From integrated to components


Currently own a Rotel RA-05 SE integrated powering B&W CM5 speakers. I'm told that matching the amp and the speakers is important for both the life of the equipment and for using the equipment to the best of its abilities.

Which preamp/amp would go well with B&W CM5?
ralex1098
One quick story. I bought B&W CM7's with brand new top of the line Rotel separates about 3 Years ago. It was the best amp, preamplifier and cdp Rotel was selling at that time. The set up sounded horrible. I figured it was break in and the speakers were the problem. I went to the basement and dragged up my old B&W DM602's that we're awesome speakers. Still sounded like crap. I let that system break in for hundreds of hours with no change. I sold the separates and bought a Rogue Cronus Magnum integrated tube amplifier here on Audiogon and all the stars aligned when I hooked it up. The moral of my story is don't replace your Rotel with new Rotel. Its not the same. Its so fatiguing that my music loving wife helped me sell it and danced when we first played the Rogue.

Tell us what you're looking for. What don't you like about what you hear?
One more thing. Although the cdp was slot loading I liked it very much. That was one thing they got right.