2. amps-preamps
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Seeking more 3d imaging, deeper/wider soundstage

I'm considering replacing either my amp or my pre. My system is profiled in my system link. Which do you think would improve soundstage/imaging more:
Replace the P3? I'd consider used McCormack, or a passive line stage, but my amp clips at 5v, which is what my DAC puts out when using the XLR outputs, and I'd like to try those someday...not sure a passive is a good fit for my system? Plus I require a remote. That's a deal breaker.
Replace the Rotel RB-1080? I'd consider parasound (a21 is a bit too pricey for me), used McCormack, odyssey, maybe even older krell or classe. I want XLR inputs tho.
Budget is $900-$1200 for either. Music spans the full gamut, excluding hip hop and country. Room is small, 12x12x8. I'm going to throw up some affordable foam acoustic absorption this summer (foam factory). Thnx in advance.
realremo
realremo OP
460 posts
 
One last update. I went to Gold Sound in Littleton, and the owner treated me really well. We auditioned Wild Beasts' "Palace" and Peter Gabriel's "Don't give up" on three systems using Focal Aria 926 floorstanders, Cambridge Audio ICs and Kimber Kable speaker cable:
#1 - All Parasound, P5+A21
#2 - Dared Saturn SET amp, 20w class A
#3 - Parasound P5+PrimaLuna Prologue tube amp
#1 and #2 both sounded great. #3 was auditioned right after the Dared, and the soundstage compressed in depth, even got a little "steel-y." This lends weight to the recommendations of tube-pre with a solid state amp, instead of vice versa.
The biggest difference between #1 and #2 was the depth of the soundstage increased a little with the Dared. Sounded more spherical than rectangular, I guess. Also, the Dared is $2200, the Parasound stack is $3600. It was a fun visit.
nosguitar
4 posts
 
I have the Focal 926. They are wire out of phase. The woofers move in instead of out. Sounds terrible. Have to reverse wire. The whole Focal factory is on vacation for the summer. Needless to say thats an avoid.

They are power hungry. You need to really crank it before they sound good. Unfortunately you don't always want to be at 100db.
holygrailaudio
94 posts
 
No matter what kind of equipment you have the image and sound stage is going to be determined by interconnects and speaker cable. I first learned this as a dealer and couldn't figure out why the imaging was limited on a seriously high end system. It didn't seem to matter whether I was using $10k preamps and $20k amps, solid state or tubes. Yes with mediocre cable there will be improvements with better components, but nothing like you would get if the cable were top notch. When I say better cable I don't necessarily mean more expensive, my best cable finds have not been the most expensive, not cheat but definitely not the most expensive brands. If you haven't progressed cable to where you aren't getting improvements with better ones you are wasting your money on components.
snecma
6 posts
 
POWER HUNGRY 91.5db, nonsense. Fifty watts per channel is more than enough. The cheapest option is NAD. Perfect match
with Focals. If you want more detailed sound then Simaudio
NEO 220i but bit more expensive.
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