What makes you build a system around an amplifier?


Serious question. I almost always care about the room and speakers first, then build around that. However, this is not the only way to do things.

If you have ever insisted on keeping your amplifier, but were willing to change everything else around it, please let us know why. What made an amp so outstanding in your mind that it was worth making it your center piece. Imaging? slam?

Be specific about the amp and speakers or other gear that you shuffled through.

Thanks!

E
erik_squires
Erik: People who do surveys for a living know how difficult they are because the way you ask the question often shapes the answer given. First, I think it is unlikely that a significant number of people start over from scratch when putting together audio systems so, the either/ or question may not apply. More likely, they build on what they have - upgrading what they perceive to be the weakest link. I don’t upgrade often but I have cycled between amps and speaker upgrades an equal number of times. I upgraded my speakers this year. Before I did that, I sent an email to the amplifier manufacturer asking whether my old amp could drive a 4Ohm load. They said yes but if they had said no, I would have restricted my search to 8Ohm speakers.
Imaging? Relaxed presentation? Bass juiciness? Best presentation of Nina Simone you ever heard?
Yes, yes, yes and who??

When I have the right amp in the system, its a lot easier to convince my girlfriend to spend the evening spinning LPs...
bdp24,
I can't say what the "cause" was for the "grainy" sound.  The factory rep was proudly describing the preamp/power amp combination driving those speakers.  He did say that he thought the speakers were "unforgiving".  I have found some DACs produce a somewhat "dry" sound, but IMO the speakers sounded "grainy" too reproducing vinyl as well as digital.