LOL yes, "Lorde"; Have to chuckle about that! I don't know that I would say it's divinely approved music! ;) I do know the correct spelling, must have been in a rush. As far as questionable choice; of course! I use an array of pieces of music with bass, electric, acoustic and synthesized LF to judge music. I expect my systems to perform superbly with all of it. You might be astonished how much the character of LF notes changes with systems. We're talking music in the very low Hz range, well under 20Hz, and the way it changes is both astonishing and delightful. Those who say that region of music has little to offer imo do not understand how important that region of the frequency spectrum is for building a superior rig.
listening99, you are facing the dilemma of the budget audiophile, which I struggled with for several years, so I do understand your situation. You will find advice ranging all over the place, with people trying to direct you to what they think is the magic bullet - tweaks, room tuning, subs, better amp, speakers, etc.
You seem to love the speakers, and even though the specs are loose at 20Hz on low end, I will presume they can do at least 30Hz +/-3 dB. Ok, so you'll likely be ok with them.
Regarding the amp, a couple of tough/bare truths:
-Change the amp, everything changes - lows, mids, highs, etc. You can't freeze the upper end and change only the bottom.
-It's a guess; ONLY comparison will tell. All the anecdotal evidence will give you no assurance.
-Genre of amp is crucial, except when it is not, meaning that while typically certain genres have performance characteristics, it all depends on the manufacturer and model. I have used many tube amps that are more SS sounding, and vice versa.
-There is always more, LOTS more to gain in a system. Please do not take this wrong; it is true of everyone here; you have many, many levels of sound quality waiting for you if you choose to pursue them. You are now nowhere near ultimate sound with that system. As I said, even in my systems I am not at the END all and be all sound. I have for the better part of a decade continued to elevate systems several times past where I thought they couldn't get much better. I now put no limits on how good audio systems can be, and how many times they can be improved. Limitless.
So... yes, you can radically change the entire performance of the system with a new amp. No doubt about that at all. That would be one change of many available. You probably think it couldn't get much better. You are wrong. It can get better over and over and over again. You simply have to try things to push the system forward.
You will get two very different, very opposed viewpoints here. One group says "sufficient" with quality is the way to go in terms of power. The other says more robust power with quality is the way to go. These are not mutually exclusive, and the perception of attainment is in the eye of the beholder. Obviously, I'm deeply into quality sound, but in addition, I do not care to typically drive my personal system with less than about 200Wpc.
You don't seem to dislike the SS sound, so I would say look for a premium used or sale Class A or A/B amp with a good reputation. You could venture into much higher power with a Class D at least 500wpc like the Red Dragon S500 I reviewed. I think you would be shocked at how different your speakers can sound. Really, you deserve to hear them with more robust amplification. You could play around with a high brand name recognition amp such as Pass Labs (disclaimer; review underway), Van Alstine, Odyssey, etc. and not take much of a hit if you resold it. I would be cautious about having it shipped by stranger; I have not had good experiences with others' packing of amps and shipment. I would buy local via an Ad or dealer, or across country by dealer or manufacturer.
It's going to cost you something to move up. But, you have LOTs of room to roam in terms of performance. The performance spectrum is GIGANTIC, way beyond what you think now. Getting another amp is just one step along that spectrum. And if that turns out well, you'll think that you have reached the End. No, not even close. It keeps going and going... limitless, if you want that.
Here's the tough truth; no assurance that 1. with those price points you absolutely will like a different amp's sound better. 2. Are there much better sounds out there? Yes, many. You do your research, take your shot and hear the result. I flipped a LOT of gear prior to reviewing when I was building budget systems. Every amp was distinct and did different things well in the system. In many respects building a rig is not a math equation, but an art form. Consider it your sound journey. :)
listening99, you are facing the dilemma of the budget audiophile, which I struggled with for several years, so I do understand your situation. You will find advice ranging all over the place, with people trying to direct you to what they think is the magic bullet - tweaks, room tuning, subs, better amp, speakers, etc.
You seem to love the speakers, and even though the specs are loose at 20Hz on low end, I will presume they can do at least 30Hz +/-3 dB. Ok, so you'll likely be ok with them.
Regarding the amp, a couple of tough/bare truths:
-Change the amp, everything changes - lows, mids, highs, etc. You can't freeze the upper end and change only the bottom.
-It's a guess; ONLY comparison will tell. All the anecdotal evidence will give you no assurance.
-Genre of amp is crucial, except when it is not, meaning that while typically certain genres have performance characteristics, it all depends on the manufacturer and model. I have used many tube amps that are more SS sounding, and vice versa.
-There is always more, LOTS more to gain in a system. Please do not take this wrong; it is true of everyone here; you have many, many levels of sound quality waiting for you if you choose to pursue them. You are now nowhere near ultimate sound with that system. As I said, even in my systems I am not at the END all and be all sound. I have for the better part of a decade continued to elevate systems several times past where I thought they couldn't get much better. I now put no limits on how good audio systems can be, and how many times they can be improved. Limitless.
So... yes, you can radically change the entire performance of the system with a new amp. No doubt about that at all. That would be one change of many available. You probably think it couldn't get much better. You are wrong. It can get better over and over and over again. You simply have to try things to push the system forward.
You will get two very different, very opposed viewpoints here. One group says "sufficient" with quality is the way to go in terms of power. The other says more robust power with quality is the way to go. These are not mutually exclusive, and the perception of attainment is in the eye of the beholder. Obviously, I'm deeply into quality sound, but in addition, I do not care to typically drive my personal system with less than about 200Wpc.
You don't seem to dislike the SS sound, so I would say look for a premium used or sale Class A or A/B amp with a good reputation. You could venture into much higher power with a Class D at least 500wpc like the Red Dragon S500 I reviewed. I think you would be shocked at how different your speakers can sound. Really, you deserve to hear them with more robust amplification. You could play around with a high brand name recognition amp such as Pass Labs (disclaimer; review underway), Van Alstine, Odyssey, etc. and not take much of a hit if you resold it. I would be cautious about having it shipped by stranger; I have not had good experiences with others' packing of amps and shipment. I would buy local via an Ad or dealer, or across country by dealer or manufacturer.
It's going to cost you something to move up. But, you have LOTs of room to roam in terms of performance. The performance spectrum is GIGANTIC, way beyond what you think now. Getting another amp is just one step along that spectrum. And if that turns out well, you'll think that you have reached the End. No, not even close. It keeps going and going... limitless, if you want that.
Here's the tough truth; no assurance that 1. with those price points you absolutely will like a different amp's sound better. 2. Are there much better sounds out there? Yes, many. You do your research, take your shot and hear the result. I flipped a LOT of gear prior to reviewing when I was building budget systems. Every amp was distinct and did different things well in the system. In many respects building a rig is not a math equation, but an art form. Consider it your sound journey. :)