My Amp is good but probably the weak point

Amazing how it's always the folks who say they hate Klipsch who are th first ones to recommend getting rid of your Klipsch speakers!  (I could say the same thing about beryllium tweeters, but hey, that's just me...)

@thecarpathian  I do very much. Which is why I’m still pondering upgrading the crap out of the amp.

@audioman58  no doubt the Coda is amazing. I’ve been eying a #8 and also a S5.5 (all class a). It’d be a big upgrade but wondering if it’s the upgrade I’m looking for.

@fatdaddy2  100% agree

@clearthinker  no wife happy life

OP,

You needn’t know what characteristic you want to improve. This typically simply means you like all aspects of your current sound. That is a good thing.

I have been improving the sound of my system continually for fifty years. Many times, I have simply wanted all aspects to improve… dynamics, detail, soundstage, sound floor… etc. Moving to better equipment will do that. Once you have one piece of much better equipment, then upgrading others to that new level is likely to follow. Hopefully, falling on a great and higher plateau you are happy on for a long time.

Occationally an upgrade will move your system a bit too far in one or more aspects. Then you will have reason to change some particular aspects… could be tonal balance, too harshly revealing… more bass… who knows.

@gochurchgo 

Maybe a Denafrips Hyperion to go with your Athena?

Usually preamps and amps in the same company play very well together.

All the best.

Speakers

do dealers still let you audition speakers for 2 weeks?

if sound is your issue, get different speakers, or try new ones. The Klipsch treble for me has always been a “no go” BUT, it’s the highs and treble which ultimately give you that airy open sparkly sound.

I found my speakers, I wish they handled a wee bit more juice. There is no fatigue what so ever, they are relaxed and have descent bass, plus the acoustic guitar is pure awesomeness.

speakers will give you the most change in sound. Dynaudio is an amazing speaker.
I had a tough time when I went speaker shopping, as the wife was sick of the CV D9 monkey coffins in our family room. I lost midrange crunch, and that window shaking low end. But I have it time, and after about 300-350 hours , man did they get smooth, and just so rich sounding. As I mentioned, I don’t like a lot of treble, makes me grit teeth, and makes me uneasy. Before I bought my first power amp when I was 17 Onkyo m-504, I thought I was hot stuff, until I literally melted the binding posts in the back left channel, they were molten plastic.

now, I will have no less than 300+ W at 8Ohm.

I was told I think in here, my Energy rc-70 speakers are firewood, oh well…each their own huh? You love the shimmering treble you have, me I like it toned down.
as I play a lot of metal, and it’s super trebly, I have a broad music spectrum, I go from Kreator, to goatwhore, down shift to T-Rex, Thin Lizzy, Johnny winter, to Motörhead, Bathory, Y&T, right to Ry Cooder, Then to Chrome, or Helios Creed, then to Lillian axe, Venom, Celtic Frost, John Denver, Waylon Jennings, Malevolent Creation,…..you get the stew.  

audition speakers should be your first step. Then get kismet in khartago “glass ceiling” amps as Klaus calls them. Took me,…oh gosh, many many years to get the money, but I bought a old pair of silver stratos, had Klaus give them the treatment, so glad I did.

whatever route you choose, keep us informed and up to date