In fact, my modest Jolida CDP usually sounds better with the hybrid layer! Maybe that will change when funds become available for a source upgrade. Though redbook will be my main focus.
Secondarily I want to have some Vinyl experiments, which has my Wife all excited, BTW. When she figures out what that really means I'll probably have to take her shoe shopping or something.