What amp & preamp/proc to get with AP Virgo III's?

I find the Luna an very good performer -- albeit expensive. Matches Virgos very well ofcourse.
For music (I don't have HT), the Virgos will like fast, powerful and musical (rather than analytical) amplification with good tonal balance; i.e., SS with "tube-like" midrange (Symphonic Line is one 2channel example). Otherwise, you may find the bass lean or the highs too pronounced, etc.
As to mega$ yeilding a difference... The Virgo is a very good speaker and will respond very perceptibly to good amplification. Quality & price often go hand in hand in our world, so go for tonal balance and reasonable power and trust your ears! Good luck!

Audiobean,

I have a pair of Virgos in my 2 channel set-up and I use an X150 to power them also. The Pass/AP combo is wonderful. While they are a little lite on the bass, the Virgos are among the absolute best that you can buy in terms of image, detail, etc. For HT, I would recommend that you use one of the REL subwoofers or the AP sub. With regard to amps, the Pass X5 is very good. For kicks and giggles, I hooked my Bryston 9B THX up to the Virgos and was very impressed. Between the two amps, I think it is somewhat of a toss up. Nonetheless, I would lean towards the X5. I do not think the Anthem would be a good match. The Virgos need a quality amp to bring out their best. While I agree the Anthem is a good value, it does not compare to the Pass or Bryston. In the interest of full disclosure, I have not yet heard the BAT or the Krell amps that you mentioned in your original post.

With regard to your pre/pro question, I was torn between the AVP2, AVM 20 and the HTS. I opted for the HTS. In my opinion, the HTS sounded the best in 2 channel and offered a great deal of functionality. I bought a Sunfire TG II a couple of years ago, because I thought it was a great value. After I upgraded my amp, I saw that the TG II did not bring out the best in my Nautilus speakers and sold it. I think you are better off at this price point in buying equipment with solid resale potential. Krell has great resale and excellent customer support.

I also strongly recommend using the Synergistic Research Res. Ref. 0.5 speaker cable w/ active shielding for the Virgos. Before I started using this cable, the bass, as you pointed out, was very lite. However, with the Res. Ref., the sound was much fuller and there was no loss of detail at all. Whatever you do, stay AWAY from MIT with the Virgos. I used the MH770 MIT cable on my Virgos and was very, very disappointed with it. It is too expensive and that stupid box is worthless!!!

If you are interested in a great deal on the Pass or Bryston and the cable, let me know. I have a great dealer for you.

I hope this rather lengthy response is helpful.

What bothers me about this is the 75%/25% stereo/HT balance. Obviously your priority is 2-channel, so why dump a bunch of cash on a pre/pro that may or may not keep up with future formats(we've all heard of "upgradeable" components that become expensive paperweights before long).

With your system and preferences I would put my money in a better quality stereo preamp and stereo amp, then buy a decent A/V receiver(with preamp outs) to handle the surround processing and amplification for the center/rears. This way you put the money where it really counts, and it will be easier/less costly to upgrade as the future formats evolve.

If you opt for a stereo preamp with an HT passthrough feature(i.e. Adcom, McCormack, BAT, Rogue, ARC, Levinson, Proceed, VAC, Conrad-Johnson, etc.) it will blend seamlessly with the receiver so you don't have to do any volume matching, but if that's not an issue you have your choice of any stereo preamp on the market--much better than the relatively few good and expensive pre/pros out there. With this setup your 2-channel signal only goes through the stereo components and never sees all the processing crap. Best of luck.

Tim