Atrahern, thanks for the kind words, though as much as I would love to be able to say that the combined sonics and beauty were such that I had to have them at any price, alas it would not be the case - I'm cheap. Though your comment brings up an interesting coincidence... I heard Avantgarde Duos and discovered what horns could be but dismissed them because of the price, and a year later, I found these for sale at a much lower price. I could say that it was the Duos that put me on to horns and I got these when I was "financially able to take the plunge."
Danaudio1, I can relate. Though I try to keep it down in the evening so that the neighbors cannot defend the practice of their daughter to play rap at 3am.
Arthur, I have not heard the DA88s. I simply don't get out much as of late to hear what is on offer. In the past, I have heard a DA-something but don't know recall which one, and the Jadis Orchestra, which I thought was great bang for buck. I have heard the 300Bs, the 845s, and some of the larger push-pull amps over the past few years and have been impressed with each though obviously they are far from interchangeable. I have the JP80 pre which I also bought used a few years ago. I love it to death - not the quietest pre-amp in the first place (though in the last few months it sounds like it some of the caps may be showing their age) but it seems to show up other "more transparent" pres on a regular basis... I do not know if I will go down the road of Jadis amplification. My gut says that bi-amplification (or more?) may get the best out of the speakers but am unsure as to how I would want to go about this.