5 ch amp decision- opinions please


In upgrading my HTS I am trying to decide on a new power amplifier-

It has come down to these-

Anthem MCA-5
EAD Powermaster 1000
Parasound HCA 2205A
Sunfire Cinema Grand serII

I use my system about 50/50 music/theater, so musical performance is important.

Any opinions about how these compare? All dealers usually only carry one line, so I haven't had the chance to do a controlled comparison.

Rest of components:

Fronts- Proac Response 1.5s
Center- Proac center channel
Surrounds- JM lab 905
Processer B&K Ref 30 (thinking about going to Anthem AVM20)
rickmichaelson
Better add the Belles 350A Hot Rod(up to 6 channels) by Power Modules, Inc. to your list. Their 150A Hot Rod amps have recived unanamously spectacular reviews and the 350A trumps it easily.

To quote Doug Blackburn's 10/01 Soundstage Review:

"The Belles 350A is the amp for audiophiles who want super-amp sound on an under-$4000 budget. It is a no-nonsense, yet well-finished amp whose sound is that of the recording unaltered. The 350A is for connoisseurs of accuracy and faithfulness to the original performance as it was captured to LP, CD or one of the newer high-resolution formats. There are no added colorations, no weaknesses that hide behind hyped detail or sweetened sound, something surprisingly few amps at any price can deliver. The 350A has a killer bottom end, and its incredible rejection of back-EMF from the loudspeaker ensures sound quality that is as true to the source as may be possible with current technology.

It doesn’t happen often, but every now and then a reviewer is lucky enough to encounter a product that is so perfect that it is difficult to imagine anything being better in any substantial way. But what is unusual about the 350A is that it achieves this at the lowest price point I’ve yet encountered. The Belles 350A is an instant classic, and if there is any justice, it will sell like hotcakes. It's definitely this reviewer's choice."

http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/belles_350a.htm

Powermodules website:
http://www.powermodules.com/
Hate to add yet another choice instead of responding to your list, but the Aragon 8008x5 is a great amp for the price, but it is huge (107 lbs.). I know there is a used one on EBay that should go for a little over $2k.

I bought one for that price a few months ago.
I have my 2 channel Stereo and Home theater seperated and I'm using a pair of the 3 channel amp Parasound HCA-2003A and it just makes my Monitor Audio Silver Series Speakers Sing.Like you I'm also using the B&K ref 30 for processing.
If I'm to buy a multi channel amp now I would go with the 7 channels amps as most of the new sound formats in home theater needs 7.1 channels. Sorry to add to your confusion.
I had three Citation 7.1's in my HT before the EAD Powermaster 2000. With out a doubt the EAD is quicker, more detailed more exciting and much closer to Class A two channel than the Citations. I was ready to toss the theater prior to getting the EAD. It certainly doesn't have the slam of the Levinson 335 in my 2 channel, but it's overall tonality, clarity and detail is exciting, but not fatiguing.

Good luck,

Bill E.