2. amps-preamps
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Amplifier upgrade advice under $2000

Hi!  I have a new pair of speakers on order and want to upgrade my power amplifier to be ready when they arrive.  My current system is Klipsch Heresy III, Onkyo M504 amp, MiniDSP SHD preamp/streamer/room correction, and SVS SB12 sub.

Scheduled to arrive in December are Ohm Walsh 2000.  Research indicates these like a lot of power.  If the Ohms don’t work out I’ll shop for a used B&W 804, so still probably needs good power.

So, with a budget under $2000, wondering if I can get something that sounds significantly better than the Onkyo.  Used is fine.  Brands I have seen come up in the price range are Classe (ca-150), Vincent (331MK), Krell, PS Audio, Parasound, Bryston, etc.

I want to know if this would be a significant upgrade in this price range.  My sense is that brands like Rotel, Adcom, Emotiva, etc. would probably not change the sound all that much.  I also have a Crown ps-400, for example, that sounds pretty much identical to the Onkyo.

I recently tried out a Rogue Atlas Magnum tube amp.  It sounded great with the Heresys, a definite upgrade. Unfortunately  it created a loud speaker hum that I was unable to fix.  But it did make me crave the tube sound.  But it seems like finding a high powered tube amp to work with the Ohm Walsh is going to be challenging.

Sorry for the rambling, basically, is it worth spending $1-2K on a new amp or should I wait until I can get into a higher price range before ditching the Onkyo (which has those awesome green meters!).  Thanks!
judsondickie
hilde45's avatar
hilde45
4,974 posts
 
+1 on Van Alstine. If you would consider a hybrid, a Vincent could be the ticket.
b_limo's avatar
b_limo
2,274 posts
 
I guess that I could add that I owned a Classe CA-150 and CA200 and preferred the 200.  You can find one for around $1500-$1700.  You should still look into a pre amp as well though.  The pre amp is as big if not bigger contributor to the sound.

I recently got a Belles Aria integrated.  I looked at Parasound but it had features that I didn’t need or want.  Ayre AX7e and Kinki EXM1 were on my shortlist.  You might want to look into the Kinki EX-M1.  It seems to be a powerhouse with great imaging and a silent / black background.  
I’m guessing here that the Belles, Ayre, and Kinki will offer a higher end sound than the Parasound, not to diss the Parasound.  I actually like Parasound too.  People seem to love Hegel so check out Hegel.

If you are going seperates, my best 2 ams were the Classe CA-200 and the Bryston 4B-st.


judsondickie OP
7 posts
 
Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I have alot of research to do. The preamp is actually new, I bought mainly for the Dirac room correction ability, which seems very helpful in my not-well-set up living room.  So i'm concentrated on just power amps for now. 

The video from Millercarbon was interesting, a little above my knowledge.  

I like the hybrid power amp idea.  Van Alstine seems really interesting, not sure if those come up used too often.  Vincent looks interesting, I just can't find too much about them online.
phcollie's avatar
phcollie
342 posts
 
OP (Quote) "or should I wait until I can get into a higher price range"
is a very good plan. These threads usually devolve into 50 responses with 100 different amps suggested. The Reality is that the jump in quality from a 2k new amp to a 4-6K new product is significant. (Ignoring used prices) After about 6k, the improvements, IMO, become more subtle and nuanced. Without knowing the specific improved sound you are seeking it would be just a fanboy reply for me to suggest one. Are you looking for more speed? Firm Bass control, smooth vs detailed? What is lacking now? Watts are not going to be the end all solution. Throwing money at an undefined problem is a great way to spend more money. Buying something used until you get the exact amp you want (A path I followed) is not a bad idea at all either. I narrowed my choices down to 2, then saved and waited. The right amp will make those speakers sing so save your hard earned money and get the one you will love. (And definitely spend some coin treating the room.) Good Luck!

yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,655 posts
 
Why buy used? The Van Alstine amps are within the budget that you mentioned in your post!
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