Advice on Integrated Receiver


I currently have two Monitor Audio Silver 300s.  I have a Cambridge Audio CAX81 (80w/ch).  After reading the reviews, the speakers sound a bit underwhelming.  I have a Rega P6 turntable hooked up for most of the audio content.  In looking at the Max Wattage for the speakers I realize perhaps the amplifier isn't letting them breathe enough?

The speakers are rated at 200w max with recommended 80-200w RMS.   Am I way off base in thinking I'm underpowering these?

What integrated receiver would you recommend to really drive these?  Budget under $5k

bound4h

There’s a Musical Fidelity A1008 for sale that I’ve found for $1,000.   Assuming the condition is as stated (9/10), worth it?

Underwood HiFi has the Musical Fidelity 6Si for $3k plus many other possibilities.

I’d like to say your speakers are fine but agreed with others regarding the sensitivity rating. If you can get “any” PBN Montana speakers you’ll be in love. I upgraded to them and had a nice Marantz 85 wpc running them fine. Once I jumped up to a Parasound amp/pre amp set up they opened up dramatically. They come up pre owned here and there…..

@bound4h I’d be in the camp that if you aren’t currently happy with your speakers changing the amplification isn’t likely to cause you to fall in love with them.  Amps will amplify no pun intended strengths or weaknesses of a speaker but it won’t change the overall sound signature of the speaker.  I’d be looking for new speakers prior to an amp.  I had a set of Focal Electra 1028BE’s highly regarded as great value, trickle down effect on tweeter / woofer technology in Focal’s more expensive offerings.  Some songs, music were breathtaking but overall the sound signature was too forward, bright.  Most of the music I wanted to listen to wasn’t as enjoyable as I wanted the experience to be.  I chased Amps, SS, Tube with the lean toward warmer sounding amps to tame the Focal’s.  In the end, got some sage advice and tried other speakers, focusing on speakers that had the sound signature I leaned toward.
 

If you go the route of a new integrated and same speakers - Coda CSiB if you can find one used will be under budget and it’s a beast - the pre and amp sections are fantastic - it drive just about any speaker.  Krell 300i is another fantastic unit but likely over budget even used.  The Music Fidelity Integrated’s usually get high marks for punching above their weight class.    
 

good luck! 

@bound4h: Firstly, more than probably any other component in an audio system, speakers are a very personal and subjective choice. They are the business end of any sound system. Different ears are going to like different sound signatures.

Secondly, as one very respected high-end audiophile shop salesperson told me: "More power is always better." I would qualify that at bit by suggesting that the power supply and dynamic headroom of a power plant are just as important, if not more so.

Thirdly, Monitor Audio Silver 300 is an 8 Ohm nominal load design with a 90dB sensitivity. That's very sensitive, relatively speaking.

Fourthly, I spent approximately 3 hours of serious seat-time in a scheduled and orchestrated critical listening session with those speakers, the Silver 500s and Focal Aria 926. I was very impressed with the 300 and just a tad more so with the 500. However, the power plant used for that listening session was a monster Delta Classe stack with a heck of a lot more power and much more robust power supply than your Cambridge Audio which, judging from the specs (haven't heard it), is no slouch at all for what it does.

Fifthly, that Rega P6 is a solid (albeit a low mass design) TT. What cart are you using with it? You may find upgrading that might make a significant difference and save you mucho dinero.

Lastly, judging from your core components, IMHO, I'd say you are at that familiar point of diminishing returns, with respect to system upgrades. Upgrading only your speakers will likely leave you wanting and/or needing a better power plant and updating only the power plant will likely leaving you wanting and/or needing more sophisticated speakers. If your present inclination is to upgrade only our speakers, I would suggest you spend some serious seat-time with highly efficient or sensitive ones (e.g.  Klipsch; Paradigm; Revel; PSB; etc.). Chances are good, I think, that if you aren't particularly impressed with the Monitor Audio sound signature, the other British designs will leave you even more underwhelmed. Only your ears can lead you in the right direction.

Enjoy the journey!