Newbie to the awesome audiophile world


hi all, i'm a new member here and looking to learn from here of starting a stereo system. I'm thinking a basic 2 channel amp that can power a pair of floor standing speakers. I'm currently eyeing a pair of bowers & Wilkens cm9 or kef iq9 both used of course (my budget is around 2k for the setup) so around 1000 for the speakers or about 1000 for the amp. Given the speakers, what are your thought on amps to pair with them that provide the best sounding? I'm looking for high fidelity sound over raw power. 

thanks all for viewing and helping this newbie out.
retsameht01
Welcome, retsameht01.   Different speakers place different demands on an amp, so I would select a pair of speakers first and then decide on an amp that works well with them. I’m not familiar with either of those speakers, so I can’t be much help there.

Speaker - amp interaction is a complicated subject for someone fresh to this world, so the explanation would be lengthy. It’s one of the keys to getting that audiophile sound that you’re after, though, and not being disappointed that you spent a bunch of money and it doesn’t sound any better than your old system.

So take some time, try to listen to the speakers, preferably in your home if you can borrow them, and when you decide on a pair we can then talk about a good amp for them. Take your time, that’s another key to getting good sound.

I think slaw is asking if you listen to digital or vinyl. That can make a difference too.

If you search the forums here, you can find threads on many speakers and amps that go well with them.  You may find a thread that will explain it in a way that works for you.
Speakers with around 95dB sensitivity will be a big help, as much below 90 and you need a lot more watts. And don't spend half your budget on speakers. Or amp. More like 25%. You need source, amp, speakers, and wire. Four equally important components. 25% each.
damm,2robtenambunchmofmstuff,8t deleted, darn iPads!

 Get 300 RMS, NO LESS, YOU WILL BE HAPPY!

tons of good gear out there!

enejoynthe hunt.
It's going to take time and effort to sort through the possibilities and one of the difficult parts is sorting out the good information from the bad on forums like this. Go slowly, read as much as possible of the often conflicting information and advice you'll come across and trust your ears. Resign yourself to not getting it just right the first time, which argues with sticking with mainstream brands with excellent reviews that have good potential resale value, possibly used. 

Just way too many possibilities and variables to even begin to put together a useful answer.
Instead I suggest you read a lot of the current threads and get a feel for what others are doing/ have done.
Good luck and stay safe.